Titus.
Titus.
§ 268. Titus, to whom this Epistle was written, was bishop of the church of Crete, a faithful minister and dear friend of the apostle (2 Cor. 2:13; 7:6). The apostle sent him this Epistle from Macedonia. It has nearly the same theme as 1 Timothy.
It consists of three chapters and the same number of parts. The first teaches what sort of persons should be elected to the episcopate and diaconate. The second prescribes to individuals their duties. In the third he gives Titus advice about his office.
But yet, at one time, Marcion rejected these entire Epistles to Timothy and Titus, according to Epiphanius (Haeres. 42) and Jerome (commentary on Titus); however, they have always been considered canonical by the common approval of the entire Church. Augustine, De doctr. Christ., bk. 4, c. 16: “Paul wanted him on whom the persona of a teacher has been imposed in the Church to have always before his eyes these three apostolic Epistles.”