Titus 1:1-4
The Way of Messiah
A First-Century Understanding of Sound Doctrine
Titus 1:1–4 — Clean, Unclean, and Common Faith
Introduction and Study Aim
This study unites Paul’s introduction in Titus 1:1–4 with the biblical categories of **clean** (*tahor*), **unclean** (*tame*), and **common** (*koinos*). Scripture defines holiness as fitness for God’s presence. Paul’s greeting to Titus is not mere courtesy—it proclaims that purification, truth, and shared holiness among Jew and Gentile believers fulfill the Torah’s purpose.
Use this handout for individual reflection or group teaching. The flow of the material helps participants grasp how purity language transitions from Levitical ritual to New Covenant reality.
I. The Roots of Holiness — Tahor and Tame
Hebrew Background:
- Tahor (טָהוֹר) – Clean, pure, fit for sacred use.
- Tame (טָמֵא) – Unclean, defiled, unfit for holiness.
Levitical Foundation:
Leviticus 11–15 teaches discernment between clean and unclean. These categories revealed creation’s moral design, showing what could approach God’s presence. The Prophets spiritualized this truth: “Wash you, make you clean” (Isaiah 1:16)—the heart, not merely the hands, must be purified.
Application for Today:
Holiness is still discernment. Cleanliness means alignment with God’s purpose. Uncleanliness means disorder, disobedience, or moral pollution.
II. Greek Terminology — Katharos, Akathartos, Koinos
- Katharos (καθαρός) – Clean, pure, free from defilement.
- Akathartos (ἀκάθαρτος) – Unclean, impure.
- Koinos (κοινός) – Common, shared; later used to mean profane or defiled.
Under Pharisaic interpretation, *koinos* labeled those or things not ritually maintained—Gentiles, unwashed hands, certain foods—as unholy. Yeshua challenged this: “Nothing entering from without defiles a person” (Mark 7:15). He shifted the focus from ritual acts to inner truth, showing that the heart is the true source of purity or defilement.
III. Titus 1:1–4 — The Text in Light of Purity
Titus 1:1-4 (KJV)
“Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.”
1. The Faith of God’s Elect — Purity by Truth
Faith (*emunah*) and truth (*emet*) together form the essence of tahor—purity expressed in obedience. Paul’s mission is to create a community restored to moral and spiritual fitness.
2. My True Son in the Common Faith — Redeeming Koinos
Paul’s phrase *kata koinēn pistin*—“in a common faith”—transforms a word once used to exclude. *Koinos* (common) meant “defiled” in Pharisaic terms. Paul reclaims it as **“shared holiness.”**
“You called them common; God calls them clean.”
Through Messiah, what was once *tame* (unfit) becomes *tahor* (fit). Gentiles once called “common” are now full participants in the holy community.
IV. Structure of Purity in Titus 1:1–4
| Concept | Term | Meaning | Titus Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean | Tahor / Katharos | Fit for divine presence | Paul & Titus purified by truth and faith. |
| Unclean | Tame / Akathartos | Defiled, disordered | False teachers (v. 15–16) are called defiled. |
| Common | Koinos | Shared / once profane | Redeemed as “common faith.” |
| Holy | Qadosh / Hagios | Set apart | The calling and purpose of the faithful. |
V. Purity Fulfilled, Not Abolished
If Leviticus 11 no longer applies, how do we discern holiness today? Paul’s teaching keeps the framework—he relocates it within the heart.
- Moral discernment still defines purity (2 Corinthians 6:17).
- Creation order reveals what is fitting and right.
- Yeshua internalized purity—not external lawlessness but deeper obedience (Mark 7:15).
- The Spirit writes Torah on the heart (Ezekiel 36:27).
- Holiness remains covenantal fitness: the ability to stand before God without defilement.
VI. The Clean Community — A New Covenant Israel
The assembly of believers (*ekklesia*) becomes a living temple: clean in conscience, pure in love, truthful in speech.
VII. Reflection & Discussion Questions
- How do *tahor* and *tame* clarify Paul’s opening statement in Titus?
- Why does “common faith” reclaim the insult *koinos* as a badge of holiness?
- How does faith and truth work together to cleanse the believer?
- What remains of the purity system under Messiah’s covenant?
- How can we identify what is holy, unholy, or common today?
- How does the Spirit’s inner cleansing relate to outward conduct?
VIII. Leader’s Outline
Purpose: To guide small-group leaders through the teaching flow.
- Opening Reading: Titus 1:1–4 aloud.
- Background: Define *tahor*, *tame*, and *koinos*. Explain first-century purity culture.
- Teaching Point: Purity = covenantal fitness, not mere ritual.
- Verse Walkthrough:
- v. 1 – Faith & truth as cleansing.
- v. 2 – Hope of eternal life.
- v. 3 – Preaching as purification.
- v. 4 – Common faith as shared holiness.
- Group Discussion: How do we discern what is clean or defiled in modern life?
- Application: Personal holiness—living *tahor* through the Spirit.
- Closing Prayer: Ask God to make the community a living example of shared holiness.
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