Titus 3:3 We were

Titus 3:3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

In more than one place the New Testament describes life before Christ, the life all believers lived before coming to know him, especially those outside Judaism. Paul uses a number of words or phrases to describe how it was in the past here in Titus 3:3. By nature we were foolish - morally corrupt; we were disobedient - unwilling and unable to obey God; deceived - how little did we understand of our plight and how to be delivered from it; enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures - we thought we were free but far from it, we had no choice but to follow our desires; there was also those twin evils of malice and envy. On the one hand we were hated by others and on the other we were those who were hating others. What a hopeless mess it was. This is how it continues to be for the unbeliever. What misery they know, misery that can only be removed in Christ.

Titus 2:11 All People

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.

The word For alerts us to the fact that there is a connection between Titus 2:9 and what has gone before. What has gone before is instruction for Titus on the need to teach different groups in the church (older and younger men, older and younger women and slaves). This would suggest that the all people in the verse is not absolute but refers to different types of people (older and younger men, older and younger women and slaves). Paul's point then is that all sorts of people need to be taught how to live the Christian life because the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. The first part of the verse is a little like the phrase that appears in Titus 3:4 the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared. In both cases Paul is thinking of the incarnation that being the quintessential appearing of the grace or free and loving favour of God. This grace "brings" or  offers salvation to all people. There is no verb so that has to be supplied and one could argue over that. That point, however, is that salvation has begun to be offered and indeed comes to all sorts of people now that the grace of God has appeared. Ministers and their churches, therefore, must never be narrow in who they offer the gospel to or who they encourage to live the Christian life.

Titus 2:3-5 Women's Lessons

Titus 2:3-5 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

In Titus 2 Titus is taught that he must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine and do this bearing in mind the sort of people in the churches - older men, younger men, older women and younger women. In verses 3-5 he cleverly rolls the instructions to the younger women into what the older women are to be told. Older women are told positively to be reverent in the way they live and to teach what is good and negatively not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine something that could easily happen with time on their hands. By this means they will be a good influence on the rising generation of women who they can urge in at least five things - loving their husbands and children, being self-controlled and pure, being busy at home, being kind, and being subject to their husbands. The pastors role is clearly not to teach young women but to he is to teach the older women - encouraging reverence and warning against gossip and drink and helping them to teach the younger women to love their families, subject to their husbands, be self-controlled and pure, work hard at home and be kind in general. Paul sees this is vital because the last thing they needed in Crete was to give people an excuse to malign the word of God. No churches want that.

Titus 1:10 Vain-talkers, Mind-deceivers

Titus 1:10 For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group.

What Paul says to Titus in his own day is probably true to some extent of every period. There are many with a rebellious spirit. Such people are full of meaningless talk and deception. These vain-talkers and mind-deceivers have a great deal to say but it is both empty and deceptive. Paul singles out the circumcision group but such rebels can be found in other forms. Like the circumcision group they have a veneer of religion but in truth they are rebels who are empty and insincere hypocrites who oppose the truth and must be resisted. 1 Timothy 1:6 also refers to meaningless talkers and this strand of thought is found throughout the pastoral letters. See 1 Timothy 1:4-6, 6:3-5, 2 Timothy 3:13, 4:4. The faithful minister will expect such rebellion and warn his people against it while avoiding rebellion, empty talk, deceit and all forms of hypocrisy and false religion himself.

Titus 1:5 Left Unfinished

Titus 1:5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

In this verse Paul summarises why he left Titus on the island of Crete and what he wanted him to do. The reason Titus was there, in general terms, was that he might put in order what was left unfinished or lacking - the things that remain to be done. The work of planting churches had now been completed but there was still work to be done and it was to be Titus's task to see that it was done. A top priority for him was to be the appointing of elders in every town. Paul had previously spoken to Titus about this but here he reminds him of his task. Once churches have been planted there is still work to be done, if they are to be truly for the glory of God. The appointing of elders is an essential part of the work and one that should be given some priority. It is in the light of this need that Paul later reminds Titus of the sort of men they are looking for to carry out this task. The mechanics of appointing these elders is not spelled out but the more important matter of the sort of men to be sought is.

2 Timothy 4:16, 17 God's Deliverance

2 Timothy 4:16, 17 At my first defence, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.  But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.

Here Paul explains how defending himself against the opposition of the Roman authorities (probably at the beginning of his last trial) no one came to his support, but everyone deserted him. Immediately, he adds May it not be held against them. Paul knew better than to seek personal vengeance. He was not dismayed either, even though he was left alone, because, as had happened at other times, the Lord stood at his side and gave him strength (poured power into him). This meant that through Paul the message was fully proclaimed so that all the Gentiles might hear it. Further, he was, he says, delivered from the lion’s mouth which may be a reference to Caesar (Nero) or possibly to Satan or is perhaps even a literal reference. These verses are every specific to Paul but the lessons are more general - sometimes believers do let us down but we must not hold it against them. We can always expect God's help even though men fail us, especially if the gospel is advanced.

2 Timothy 4:11, 12 Fellow Workers

2 Timothy 4:12 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.  I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

These verse mention three of Paul's fellow workers, two of them famous as Gospel writers and the third much less well known. Luke is the author of the third Gospel and also of Acts. He was a companion of Paul and evidently a medical doctor. There are various ideas about Luke's background but it seems he was a Gentile, perhaps from Antioch and converted under Paul's early ministry there with Barnabas. Clearly he travelled with Paul on his missionary journeys and there is evidence to connect him closely with the church at Philippi in the early days. Here it is Luke's loyalty that is emphasised. Paul is greatly encouraged by Luke's presence at this difficult time. Mark, of course, is another Gospel writer and another missionary companion to Paul, although we know that initial experience turned out rather badly at the end. Here that early disappointment is forgotten and although Mark is not with Paul at the moment Paul desires it because he feels Mark is helpful to me in my ministry. Paul feels in contrast that he can spare Tychicus, who he has sent to Timothy in Ephesus. Tychicus is another companion of Paul mentioned five times altogether in the New Testament. He went from his native Asia (probably Ephesus) to Macedonia with Paul (Acts 20:4) and is mentioned in the Ephesian and Colossian letters as a dear brother ... a faithful minister and ... a faithful servant in the Lord (Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 4:7). He is also mentioned in Titus 3:12 and may have travelled to Crete on Paul's behalf. He is another of the unsung heroes of the New Testament, faithfully serving wherever needed. Loyalty, helpfulness and service are such needed virtues in churches to this day.