Read: But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 2 Cor 7:6

Examine: Titus was a trusted companion of the apostle Paul and a faithful servant of the Lord. He was a Gentile (Galatians 2:3) who was led to faith in Christ by Paul (Titus 1:4). He was drawn to the ministry and became a co-worker with Paul, accompanying him and Barnabas from Antioch to Jerusalem (Acts 15:2).

Later, Titus went to Corinth to serve the church there (2 Corinthians 8:6, 16-17). On Paul’s third missionary journey, from A.D. 53 to 57, Paul arrived in Troas and expected to meet Titus there (2 Corinthians 2:12-13). Not finding his friend, Paul left for Macedonia. Titus rejoined Paul in Philippi and gave him a good report of the ministry in Corinth (2 Corinthians 7:6-7, 13-14). When Titus returned to Corinth, he hand-delivered the Epistle of 2 Corinthians and organized a collection for needy saints in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8:10, 17, 24).

Several years later, Titus and Paul traveled to the island of Crete, where Titus was left behind to continue and strengthen the work. Titus’s was to maintain sound doctrine and “straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town” (Titus 1:5). When Artemas and Tychicus arrived in Crete to direct the ministry, Paul asked Titus to join him in Nicopolis, a city in the province of Achaia in western Greece (Titus 3:12).

The last mention of Titus in the Bible indicates that he was with Paul during Paul’s final Roman imprisonment. From Rome, Titus was sent to evangelize Dalmatia (2 Timothy 4:10).

Application: As a Gentile Christian, Titus would have been a great example and to take a decision of not to be circumcised, helped Paul to teach the truth of Salvation through grace alone (see Paul’s refutation of this teaching in Galatians 5:1-6). This was the primary discussion in Jerusalem Council and Titus was part of it.

Titus was a faithful servant of the Lord and a true companion to Paul. He was trustworthy and dependable since Paul appointed him to lead works in Corinth, Crete, and Dalmatia. Indeed, Paul calls him “my partner and fellow worker” (2 Corinthians 8:23). Scripture says that Titus had a God-given love for the Corinthian believers;, in returning to Corinth, Titus went “with much enthusiasm and on his initiative” (2 Corinthians 8:16-17).

Decision: Father Lord, help me to have the same zeal for the Lord that Titus showed. Pray that every believer and friend is taught and they would do well to model Titus’s commitment to truth, zeal in spreading the gospel, and enthusiastic love for the church.

Oh! Lord, that this be my portion, an encourager and one who refreshes and comforts others. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 2 Cor 7:6