POST OVERVIEW. Paul’s letter to Titus contains some of the apostle’s strongest teaching about Jesus’ divine nature. In this article, we will examine specific passages in Titus that point to Jesus’ deity.

in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior. – Titus 1:3

TITUS 1:3. Ever since Paul encountered the risen Lord Jesus Christ on the Damascus road (Acts 9; 20:24; 22:6-11; 26:12-23), he had been fully committed to preaching the gospel (“the proclamation with which I was entrusted”) to the Gentiles. Thus, “the proclamation” in this verse refers to the gospel. Paul was preaching the gospel “according to the commandment of God our Savior.”

Then we must ask the question, “Who gave Paul the commandment to preach the gospel?”       

Acts 9:15 – The risen Lord Jesus sends him to the Gentiles.

Acts 20:24 – Paul received from the Lord Jesus the ministry of preaching the gospel.

Acts 22:21 – The risen Jesus sends Paul far away to the Gentiles.

Acts 26:17-18 – The risen Jesus sends Paul to the Gentiles.

We have been very methodical in this analysis to make sure that our conclusion is consistent with Scripture. So, the answer to the question above, “Who commanded Paul to preach the gospel?” is, “Jesus did.”

Since Jesus gave Paul the commandment, and Paul writes that he received the commandment from “God our Savior,” we must conclude that Jesus is God.

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. – Titus 1:4

TITUS 1:4. In Titus 1:3, Paul used the phrase “God our Savior,” and here Paul writes “Christ Jesus our Savior.” The apostle intends for his readers to make the connection between 1:3 and 1:4 and to reach the obvious conclusion that Christ Jesus is God. This also confirms what we already determined by analysis in 1:3.

adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect. – Titus 2:10

TITUS 2:10. Since Paul has already used the phrase “God our Savior” to refer to Jesus (1:3), it is almost certain that this usage of “God our Savior” also refers to Jesus. But let’s approach this phrase in another way to see if that is true. This section of Titus (2:1-10) instructs believers to behave in a way that will commend the gospel so that unbelievers will be open to hearing about Jesus. Therefore, the godliness of those who were formerly “liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons” (1:12) will “adorn the doctrine (commend the gospel) of God our Savior in every respect” (2:10). If this understanding is correct, then “the doctrine of God our Savior” would be interpreted as “the gospel of Jesus Christ,” and we would once again conclude that God our Savior is Jesus Christ, or “Jesus Christ is God.”

looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus. – Titus 2:13

TITUS 2:13. In my opinion, it is impossible to miss or to avoid the deity of Christ in this verse. If the apostle Paul had intended to communicate anything other than the fact that Jesus Christ is God, he surely failed. Paul was highly skilled at communicating very subtle doctrinal truth with great precision. But in this verse, all subtlety is abandoned and Paul is striving for unambiguous clarity. His message? Jesus Christ is our great God and Savior. Consider these points.

• All believers have, as an anchor for the soul (Hebrews 6:19), the blessed hope of the appearing (ἐπιφάνεια Greek) of Jesus. Thus, Jesus is our great God.
• Our blessed hope is that, when He appears, Jesus will be in “glory,” and we will be glorified with Him (Col. 3:4; 1 John 3:2). Thus, Jesus is our great God.
• In the entire New Testament, the only one anticipated to appear in glory is Jesus. Thus, Jesus is our great God.

We must conclude that Christ Jesus is our great God and Savior since everything in this verse and in orthodox theology requires this conclusion. This is Paul’s clearest teaching on this doctrine and expresses the biblical truth.

But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared – Titus 3:4

TITUS 3:4. Once again we encounter the phrase “God our Savior,” but in this instance, a close examination of the context reveals that “God our Savior” refers to God the Father, not to Jesus, so we will skip over this.

CONCLUSION

In the New Testament, the Savior is Jesus Christ, but in this study in Titus, we have also seen that this Savior who appeared and who “became flesh and dwelt among us” was God in human likeness. The Bible teaches that this “Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11), this Jesus, this King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16) is our great God.

Soli Deo gloria            rmb                 2/12/2023                   #620