Titus Chapter 1 vss 1 to 3 Part 1

1_Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness –
2_A faith and knowledge resting n the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,
3_And at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior,
(NIV)

Paul presents himself as a “servant” (v.1), literally “slave” (Greek: doulos).
A slave was a person held in bondage to a master. He had no freedom to act or speak other than at the command of his owner.

Two related words are translated in the New Testament as “servant” or “slave”. “Servant” is diakonos. “Slave” is doulos. The first deals with table service when done as employment while the second deals with a bonded slave; but the distinction doesn’t seem all that clear cut in the Bible. In both cases there is a superior and (employer or owner/master) one who works in obedience for their benefit. One can see that this concept of human servants transfers well to the concept of servant of God.

Paul uses both terms but reserves the second one with regard to his relationship to God and to Christ. That Paul calls himself a slave of God shows his complete submission to God’s will.

He calls himself a “servant” (i.e. slave) of Christ (Rom 1:1; Gal 1:10; Php 1:1). James (Jam 1:1), Peter (1Pe 1:1) and Jude (Jude 1:1) also call themselves slaves of God and/or Christ. Other places where Paul uses the word ‘slave’ is : Php 2:7; Col 4:12; 2Tim 2:24. When talking about his relationship to God he very often uses the term for ‘slave’. In other cases he uses ‘diakonos’ to describe a relationship to the gospel or the Church, e.g. Eph 3:7; Col1:7; 1:25.

Many Greeks and Jews looked down on servants and slaves. But this usual attitude is turned on its head by Jesus’ Lordship. To be a servant of Christ is to confess Him as one’s Lord. In Matt 20:26-27, Jesus speaks of servant leadership. To be great one must become a servant. In fact, to be first one must become a slave. Jesus’ own example of this type of leadership was exemplified in his washing the feet of his disciples (Jn 13:1-17)