Введение

Saint Titus is mentioned for the first time in the Epistle to the Galatians (Gal. 2:3), that he was with the Apostle Paul in Jerusalem when the Apostolic Council took place there to determine how to receive pagans into the Church. What happened to him before that time, Saint Demetrius (Rostovsky) writes about it according to legend, that he was a Cretan and belonged to the royal family there; was a lover of wisdom, a zealot of piety not in a pagan way, and a virgin not in a pagan way (Epistle of Saint Ignatius (the God-Bearer) to the Philadelphians). By special instructions from above, he began to read the prophet Isaiah and opened the door for himself to the knowledge of the one true God, towards whom his heart burned. At that time, it began to be heard in Crete about the Lord the Savior - God, who appeared in the flesh in Judea, teaching true salvation and doing wonderful things. To collect accurate information about what was happening in Judea, the anphipat (proconsul) of Crete, the uncle of Saint Titus, sent Saint Titus there with the elders, as a wise and reverent man. Having reached Jerusalem, he saw the Lord, talked with Him and the holy Apostles, and saw wondrous signs. (Was he not one of the Greeks who wanted to see the Lord on the day of His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (John 12:20-22)?) Then he witnessed the suffering of the Lord and His death on the cross; but I was also convinced of His resurrection; waited for the descent of the Holy Spirit and was among the Cretans who heard the Apostles speak, without studying, in Cretan (Acts 2:11). - All this, returning to Crete, he announced to his compatriots who had sent him. Saint Titus was already a sincere believer, but had not yet received holy baptism. To do this, he went again to where the Apostles were active - this time to Antioch, where he turned to Saint Paul and was received by him before leaving for Jerusalem for the Council. He was not baptized immediately, either due to lack of time, or because of the confusion that came from the zealots of the law; but better because God’s providence was pleased to use it as an instrument of the most obvious confirmation of the unnecessaryness of circumcision, and, consequently, of the entire law, according to the Apostolic way of acting. Saint Paul writes that when they were in Jerusalem, Saint Titus was not forced to be circumcised. “It would be strange to demand circumcision from someone who has already been baptized; why should we assume that he had not yet been baptized, although he fully believed? And the Apostle called him only a Greek: “Greek” (Gal. 2:3). Baptism was given to him there, after the Apostles drew up a decree on the acceptance of pagans into the bosom of the Church without circumcision - in confirmation by deeds that their decree is an urgent law, which from now on everyone must follow. After this, Saint Titus followed the Apostle Paul, perhaps by the election of the other Apostles, and collaborated with him. He probably accompanied St. Paul on his second Apostolic journey, when the Galatians were converted, and became known to the Galatians from that time on. The mention of him in the Epistle to them was very clear to them. It is very likely that he accompanied Saint Paul on this entire journey and after Philip and Thessaloniki he was with him in Corinth. The latter can be reliably concluded from the fact that, on his third journey, Saint Paul, just leaving Ephesus, sent him to Corinth with an important assignment - namely, to make sure how his First Epistle was accepted there, which he would not have done if Saint Titus had not been known to the Corinthians. Having sent him directly to Corinth, Saint Paul himself went there through Troas and Macedonia. Saint Titus was ordered to hurry back with information and meet the Apostle in Troas; but he did not have time to fulfill this. Having waited for him in Troas and not receiving it, Saint Paul crossed over to Macedonia, and there they already met. The information he brought consoled Saint Paul, but, however, it was of such a nature that a new Epistle was required. It was written and sent with Saint Titus, ahead of Saint Paul, who was to visit the other Macedonian Churches. The meeting with Saint Titus and the writing of the Epistle probably took place in Philippi. Soon after this, the bonds of Saint Paul began, first in Caesarea Palestine, and then in Rome. Although neither the Acts nor the Epistles mention that Saint Titus was with him; but since on the way back from the first Roman bonds we see him with Saint Paul in Crete, it is natural to believe that he was with him or at his disposal and during the entire period of bondage. In Crete, Saint Paul, apparently, did not stop for long while passing by; but, seeing that much among the believers there required correction, he left Saint Titus with them so that he could correct what was unfinished. He himself went further to Asia Minor, to visit the local Churches - first Phrygian, then Pisidian and Lycaonian - intending to spend the winter in Nicopolis, we believe - Cilician or Syrian. Saint Paul saw that he would need Saint Titus here; why, writing the Epistle, he ordered him to come to him in Nikopol - which, of course, he did. When, having wintered near Nicopolis, Saint Paul headed through Ephesus to the West, to Macedonia, Achaia, Spain, and then found himself in second bonds in Rome; along this entire path, Saint Titus was probably inseparable from him; for we see him with Saint Paul in Rome - and he, writing the Second Epistle to Timothy from Rome, remembers that Saint Titus was sent by him to Dalmatia due to the needs of the Churches there. This ends the information about Saint Titus from Scripture. His life is brought to the end by the legend according to which he was a bishop in Crete (Eusebius of Caesarea. Church history. 3, 4) and, having enlightened the entire island with faith, in deep old age, in the 94th year from his birth, he reposed in the Lord. His memory is on the 25th day of August. Saint Chrysostom says about him: “Of Paul’s companions, Titus was the most experienced man. For if he had not been experienced, then the Apostle would not have entrusted him with the whole island, would not have commanded him to complete what was missing or, as he says, “and correct what was unfinished” (Titus 1:5). And the fact that the Apostle writes a short Epistle also serves as proof of the virtue of Titus - that he did not need long speeches, but only some reminder.” Blessed Theodoret adds: “St. Paul crowned Titus with many praises in his Epistle to the Corinthians.” And there he says: “a companion to me, and a companion to you,” a “most diligent” worker, to whom it is enough to indicate the task, and he will immediately carry it out without any special compulsion (2 Cor. 8:23, 17). The message is all addressed to Saint Titus. But since it is written according to the needs of Cretan Christians, when writing it, of course, they also had in mind. Why is it not superfluous to suggest about them - what is possible and what can in any way contribute to a more accurate understanding of the Message. How did Christianity come to Crete? According to the already proposed legend about Saint Titus, it was recovered by the Cretans themselves and brought to them by Saint Titus, who was sent to recover it. Saint Titus, having sincerely believed, also instilled the same faith in the Cretans. It could be confirmed and multiplied by the Jews who were in Jerusalem - and who believed in the Lord there under the influence of the Apostolic word. To include baptism among them, let us assume that Saint Titus, either from Corinth on the second Apostolic Journey of Saint Paul, or from Ephesus on the third, or on both, was sent to Crete, both out of his own zeal and at the desire of the Apostle, and established baptism there, at the same time spreading the holy faith throughout the island. It can be assumed that he was active there during the bonds of St. Paul, in Caesarea, and partly in Rome. The spread of the faith there is strengthened by the action of Zina and Apollos, if the words of St. Paul about them: “Zina and Apollos were soon ahead” (Titus 3:13) we understand that St. Paul, visiting Crete, found them there and left them there with Titus, then from the road he ordered them to be sent to him as soon as possible. From this it will follow that they acted evangelistically before St. Paul’s arrival there, and, of course, not fruitlessly. Such assumptions sufficiently explain such a wide spread of Christianity throughout the island that Saint Paul, having arrived there and learned about it, found it necessary to appoint “presbyters throughout the city” (Titus 1:5). Christianity, it turns out, has taken wide roots there; but there was no hierarchy or other church structure yet. To make up for this deficiency, Saint Titus was left in Crete. This last circumstance - that there was no hierarchy and, therefore, a determining voice - was the reason that many vain talkers appeared among Christians, who gave themselves the freedom to judge and dress up the matter of Christianity, both from the dogmatic and moral side, as anyone pleases, according to the principles in which someone was established before the adoption of Christianity, without considering and not submitting to the image of sound words, which constituted the same norm everywhere Christian teaching. It is not clear that they have formed any heresies, but have only entered into the custom of vanity, competition and quarrels. There was no sobering and calming voice. The Apostle saw that what was most necessary for them was to establish authoritative guardians of both the image of the teaching of the faith and the way of life according to faith - for which purpose he left Saint Titus with them. Time and place of writing the message The time and place of writing of the Epistle has already been suggested in the general introduction. Here we will only quote the words of St. Chrysostom, who says: “It seems to me that the Apostle wrote this Epistle during the time between his first and second imprisonment (in prison).” And again: “this epistle, it seems to me, precedes the Epistle to Timothy (Second). For he wrote this at the end of his life, while in (his last) bonds, and this at a time when he was released and free from bonds.” The motivation and purpose of writing the message Saint Paul has just left Saint Titus in Crete: why write? What prompted him to do this? Maybe, leaving him, he didn’t have time to say everything that needed to be said. – Remembering that on the road, he hurries to fill in what was left unsaid. Also: Saint Titus is a Cretan himself. But since a prophet is “without honor, only in his own country” (Matthew 13:57), then it was necessary to give authority to his words and orders. Having received the Message, Saint Titus could boldly say to everyone: look! This is what the Apostle of the Gentiles commands, to whom the Lord Himself showed how to act among you for your salvation. Moreover, Saint Paul, as the founder of the Church, could not help but have concern for the future of the Church, which cannot stand without the expedient action of the shepherds. In order for them to act this way, they need leadership. The Spirit of God inspired him to take advantage of the present opportunity and draw up rules for the proper action of shepherds. After the usual preface, consisting of an inscription with a greeting and the beginning of the Epistle (Titus 1:1–5), rules follow for the guidance of Saint Titus and, through him, all the organizers of the Churches (Titus 1:6–3, 11); At the end there is also a short afterword (Titus 3:12–15). A more detailed division comes in the Interpretation itself. You might be interested in: