Crete: Crete is the most populous and largest island in Greek. It is the 5th largest island in the Mediterranean Sea after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus and Corsica. The region of Crete constitutes a number of surrounding islands and islets. The capital city is Heraklion. Crete has a population of more than six-lakhs as of now.
Key people: Paul and Titus
Special features: This is very similar to 1 Timothy with sufficient instructions to church leaders. The Epistle is one of the three Pastoral Epistles along with 1 Timothy and 2-Timothy. Paul describes the requirements and duties of elders and Bishops.
Key verses:
“You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.” (2:1)
“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate and to show true humility toward all men.” (3:1-2)
“Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.”(3:14).
| Paul’s life | AD |
| Conversion | 33 |
| 1st visit to Jerusalem | 36-37 |
| 2nd visit to Jerusalem | 44-47 |
| 3rd visit to Jerusalem | 48-49 |
| 1st Missionary journey | 46-47 |
| 2nd Missionary journey | 48-51 |
| 3rd Missionary journey | 52-57 |
| Paul Martyred in Rome | 64-67 |
Probable dates of Pauline Letters
| SN. | Letters | Date- AD | Place of writing | Ref. found in Acts |
| 1 | Galatians | 48 | Syrian Antioch | 14:28; 15:2 |
| 2 | 1 Thessalonians | 50 | Corinth | 18:5 |
| 3 | 2-Thessalonians | 50 | Corinth | |
| 4 | 1-Corinthians | 55 | Ephesus | 19:20 |
| 5 | 2-Corinthians | 56 | Macedonia | 20:2 |
| 6 | Romans | 57 | Corinth | 20:3 |
Prison Letters:
| SN. | Letters | Date- AD | Place of writing | Ref. found in Acts |
| 7 | Colossians | Early 60s | Rome | |
| 8 | Ephesians | Early 60s | Rome | |
| 9 | Philemon | Early 60s | Rome | |
| 10 | Philippians | 62-63 | Rome | 28:30-31 |
Fourth-Missionary journey:
| SN. | Letters | Date- AD | Place of writing | Ref. found in Acts |
| 11 | 1-Timothy | 63 | Macedonia | |
| 12 | Titus | 63 | Ephesus | |
| 13 | 2-Timothy | 64 | Rome. |
Background:
Paul’s preaching the Gospel in Crete is not mentioned anywhere in Acts of apostles, yet it may be plainly inferred from “This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put straight what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you” (1:5). It may be some time in 62 A.D., after the apostle was released from his first imprisonment in Rome. But not being able to spend much time in that island, he left the care of the churches to Titus, and sailed into Judea in the beginning of 63 A.D., taking Timothy with him. Paul spent some time in Jerusalem, then he proceeded to Antioch, establishing the churches where ever he went. From Antioch he set out on his fifth and last apostolic journey, in which he and Timothy travelled through Syria and Cilicia, and came to Colossae in Phrygia, early in 64 A.D. On this occasion it is supposed he wrote his Epistle to Titus, in which he desires him to meet him in Nicopolis, as he had intended to spend the winter there (3:12). From Colosse he went with Timothy to Ephesus, where he left him to govern the church. Then he passed into Macedonia, and probably visited Philippi, and different churches in that province, according to his intention, (Phil 2:24); and then to Nicopolis, where he intended to spend the winter, and where he had desired Titus to meet him.
Whether Titus ever left Crete or where he died we do not know. The traditions, say he lived until he was 94 years of age, and died and was buried in Crete. He appears to have been a young man when entrusted with the care of the congregations on this island. In such an extensive district, an aged or infirm man would have been of little service.
Crete, is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is now generally computed to be about 250 miles long, about 50 broad. It was anciently called Aeria, Cthonia, Curete, Idaea, and Macaris; but its most common name was Crete. It consists of nearly 100 cities where Titus was asked visit them and appoint worthy overseers.
While Timothy was labouring in metropolitan Ephesus, Titus had His hands full on the island of Crete. Titus was a Greek believer (Gal.2:3) who had served Paul well on special assignments to the church in Corinth (2 Cor. 7:13-14; 8:6,16,23; 12:18). Apparently Titus had been won to Christ through Paul’s personal ministry (Tit.1:4) just as Timothy had been (1 Tim.1:2). “As for Titus,” Paul wrote, “he is my partner and fellow worker among you” (2 Cor. 8:23).
But the people on the island of Crete were not the easiest to work with, and Titus became somewhat discouraged. Like Timothy, he was probably a young man. But unlike Timothy, he was not given to timidity and physical ailments. Paul had been with Titus on Crete and had left him there to correct the things that were wrong. Since Jews from Crete were present at Pentecost (Acts 2:11), it is possible that they had carried the Gospel to their native land.
| No. | Chapter / titles | Page |
| 1. | A mission for Titus | 5 |
| 2 | Instructions to Church members | 11 |
| 3. | Attitude towards authorities and general public | 16 |