The Epistle to Titus
Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky)
Titus
was also one of the closest disciples of the Apostle Paul. The epistle
to him is not long, but nonetheless joins the ranks of pastoral
epistles. There are many parallels between it and similar instructions
that we find in the Epistle to Timothy. This is understandable, as the
Apostle Paul consecrated both Timothy and Titus bishops, to be his
assistants and his successors. We read this in the Epistle to Titus:
"Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to
the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is
after godliness."
But what is this
"God’s elect?" Does this mean that the Lord chooses who must be saved
and does not choose others? It appears that the Lord does not treat
everyone the same: He chooses some, but not others. How can this be?
Becoming one of God’s elect depends entirely on God’s omniscience: man
remains free, but the Lord knows in advance and foresees, in a way
inconceivable to us, what path he will take. And if he chooses the
righteous path, he becomes one of "God’s elect." This is why the
Mother of God appeared to St. Sergius and said to him (of course, he
was stunned by this appearance of the Mother of God, the Queen of
Heaven): "Fear not, thou elect of God!" Not because this was some
marked chosen one, but because the Mother of God knew St. Sergius and
therefore called him thus.
"According to the
faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is
after godliness; in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie,
promised before the world began." This means that the truth which is
after godliness is the hope of inheriting eternal life. And that hope
relies on what the Lord promised, and God cannot lie: what He said
will be. "But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching,
which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our
Saviour; to Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy,
and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour."
As a father does a son, he teaches him peace and the blessing of the
One God, and then abruptly turns to the matter at hand: "For this
cause left I thee in Crete" ‒ at that time, the Apostle left Timothy
in Ephesus. Timothy was the Bishop of Ephesus, where he suffered,
while Titus was Bishop of Crete. "For this cause left I thee in Crete,
that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and
ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: if any be
blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not
accused of riot or unruly." As in the Epistle to Timothy, the Apostle
maintains: how can one who cannot rule his own home rule the Church?
"For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not
self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given
to filthy lucre." This is reminiscent of parallel instructions to the
Apostle Timothy. "But a lover of hospitality (that is, one who
welcomes strangers and indulges them), a lover of good men, sober,
just, holy, temperate; holding fast the faithful word as he hath been
taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to
convince the gainsayers." Of course, if one were to accept priestly or
episcopal service and not know Christian teaching as well as he
should, how can he convince those who are lost, and instruct those in
need of instruction? “For there are many unruly and vain talkers and
deceivers, especially they of the circumcision: whose mouths must be
stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought
not, for filthy lucre’s sake." Remember what we just read in the
Epistle to Titus: "One of themselves, even a prophet of their own,
said, the Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." This
is a rather severe assessment, no? But hence arises a famous paradox,
which is used as a logical fallacy to demonstrate that a formal
logical conclusion can lead to different conclusion that negates the
first. That which is here said by one prophet applies to the prophet
himself, who is famous as having developed the paradox. Here is the
paradox: Epimenides, himself a Cretan, says that all Cretans are
liars. And, since he is a Cretan, he too is a liar. Since he is a
liar, then he spoke an untruth, and that means that Cretans are not
liars. Since they are not liars, then that means he spoke the truth,
which means they are liars. And since he is a Cretan, then he is a
liar, and so it goes. There is an exit from this formal logical loop.
The exit, of course, takes the form of an old proverb: "There is an
exception to every rule!" Epimenides said, "The Cretans are always
liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons0," and the Apostles Paul adds, "This
witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound
in the faith; not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of
men, that turn from the truth. Unto the pure all things are pure."
He who is pure in
soul and heart can speak on any topics, even those, it would seem,
which are seductive and impure, and yet remain pure. "Unto the pure
all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is
nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled." Whoever
is defiled sees impurity everywhere. Whoever is pure sees purely, but
whoever is impure sees the vile in everything. "They profess that they
know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and
disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."
The Apostle speaks
of his time here, but we in our own time see the very same thing. Many
people who speak of God say many pious, elegant words, but deny Him in
their works. For when words are not supported by works, but rather the
works part ways with the words, then it becomes clear – this man has
no true, firm conviction in Christ. If he had it, then he would be
faithful to that truth. This is that about which we already spoke: in
the last times especially, there will be many people having an
appearance of piety. They will profess that they know God, they will
speak holy words, but by their works they will deny Him, being
abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Amen.
Translated from the original Russian by Rdr. Gregory Levitsky
Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese
