2. His Known Journeys. — Taking the passages in the epistles in the chronological order of the events referred to, we turn first to Gal. ii, 1, 3. We conceive the jour- ney mentioned here to be identical with that (recorded in Acts xv) in which Paul and Barnabas went from Antioch to Jern.salem to the conference which was to decide the question of the necessity of circumcision to the Gentiles (A.D. 47). Here we see Titus in close as- sociation with Paul and Barnabas at Antioch. He goes with them to .Jerusalem. He is, in fact, one of the riv'tQ dWoi of Acts XV, 2, who were deputed to accompany them from Antioch. His circumcision was either not insist- ed on at Jern.salem, or, if liemanded, was firmly resisted {oi'K I'lvayKani)) 7r€|0ir^t//^r/)'«(). He is very emphat- ically spoken of as a Gentile (EW/j)'), by which is most probably meant that both his parents were Gen- tiles. Here is a dotd>le contrast from Timothy, who was circumci-sed by Paid's own directions, and one of who.se parents was Jewish (xvi, 1,3; 2 Tim. i, 5; iii, 15). Titus would seem, on the occasion of the council, to have been specially a representative of the church of the nncircumcision.
It is to our purpose to remark that, in the passage cited above, Titus is .so mentioned as apparently to im- plv that he had become personally known to the Gala- tian Christians. This, again, we combine with two other circumstances, viz. that the Epistle to the (Jala- tians and the Second Epistle to the Corinthians were
TITUS
439
TITUS
probably written within a few months of each other [see Galatians, Epistle to], and both (hirinsj; the same journey. From the latter of these two epistles we obtain fuller notices of Titus in connection with Tanl.
After leaving Galatia (Acts xviii, 23), and spending a long time at Ephesus (xix, 1-xx, 1), the apostle pro- ceeded to Macedonia by way of Troas. Here he ex- ])ected to meet Titus (2 Cor. ii, 13), who had been sent on a mission to Corinth. In this hope he was disap- jiointed [see Thoa.^], but in Macedonia Titus joined liim (vii, C, 7, 13-15). Here we begin to see not only the above-mentioned fact of the mission of this disciple to Corinth, and the strong personal affection which sidj- sisted between him and Paul (tv rtj wapovcria avruii, ver. 7), but also some part of the purport of the mission itself. It had reference to the immoralities at Corinth rebuked in the tirst epistle, and to the effect of that tirst epistle on the oft'ending Church. Wc learn, fur- ther, that the mission was so far successful and satis- factory: civayyEWioi' ti)v vfimi tTrnro^t^aiv (ver. 7), i\v7r>i^ijre i/f fierdt'Oiav (ver. 9), rijv vdvrwv vfidv i'lraKo))}' (ver. 15); and we are enabled also to draw from the chapter a strong conclusion regarding the ^varm zeal and sympathy of Titus, his grief for what was evil, his rejoicing over what was good : t/j Trapa- KXijCTEi y TraptKXiiBij tci' i)/x7f (ver. 7) ; dvaireTvavTai TO TTi'tvpa avToh airb ttuvtwv vjxwv (ver. 13); rd fnrXdyxva ovtov ivf^piaaoTtpuiQ t'lQ vfing tariv (ver. 15). But if we proceed further we discern another liart of the mission with which he was intrusted. This had reference to the collection, at that time in progress, for the poor Christians of Judaja — Ka^to(: T7-poti'iif)S,ciTO, viii, G, a phrase which shows that lie had been active and zealous in the matter, while the Corinthians them- selves seem to have been rather remiss. This connec- tion of his mission with the gathering of these char- itable funds is also proved l)y another passage, which contains, moreover, an implied assertion of his integrity in the business (pi) ri tTrXioi'iKniatv iifxdg Tirof, xii, )X). and a statement that Paul himself had sent him on the errand {TrapticdXeaa TiVoj', ibid.). Thus we are jirepared for what the apostle now proceeds to do after his encouraging conversations with Titus regarding the Corinthian Church. He sends liim back from Mace- donia to Corinth, in company with two other trust- worthy Christians [see Tnoriinirs; Tychicis], bear- ing the second epistle, and with an earnest request {—apaK'iXfrrcii, \'m, 6; ti)v TrapdK\i]mp, ver. 17) tliat he would see to the completion of the collection, which he had zealously promoted on his late visit {'h'a Ka^ioQ -7rpoivi)pS,ciTn, ovTijjg Kcii tTrtTtXeaij, ver. G), Titus him- self being in nowise backward in undertaking the com- mission. On a review of all these passages, elucidating as they do the characteristics of the inan, the duties he discharged, and his close and faithful co-operation with Paul, we see how much meaning there is in the apos- tle's short and forcible description of him (ElVf inrtp TtTov, Koivojvhc tpiiQ icai n'g iipdg (Tvvfpyoc, ver. 23).
All that has preceded is drawn from direct state- ments in the epistles; but by indirect though fair in- ference we can arrive at something further, which gives coherence to the rest, with additional elucidations of the close connection of Titus with Paul and the Corin- thian Church. It has generally been considered doubt- ful who the di^tXfoi were (1 Cor. xvi, 11, 12) that took the tirst epistle to Corinth. Timothy, who had been recently sent thither from Ephesus (Acts xix, 22), could not have been one of them (tdv tX^j; Tifx. 1 Cor. xvi, 10), and Apollos declined the commission (ver. 12). There can be little doidit that the messengers who took that first letter were Titus and his companion, whoever that might be, who is mentioned with him in the sec- ond letter (ndptKdXcra Tiroi', koi avvcnri-areiXa tvv dciXfor, 2 Cor. xii, 18). This view was held by ]Mac- knight, and very clearl)' set forth by him [Tranxl.of the Apostuhcul Epistles, icith Cuinm. [Edinb. 1829], i,