St. TIMOTHY, BISHOP AND MARTYR, AND TITUS, BISHOP
Although the first-century disciples Timothy and Titus are the addressees in three of Paul’s New Testament Letters, virtually nothing is known about them. Timothy (d. 97) came from Lystra in Asia Minor, the son of a Jewish- Chris tian mother and a Greek father (Acts 16:1). Paul first met him during his second missionary journey, and Timothy accompanied him on this and the third journey. Paul sent him to strengthen the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 1:1; 3:2, 6) and to help solve problems in Corinth (1 Cor. 4:17; 16:10) and Philippi (Phil. 2:19). In later Chris tian tradition Timothy was considered the first bishop of Ephesus (probably based on 1 Tim. 1:3). Paul’s Letters to Timothy in the New estament direct him to correct innovators and teachers of false doctrine and to appoint overseers (bishops) and deacons. His feast, along with that of Titus, is on the General Roman Calendar.
Titus was of Greek origin and perhaps a native of Antioch. In the year 48 he accompanied Paul and Barnabas from Antioch to Jerusalem to meet with the leaders of the Jerusalem church about whether gentile Chris tians had to be circumcised and observe the Mosaic law. Paul pointed to the example of Titus, a Greek, who was not forced to be circumcised upon his conversion to Christ (Gal. 2:3). Titus served as Paul’s co-worker and secretary at Ephesus. Paul sent Titus to Corinth to serve as an intermediary in his bitter dispute with the Corinthian Christians. We know that Titus was successful because Paul was later comforted by the news Titus had brought from Corinth (2 Cor. 2:13; 7:6, 13–14). It is thought that Titus was the first bishop of Crete (Titus 1:5).
