Who was Titus in the Bible?

A Greek convert, Paul's "true child in a common faith." The apostle took him to Jerusalem, but being a Greek he was not circumcised (Gal. 2:1-3). Paul describes him to the Corinthian church as "my partner and fellow worker" on their behalf. He had been sent to Corinth, and from there brought word of the effect of Paul's first letter to the church there. He was also employed by Paul to get ready the collection for the poor believers in Judea. Paul afterwards left him at Crete to set things in order, and to appoint elders in every city. This he did as the apostle's delegate for that particular place. He was not permanently settled there, for he was to leave when other workers were sent (Titus 3:12). Afterwards, when Paul wrote 2 Tim. 4:10, he had gone to Dalmatia. It is only the later manuscripts of the Epistle to Titus that in the closing note say he was 'bishop of Crete.'

In this Paul was very bold; yet it was not the boldness of defiance, but of Christian liberty. He took, in front of everyone, an uncircumcised Gentile brother into the very centre of Judaism; and who that was taught of God (however full of Jewish feeling) could say no to him? … But Titus, unlike Timothy, was a pure Gentile, and it would have compromised the truth of the gospel to have circumcised him to please Jewish brothers. Titus was saved as a Gentile, entirely apart from ceremonies or works of law.

The apostle Paul calls Titus "my true child in a common faith" (Titus 1:4), meaning Titus would have found faith in the Lord Jesus through Paul. He became a close co-worker of the apostle. However, it is odd that Luke does not mention his name in Acts at all. But nine out of the thirteen times the name Titus is found in the New Testament occur in the Second Epistle to the Corinthians.

He would have them know that the source of his joy was the God of all comfort, who had used the coming of Titus to comfort him with the report of their mourning over all that he had condemned among them, as well as the fervent love they had shown to himself. So the Apostle would turn their thoughts and affections not only to himself but also to Titus, who had spoken so well of them, and above all, to the source of all blessing — the God of all comfort.

Verse 5 shows that Titus had been left in Crete by Paul, with the purpose of establishing the assemblies there in an orderly way. There was clear need of this in the infant state of things, especially since the New Testament was not in their hands. Paul had commissioned Titus to appoint elders in each city. Apostles were entitled to do this… There is in Scripture, however, no provision made for the continuance of such appointments.

A genuine child of Paul in the faith, as Timothy also was, he did not, however, apparently hold the same place in the apostle's heart as his faithful and almost constant companion, the son of Eunice, whom he called his beloved child in the last letter that came from his hand (2 Tim. 1:2).