… entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior …
Summary: Paul uses very specific language in today’s passage. It is a military tone of voice. One that commands obedience rather than reasoning or pleading with someone.
When I read Paul’s letters I get an image of the man in my mind. The overriding impression for me is Paul’s reasoning and scholarship. He explains almost everything he says in painstaking detail. His reasoning is so detailed and involved that it is often hard to follow. He is not a man who resorts to bullying or bluster. He wants us to understand his thinking.
Because of this, I picture Paul as an academic. To put that in modern terms, he would be a man of average height, small build, thinning hair, and thick glasses. He would always have books nearby and be prone to favoring the company of his books more than the company of people. This is not how he looked, but rather how I see him in my mind. It is not a threatening picture.
Seeing Paul as I do, I find today’s passage a bit jarring. Today’s words have military overtones. The message Paul brings has been “entrusted” to him. “Entrust” suggests that the message and the mission are important. A person entrusted with something important accepts the charge and takes personal responsibility for it. It is more than having been assigned a task.
To entrust someone reflects an exchange of trust. Both the giver and the receiver trust the other. The giver trusts that the receiver can do what has been asked. The receiver of the trust acknowledges that they believe that they can do what has been asked. They accept responsibility for the trust. They commit to seeing it through.
In this case, Paul was commanded to accept the trust. He did not have a choice. He uses the word “commanded” to convey authority. The source of that authority is God himself.
If you want to go up the chain of command, there is no higher authority than God. When God commands something to happen, it happens. It is not common to receive a personal command from God. Paul’s claim is very unusual. Yet, he has certain credentials that are unique to those called by God. (Acts 19:11-12)
The nature of Paul’s letter to Titus is more businesslike than some of his other letters. He is giving instructions to Titus from God. He does not spend a lot of time explaining himself in this letter. It is much more like Paul giving a subordinate their marching orders.
As we read through the rest of this letter, we will do well to keep this in mind. Paul is not wishing Titus would do things differently. He is telling him how they are to be done. Paul is not using a lot of words to explain his reasoning. This letter is about being obedient to God.
Application: Understand that Paul’s words are not wishful thinking. They are instructions from God.
Food for Thought: Why does Paul call God ”our Savior?”
God is our only Savior (Psalm 65: 5). If we are looking for deliverance from sin, death, Satan or any enemy, God is where we should place our hope. Jesus is God and He is our way, truth and life – including eternal life (John 14: 6; Acts 4: 12).
Rich,
Jesus is God indeed! It is important to remember that.
God is our Savior because He is the only One who is sufficient to to save, deliver, rescue or to be a be a substitute for what we deserve.
It takes deity in order to pay an eternal penalty. Jesus paid and suffered the eternal penalty we can coming.
This is one of the strongest statements of Christ’s divinity in scripture (Titus 1:4; 2:13-14). It is YHWH Himself Jesus Christ who saves. Note from the context of the book it is God our Savior who Himself appears and redeems us in the person of God the Son. The Father does not have a physical body (John 4:24).
Paul was directly given the commission to proclaim the good news of the gospel by the Lord Himself in His appearing to him on the Damascus road as Paul reveals (Acts 26, Galatians 1). This is explitedly stated to Ananias immediately after the event (Acts 9:15).
Paul indicates here that this was not a suggestion, but rather a command to preach or proclaim the gospel with a commission from Christ Himself. I believe a lot of Christians figure out that while we enjoy tremendous freedom in the Lord, when God speaks to us, or reveals His will for us in the Word it is a command to be obeyed and not a suggestion to ponder.
We can certainly rejoice that God has chosen to be our Savior and redeem us. Now that we belong to Him and are His beloved children it is a delight to follow and obey Him (I John 5:1-3).
Trusting and obeying the Lord is not only wise and best choice for us, but it is the only way to be happy in Jesus.
Jeffrey,
Thank you for the wonderful overview of the God’s attributes. The John 4:24 verse is especially helpful. Well done!
Why does Paul call God ”our Savior?”
Paul wrote the book of Titus for his companion Titus who he also referred to as “My true child of common faith, V4.” Titus was to visit Crete which was known for its sin. And restore order to the house churches there. Part of his job would be to replace corrupt teachers in the churches with godly leaders.
Paul uses Savior 6 times in this short letter of only 46 verses, twice per chapter. three times with reference to the Father as in 1:3, 2:10, 3:4, and three times with reference to the Son as in 1:4, 2:13 ,3:6. Each time he uses the qualifier “our”.
Paul’s letter gives Titus written authority from an Apostle of God to teach and take actions required to insure the written standards are achieved. “Our Savior” does two things.
1.) It shows the bond between Paul a Hebrew Apostle and Titus his Gentile son who share common faith in Christ the Son of God.
2.) It draws the believers in Crete into family of God as believers in “Our Savior”, emphasizing the common bond of all believers.
Ron,
You have provided a very interesting take on today’s question. The use of “our” savior is radically inclusive. Great point!
I appreciate the comments above. Also…referring to God as our savior indicates we have a need to be saved.
Thank you, Rob!
Another great point!