`For this reason I left thee behind.  Apoleipo gives the mere fact of

leaving behind when Paul left the island; kataleipo would convey the

idea of more permanence (cf. Acts 18:19; 24:27).  This difference may

have occasioned the alteration of the reading from ecclesiastical

motives, to represent Titus as permanent bishop of Crete' (The Greek

Testament, 5th. Ed., 1871, vol. 3, p. 410).

The reason why Titus was left at Crete was in order that he might set

in order the things that are wanting.

S.T. Bloomfield translates this sentence:

`That thou mightest further put in order (literally, set right) the

things which remained (to be ordered)' or `what had been wrong, and

only partly set right (by me)'.

Alford translates `That thou mightest carry forward the correction (already

begun by me: epi implying furtherance)'.

Epidiorthoo `to set

in order' does not occur elsewhere either in the

New Testament or the LXX.

The word is not very common, being found mainly in

ecclesiastical writings.

Two other compounds of orthoo are found in these

Pastoral Epistles, namely

orthotomeo `to divide rightly' (2 Tim. 2:15) and

epanorthosis `correction'

(2 Tim. 3:16).  The three passages therefore give:

An essential principle of interpretation `Right Division'.

An essential function of all Scripture `Correction'.

An essential duty in relation to ministry `To set in order'.

`The things that are wanting'.  The word translated `wanting' is leipo,

consequently there is a play on the word `left' in this injunction to Titus

`I left thee ... things that are left'.  The word occurs again in chapter

3:13 `that nothing be wanting unto them'.  Paul was concerned about the cloak

which he had left at Troas (2 Tim. 4:13), as he was that Timothy should know,

that `without leaving off' he remembered his son in the faith night and day

(2 Tim. 1:3).  The deficiency Titus was left to make up appears to have had

particular reference to the character of those who had the office of `elder'

and `bishop', for to this question he is immediately directed with a fairly

full description both of the character that should be sought, as also of the

character that should be avoided.  `And ordain elders in every city'-- or

kata polin `city by city' `as I had appointed thee' or `prescribed'.

`Elder'.  This word is the translation of the Greek presbuteros which

gives us our `Presbyter' and `Presbyterian'.  The word originally meant

`aged' or `far advanced in years' as may be seen in Genesis 18:11 and many

other places in the LXX.  From this came the sense of `ambassador' (2 Cor.

5:20; Eph. 6:20), one who by reason of his years might be considered fit to

conduct such an undertaking (Num. 21:21).  The word then came to mean an

assembly or counsel of elders, Presbuterion and so `an Alder (or Elder) man'

and so is used of the `estate of the elders' (Acts 22:5) and of the

`Presbytery' (1 Tim. 4:14).  In Titus 2:2  presbutes simply means an aged

man, even as presbutis means an aged woman (verse 3).  Elihu's attitude

illustrates the general expectation that age should be synonymous with