Biblical Profile: Titus

Titus

Titus was a Gentile convert who served as one of Paul’s trusted assistants. One of Paul’s last letters was addressed to him, when Titus was helping to consolidate the church at Crete. Titus is an example of the Gentile converts who were so deeply touched by the Good News of Christ that they left their homes and devoted their lives to assisting Paul in the proclamation of the Good News.

We know nothing about Titus’s background or conversion; his name is not mentioned in Acts. We first hear of him as a Gentile believer who accompanied Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem (Gal 2:1). Significantly, Paul emphasized that Titus was not compelled to be circumcised (Gal 2:3).

Later, as a trusted member of Paul’s team, Titus was sent on special assignments. He was the one sent by Paul to Corinth to deal with a difficult situation there (apparently carrying the demanding letter mentioned in 2 Cor 2:4, 9; 7:8-9). This task required both tact and strong leadership (Titus’s personality seems to have been stronger than Timothy’s; see 1 Cor 16:10-11; 2 Cor 7:13-15; 2 Tim 1:6-7). When Titus returned to Paul with good news (2 Cor 7:6-7, 13-15), Paul sent him back to Corinth carrying the letter we call 2 Corinthians to encourage the believers to complete their money-raising project for the poor believers in Jerusalem. It was an assignment he eagerly accepted because of his love for the Christians in Corinth (2 Cor 7:15; 8:6, 16-17). Paul speaks of him as a person of integrity and as one who is similar to Paul himself (2 Cor 8:23; 12:18).