Artists for Israel International · Online Exhibit

Titus & Yiddishkait Iggeret el Titus — הָאִגֶּרֶת אֶל טִיטוֹס

Shaul's charge to his talmid left behind on Crete — to ordain zekenim tamim in every city, to silence the peh kazzav of the mordim, to press torah nekiyah upon every household from zaken to eved, and to remember that the chesed of Elohim which brings yeshuah has appeared, purifying an am segulah zealous of good ma'asim — read through its Tanakh-soaked vocabulary across three chapters, then set beside the Greek NT interlinear itself.

Soaked in Tanakh: Four Threads

Written to a talmid stationed on Crete rather than a prisoner's cell, Titus is Shaul's shortest tzavaah — but no less urgent: set the kehillot in order, silence the peh kazzav of a rebellious island, press torah nekiyah upon every generation of the bayit, and root the whole ethic not in ma'asei tzedakah but in the chesed of Elohim that has already appeared and already redeemed an am segulah.

Zekenim Tamim — Blameless Elders Appointed

  • Shaul, eved Elohim and shaliach of Yehoshua Moshiach, according to the emunah of the bechirim and the tikvah of chayei olam promised before the olamim began (1:1-4).
  • Left in Crete to set in order what was wanting, and to ordain zekenim in every city — a paqid must be tamim, not self-willed, not given to yayin, no striker (1:5-7).
  • Rather an ohev orchim, sober, tzaddik, kadosh, holding fast the ne'eman davar, able by torah nekiyah both to give chizzuk and to reprove the mach'chishim (1:8-9).

Peh Kazzav — The Cretian Liars Rebuked

  • Many mordim and vain talkers, especially of the Brit Milah party, overthrowing whole batim for the sake of betza — their mouths must be stopped (1:10-11).
  • Their own navi's word turned against them: "Bnei Crete are alway kazzavim" — an eidut Shaul calls emet (1:12-13).
  • Unto the tehorim all things are tahor; but the defiled confess da'as of Elohim while denying Him in ma'asim (1:14-16).

Torah Nekiyah BaBayit — Sound Doctrine for Every Household

  • Zekenim sober and bari in emunah; zekenot as morot tovot teaching the young nashim; young anashim as a mofet of good ma'asim; avadim adorning the torah of Elohim Moshieinu (2:1-10).
  • The chesed of Elohim that brings yeshuah has appeared to kol bnei adam, teaching us to live soberly while we wait for the mevorach tikvah (2:11-13).
  • Yehoshua Moshiach gave Himself to redeem us from avon and purify unto Himself an am segulah, zealous of good ma'asim (2:14-15).

Chesed Nigleta — Grace Appeared, Good Works Maintained

  • Once foolish and disobedient ourselves, but saved not by ma'asei tzedakah, rather by rachamim, through the tevilat halidah chadashah of the Ruach Hakodesh (3:1-7).
  • Ne'eman hadavar — careful to maintain ma'asim tovim, while avoiding foolish she'elot, yichusim, and merivot about the Torah (3:8-11).
  • Practical closing instructions for Artemas, Tychicus, Zenas, and Apollos, and a final "Chen be with you all" (3:12-15).

Reading Key — Elders, Liars, Households & Grace Appeared

This exhibit reads Titus as Shaul's field manual for a young kehillah still finding its shape on a difficult island: ordain zekenim tamim, silence the peh kazzav, press torah nekiyah on every generation under one roof, and ground it all in a chesed already nigleh rather than in ma'asei tzedakah earned.

➤ Zekenim Tamim (ch. 1) — Blameless elders ordained in every city, holding fast the ne'eman davar.

➤ Peh Kazzav (ch. 1) — The Cretian liars rebuked sharply, that they be bari in the emunah.

➤ Torah Nekiyah BaBayit (ch. 2) — Sound doctrine pressed on zaken, zekenah, young, and eved alike.

➤ Chesed Nigleta (ch. 3) — Grace appeared, the tevilat halidah chadashah, and ma'asim tovim maintained.

I. Zekenim Tamim v'Peh Kazzav Elders Appointed & Cretian Liars Rebuked (ch. 1)

  1. 1Shaul, eved Elohim and shaliach of Yehoshua Moshiach, according to the emunah of the bechirim of Elohim, and the hakarat ha'emet which is after chassidus Tit 1:1Emunat BechirimShaul's opening title binds his own shlichut to the very emunah of the elect he writes to serve.
  2. 2In tikvah of chayei olam, which Elohim, that cannot lie, promised before the olamim began; but has in itim mo'adim manifested His davar through the hachrazah committed unto Shaul Tit 1:2-3A promise older than the olamim themselves, only now unveiled in its appointed itim.
  3. 3To Titus, mine own ben after the common emunah: Chen, rachamim, and shalom, from Elohim HaAv and Adoneinu Yehoshua Moshiach Moshieinu Tit 1:4A talmid called ben though no blood runs between them — only a shared emunah.
  4. 4For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou should set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain zekenim in every ir, as I had appointed thee Tit 1:5Zekenim B'Chol IrA single word of instruction — zekenim — left standing over an entire unfinished island.
  5. 5If any is tamim, the ba'al of one isha, having ne'emanim banim not accused of riot or unruly Tit 1:6The household itself named as the first proving ground of a zaken's fitness.
  6. 6For a paqid must be tamim, as a steward of Elohim; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to yayin, no striker, not given to betza Tit 1:7Five faults named in a row, each a different door by which betza or anger enters a paqid's heart.
  7. 7But an ohev orchim, an ohev tovim, sober, tzaddik, kadosh, temperate; holding fast the ne'eman davar as he has been taught, that he may be able by torah nekiyah both to give chizzuk and to reprove the mach'chishim Tit 1:8-9Torah NekiyahThe positive mirror of the prior warnings — a fitness measured finally by torah nekiyah held fast.
  8. 8For there are many mordim and vain talkers and deceivers, especially of the Brit Milah party; whose mouths must be stopped, who overthrow whole batim, teaching things they ought not, for the sake of betza Tit 1:10-11The very betza forbidden to a paqid above is now the motive named in the mordim below.
  9. 9One of themselves, even a navi of their own, said, "Bnei Crete are alway kazzavim, evil beasts, atzelim bellies." This eidut is emet Tit 1:12-13aEidut ShekerShaul lets the island's own poet indict it — an eidut he will not soften.
  10. 10Wherefore reprove them sharply, that they may be bari in the emunah; not giving heed to Yehudishe fables, and mitzvot of anashim, that turn from HaEmet Tit 1:13b-14Sharp reproof aimed not at cruelty but at restoring a people bari once more.
  11. 11Unto the tehorim all things are tahor: but unto them that are defiled and without emunah is nothing tahor; but even their mind and conscience is defiled Tit 1:15Tehorim v'TemeimPurity relocated from the object handled to the lev that handles it.
  12. 12They confess that they have da'as of Elohim; but in ma'asim they deny Him, being to'evah, and unbelieving, and unto every good ma'aseh reprobate Tit 1:16A confession of da'as undone entirely by a life of contrary ma'asim.

II. Torah Nekiyah BaBayit Sound Doctrine for Every Household (ch. 2)

  1. 13But speak thou the things which fit torah nekiyah Tit 2:1The very phrase from chapter one now turned into a household-by-household instruction.
  2. 14That the zekenim be sober, k'vodi, temperate, bari in emunah, in ahavah, in savlanut Tit 2:2Age itself asked to model the very savlanut a kehillah will need from it.
  3. 15The zekenot likewise, that they be in behavior as befits kedushah, not malshinot, not given to much yayin, morot tovot; that they may teach the young nashim to be sober, to love their ba'alim, to love their yeladim Tit 2:3-4Morot TovotOne generation of nashim named morot to the next, before a single command reaches the young women directly.
  4. 16To be discreet, tehorah, keepers at home, tovah, obedient to their own ba'alim, that the Devar Elohim be not blasphemed Tit 2:5The household's daily order weighed against nothing less than the Devar Elohim's own reputation.
  5. 17Young anashim likewise urge to be sober minded. In all things showing thyself a mofet of good ma'asim Tit 2:6-7aTitus himself made the mofet he is told to ask of others.
  6. 18In limud showing uncorruptness, k'vod, kenut, sound speech that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be put to boosha, having no evil thing to say of thee Tit 2:7b-8A defense built not from argument but from a life leaving the mach'chish nothing to say.
  7. 19Urge avadim to be obedient unto their own adonim, and to please them well in all things; not answering again, not purloining, but showing all ne'emanut; that they may adorn the torah of Elohim Moshieinu in all things Tit 2:9-10Torat Elohim MoshieinuEven the lowest station in the bayit is asked to adorn the very torah of Elohim Moshieinu.
  8. 20For the chesed of Elohim that brings yeshuah has appeared to kol bnei adam, teaching us that, denying resha and olam hazeh ta'avot, we should live soberly, b'tzedek, and b'chassidus, in this olam hazeh Tit 2:11-12Chesed NigletaEvery household instruction above now traced back to one root — a chesed already nigleh.
  9. 21Looking for that mevorach tikvah, and the nigleh kavod of the Elohim HaGadol v'Moshieinu Yehoshua Moshiach Tit 2:13Tikvah HaMevorachSober living in this olam hazeh held steady by a tikvah still to be revealed.
  10. 22Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all avon, and purify unto Himself an am segulah, zealous of good ma'asim Tit 2:14Am SegulahA single Tanakh phrase, am segulah, now spoken over the whole redeemed kehillah.
  11. 23These things speak, and urge, and reprove with kol samchut. Let no ish despise thee Tit 2:15Chapter two closes as chapter one did — authority resting on samchut, not on personality.

III. Chesed Nigleta Grace Appeared & Good Works Maintained (ch. 3)

  1. 24Remind them to be subject to sarim and reshuyot, to obey memshalah, to be ready unto every good ma'aseh, to speak evil of no ish, to be no baalei-riv, but anav, showing kol anavah unto kol bnei adam Tit 3:1-2Civic anavah named as its own good ma'aseh, not a separate matter from kehillah life.
  2. 25For we ourselves also were sometime foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers ta'avot and ta'anugim, living in sinah and kin'ah, hateful, and hating one another Tit 3:3Anachnu Gam KenShaul refuses the mordim of chapter one an "us and them" — anachnu gam ken, we too.
  3. 26But after that the chesed and ahavah of Elohim Moshieinu toward ha'adam appeared, not by ma'asei tzedakah which we have done, but according to His rachamim He saved us, by the tevilat halidah chadashah, and renewing of the Ruach Hakodesh Tit 3:4-5Tevilat HaLeidah HaChadashahThe chapter's turning hinge — chesed nigleh answering the foolishness just confessed.
  4. 27Which He poured on us abundantly through Yehoshua Moshiach Moshieinu; that being made tzaddikim by His chesed, we should become yorshim according to the tikvah of chayei olam Tit 3:6-7Inheritance named as the far end of a chesed poured, not merely offered.
  5. 28Ne'eman hadavar, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in Elohim might be careful to maintain ma'asim tovim. These things are tovim and profitable unto anashim Tit 3:8Ne'eman HaDavarGood ma'asim placed carefully after chesed, never before it — ne'eman hadavar insists on the order.
  6. 29But avoid foolish she'elot, and yichusim, and machloket, and merivot about the Torah; for they are unprofitable and hevel. An ish who is a heretic after the rishon and sheni admonition reject Tit 3:9-10Ish KatA patient two-stage process before a man is finally named an ish kat apart.
  7. 30Knowing that he that is such is nehepach, and sins, being condemned of himself Tit 3:11Self-condemnation named as the quiet verdict already passed before any human one.
  8. 31When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to spend the choref Tit 3:12Even a tzavaah on kehillah order ends with an ordinary winter travel plan.
  9. 32Bring Zenas the ba'al din and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them Tit 3:13Named colleagues sent forward with the same care urged on the kehillah itself.
  10. 33And let ours also learn to maintain ma'asim tovim for necessary needs, that they be not without p'ri Tit 3:14The letter's central charge — ma'asim tovim — returns one last time before the close.
  11. 34Kol who are with me greet thee. Greet them that love us in the emunah. Chen be with you all. Amen Tit 3:15Chen ImachemThe shortest of Shaul's letters closes on the same word it opened with — chen.

Read the Greek Text Itself

All three chapters of Titus, word for word, at the AFII Greek NT interlinear.

Tit chp 1 chp 2 chp 3