Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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TITUS

A Greek who was converted to Christianity by Paul and who became one of Paul's trusted and effective assistants. Since Titus was a Gentile, Paul and Barnabus took him with them to Jerusalem to oppose the Jewish contention that, to become a Christian, a prospective convert must be circumcised. Paul "refused to yield to such people for one moment" and reported triumphantly that Titus was not obliged to be circumcised (Galatians 2:3-5). His Epistle to Titus gives the impression that Titus was a strong-minded troubleshooter. Paul left him in Crete with crisp, forthright instructions to reorganize the Church, establish a stable, dependable leadership (Titus 1:9), and insist on an "unchanging message of the tradition." Paul urged him to do so "with full authority" and to be "quite uncompromising" (Titus 2:15; 3:8). On another occasion when Titus represented Paul in Corinth, he evidently won the affection and respect of the people, for Paul commented jubilantly on the success of his assistant's mission (II Corinthians 8:16-17). (Etym. Latin titus.)