Titus 1

Titus is left in Crete to put remaining things into order and to appoint elders in every city, as Paul directed. Wesley: ordain elders—appoint the most faithful, zealous men to watch over the rest; these were the elders, or bishops, that Paul approved of—men that had living faith, a pure conscience, a blameless life.

The church is not left without watchers. Living faith and a blameless life are the first credentials. Appointment is pastoral work, not a power-grab; Crete needs ordered towns, not a vacuum.

Calvin: churches cannot safely remain without the ministry of pastors. He does not give permission to Titus that he alone may do everything, but only bids him preside, as moderator, at the elections. This passage shows there is no distinction between a presbyter and a bishop.

Every town needs pastors. Titus moderates the appointing; he does not swallow the church. Elder and overseer name the same office. What remained is unfinished church order, not optional décor.

Above reproach, the husband of one wife, with believing children not open to debauchery or insubordination. Wesley on this verse: the Holy Ghost, by repeating this so often, designed to leave the Romanists without excuse. On the same phrase at 1 Timothy 3:2 he added: How needless was that question, whether a man having two wives at once could be a bishop? St. Paul did not so much as suppose such a case. He that hath been married more than once (though he were a widower) was not to be admitted.

Arminians (with the broader catholic stream) have treated this as a character list for male overseers in the ordinary case. The phrase describes faithfulness to one woman and rules out polygamy. Wesley read more strictly, even against successive marriages after widowhood. The household must not be a scandal of debauchery or insubordination.

Calvin: polygamy was so common among the Jews that Paul enjoined them to elect those who had lived chastely in marriage—satisfied with a single wife—and forbade those who had manifested lust by marrying many wives. He who, having become unmarried by the death of his wife, marries another, ought nevertheless to be accounted the husband of one wife: the apostle does not say him who has been, but him who is, the husband of one wife.

Reformed historic reading likewise hears a one-woman faithfulness and a public life that can bear the church’s weight. Calvin allowed the unmarried and a second marriage after death, while still condemning polygamy. Believing children not open to debauchery or insubordination belong to the same household test.

An overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward. Wesley: as the steward of God—to whom he intrusts immortal souls. Not selfwilled—literally, pleasing himself. The negatives: not arrogant, not quick-tempered, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain.

These are visible, trainable refusals. Grace that saves also trains a man not to rule immortal souls as a brawler, a drinker, or a hireling. Stewardship is trust, not self-pleasing.

Overseer (episkopos) is God’s steward and must be above reproach. Calvin already heard no distinction between presbyter and bishop in this passage. The negatives protect the sheep from arrogance, temper, drink, violence, and greed.

A man can be orthodox and still disqualified here. The church’s household is not safe under a self-pleasing steward. God requires a life that can bear the trust.

The positive list: hospitable, a lover of good, sober minded, fair, holy, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. Wesley’s approved elders were men of living faith, a pure conscience, a blameless life.

These are not optional color. The same grace that calls into faith trains a public, hospitable, disciplined life. Crete will not be ordered by gifted men who will not be good.

Hospitality, love of good, self-control, uprightness, holiness, and discipline sit as required as the refusals of v. 7.

The office is not a platform for the gifted but ungoverned. A steward of God must look like this list. Character is not a prelude to doctrine; it is part of the stewardship.

He must hold firm the trustworthy word as taught, able to instruct in sound doctrine and to convict those who contradict him. Wesley: 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.

The elder is not self-taught in a new gospel. He holds what he was taught, then exhorts and convinces. Sound doctrine is for the flock and against the contradictors; both tasks require a man who has first held fast.

Calvin: holding fast the faithful word. The pastor ought to have two voices: one, for gathering the sheep; and another, for warding off and driving away wolves.

Instruction and rebuke are one office. The trustworthy word is given; the overseer does not invent it. Sound doctrine feeds, and it also silences contradiction. A man who cannot do both is not yet the steward of v. 7.