Titus 1:4

4 to Titus, most dear-worthy son by the common faith [to Titus, beloved son after the common faith], grace and peace of God the Father, and of Christ Jesus, our Saviour.

Titus 1:4 Meaning and Commentary

Titus 1:4

To Titus, mine own son after the common faith
Not in a natural, but in a spiritual sense; the apostle being the instrument of his conversion, as he was of the conversion of Onesimus, and of many of the Corinthians, and therefore is said to beget them, ( Philemon 1:10 ) ( 1 Corinthians 4:15 ) and so was their spiritual father, and they his children: Titus was, in this sense, his "own son", or a true son, a legitimate one; a true convert; one really born again; a sincere believer, an Israelite indeed: and this he was "after the common faith"; either the doctrine of faith, which is but one, and is common to all the saints; or the grace of faith, which though different in degrees, yet is alike precious faith in all; the same for nature, kind, object, operation, and effects: and this phrase is used to show in what sense Titus was son to the apostle; as he was a believer, and no otherwise.

Grace, mercy, and peace
which is the apostle's usual salutation; see ( 1 Timothy 1:2 ) . The word "mercy" is left out in the Claromontane copy, and in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions.

Titus 1:4 In-Context

2 into the hope of everlasting life [in hope of everlasting life], which life God that lieth not, promised before times of the world [before worldly times];

3 but he hath showed in his times his word in preaching, that is betaken to me by the commandment of God, our Saviour [after the commandment of our Saviour God],

4 to Titus, most dear-worthy son by the common faith [to Titus, beloved son after the common faith], grace and peace of God the Father, and of Christ Jesus, our Saviour.

5 For cause of this thing I left thee at Crete, that thou amend those things that fail, and ordain priests by cities, as also I assigned to thee [as and I disposed to thee].

6 If any man is without crime, an husband of one wife, and hath faithful sons [If any man is without crime, or great sin, husband of one wife, having faithful sons], not in accusation of lechery, or not subject.