Post by Admin on Aug 29, 2019 23:11:32 GMT
We arrived last night at the final discussion on the study of Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus. After the in-depth, chapter by chapter discussions on the two letters to Timothy, it felt a bit strange to gobble up the entirety of Titus – three chapters, albeit not too long chapters – in one session. We opened with some comments on our experiences with chaotic situations created through lack of leadership. That seems to be more of what Titus was facing, a lack of structure and leadership, rather than Timothy’s challenge of wresting control from false leaders and getting the Ephesus churches back on track. In terms of the characteristics of leadership that Paul imparts to Titus, this short book sounded almost like a summary of Paul’s teachings to Timothy.
An interesting element of this letter, again a departure from Timothy’s situation, was that Titus had a tight timeframe for action. He was “left” in Crete (verse 1:5) for the task of getting the church organized and in good functioning order, and by end of the chapter 3, Paul is expecting Titus to hand off and return to Paul, allowing a period of less than a year (likely about eight months) to get things in hand. A few commented that in the world around us, six months is often considered just the starting period to get control of a new situation. Titus had advantages, of course: Paul’s teaching, the help of reliable friends who have been there (verse 3:13), and God’s intentions. Paul makes clear that God is the power that will make things work.
A few other aspects of Titus’ project became clear as we talked. First, Paul wanted him to break down the task of getting control in Crete, and to do it through working with smaller groups discretely: the men, the boys, the women, the slaves. On a side note, our interpretation of Paul’s instructions in 2: 1-8 was less that he was domineering women and more that he was generally valuing the benefits of the family structure. Secondly, in regard to Titus’ charge, Paul foremost directs him to find good, strong, elders, lieutenants one might say, to teach them and promote them so that those elders in turn support Titus, and of course continue the work of building Christ’s church when Titus departs. Lastly, Paul is emphatic with Titus, as he was with Timothy, about the vitality of living what they preach, “…so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us (2:8).”
An interesting element of this letter, again a departure from Timothy’s situation, was that Titus had a tight timeframe for action. He was “left” in Crete (verse 1:5) for the task of getting the church organized and in good functioning order, and by end of the chapter 3, Paul is expecting Titus to hand off and return to Paul, allowing a period of less than a year (likely about eight months) to get things in hand. A few commented that in the world around us, six months is often considered just the starting period to get control of a new situation. Titus had advantages, of course: Paul’s teaching, the help of reliable friends who have been there (verse 3:13), and God’s intentions. Paul makes clear that God is the power that will make things work.
A few other aspects of Titus’ project became clear as we talked. First, Paul wanted him to break down the task of getting control in Crete, and to do it through working with smaller groups discretely: the men, the boys, the women, the slaves. On a side note, our interpretation of Paul’s instructions in 2: 1-8 was less that he was domineering women and more that he was generally valuing the benefits of the family structure. Secondly, in regard to Titus’ charge, Paul foremost directs him to find good, strong, elders, lieutenants one might say, to teach them and promote them so that those elders in turn support Titus, and of course continue the work of building Christ’s church when Titus departs. Lastly, Paul is emphatic with Titus, as he was with Timothy, about the vitality of living what they preach, “…so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us (2:8).”