5 "I left you in Crete" asserts the joint labors of Paul and Titus on that island for a brief time. Paul's labors there cannot be fitted into Ac 27:7-9 or before. The alternatives are to reject Pauline authorship of the Pastorals or to accept that the reference is to a time following his Ac 28 imprisonment. The latter alternative is probable scripturally and is asserted by tradition.

"Left" implies that Titus was deliberately left behind in Crete to carry out a specific assignment. Before Paul's departure, the commission was orally delivered; now it is restated concisely in writing. Titus's task was comprehensive: to "straighten out what was left unfinished." "Straighten out" denotes that his task was personally to set things in order. "What was left unfinished" points to several serious defects that still needed Titus's attention. Organization was lacking (1:5), false teachers were unchecked (1:10-11; 3:10-11), and instruction in doctrine and conduct was needed (2:1-10; 3:1-2). Paul had observed and had begun to correct these matters; Titus must now complete the work.

An initial duty was to "appoint elders" in each place where there was a group of believers. Such a plural leadership in the local congregation continued Paul's own earlier practice (Ac 14:23). Probably the congregation chose the elders with the encouragement of Titus, who in turn had the responsibility of formally appointing them to office. "As I directed you" recalls that this was in accord with his previous orders. In this way, Titus would carry out Paul's ideal for these congregations.

C. The Greeting (1:4b)

The greeting with "grace and peace" is Paul's usual greeting. "Grace" is the unmerited favor of God at work in the life of the believer, while "peace" is the resultant experience of harmony and well-being in the life of the reconciled. This double blessing comes "from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior." Since Paul viewed Father and Son as one source of blessing and the one object of every Christian aspiration, "from" is not repeated. "Our Savior," applied in v.3 to the Father, is here transferred to the Son; both are involved in bestowing the same salvation. "Our" again signifies the common testimony of believers.

2 The intended connection of v.2 is not quite certain. The NIV translators have added the words "a faith and knowledge" to make explicit their understanding of the connection—that the Christian life is grounded in the hope of eternal life. As with all of God's elect, Paul's life and service were firmly rooted in "hope", which eagerly and confidently awaits the realization of "eternal life"—life not only endless but having an eternal quality. Believers already possess eternal life (Jn 5:24), but its full and perfect realization awaits the return of the Prince of Life.

This hope is not a vague, pious aspiration but is sure because it is grounded in the absolute trustworthiness of God. The character of the God "who does not lie" assures the fulfillment of his promise. This characterization places God in contrast with the notorious deceptiveness of the Cretans (1:12).

God promised this eternal life before the ages of time, begun at creation, started to roll (cf. 2Ti 1:9). This promise existed within the Godhead before he created the world. In other words, it is rooted in God's eternal purpose for humankind.