2 Timothy 4.10b-Paul Sent Crescens to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday October 8, 2015
Second Timothy: Second Timothy 4:10b-Paul Sent Crescens to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia
Lesson # 99
2 Timothy 4:9 Make every effort to come to me soon. 10 for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. (NASB95)
The apostle Paul is employing the figure of asyndeton in order to express the disjunction between Demas and Crescens and Titus.
The former was unfaithful since Paul states he deserted him because he loved this present age.
This figure of asyndeton is indicating that Titus and Crescens are acting in a manner which is opposed to the manner in which Demas acted toward him.
Therefore, this figure would indicate that Titus and Crescens were faithful in contrast to Demas who was not.
“Crescens” is the proper name Krēskēs (Κρήσκης), which appears only here in Second Timothy 4:10 and refers to a Christian who was sent by Paul to Galatia indicating that this man was a pastor-teacher who communicated the gospel to the Christian community.
Thus, he was sent to the churches in Galatia to communicate the gospel to them.
“Galatia” refers to the Roman province of Galatia which was created by Augustus Caesar in 25 B.C.
Paul employs the figure of asyndeton at this point in the verse in order to distinguish Titus’ movements from that of Crescens.
“Titus” is the proper name Titos (Τίτος), which means, “honorable.”
“Dalmatia” refers to the southwestern part of Illyricum on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea from southern Italy.
Today it is Yugoslavia, currently Croatia, Bosnia and Herzevovina; cf. Pliny Hist. 3.26).
It was not far from Nicopolis which according to Titus 3:12, was the city Paul directed Titus to meet him and where he spent the winter.
Second Timothy 4:9 Please don’t delay, make every effort to come to me soon 10 because Demas has deserted me because he loved this present age. He also traveled to Thessalonica. Crescens traveled to Galatia. Titus traveled to Dalmatia. (My translation)
In Second Timothy 4:10, after informing Timothy that Demas had deserted him, Paul informs his friend and disciple that Crescens traveled to Galatia.
This is the only place in Scripture this individual is mentioned.
He was a Christian who was sent by Paul to Galatia indicating that this man was a pastor-teacher who communicated the gospel to the Christian community.
“Galatia” refers to the Roman province of Galatia which was created by Augustus Caesar in 25 B.C.
In Second Timothy 4:10, the apostle Paul also informs Timothy that he sent Titus to Dalmatia which refers to the southwestern part of Illyricum on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea from southern Italy.
Today it is Yugoslavia, currently Croatia, Bosnia and Herzevovina; cf. Pliny Hist. 3.26).
It was not far from Nicopolis which according to Titus 3:12, was the city Paul directed Titus to meet him and where he spent the winter.
Paul describes Titus in Titus 1:4.
Titus 1:4 To Titus, a legitimate spiritual child on the basis of a mutual faith: Grace resulting in peace from God the Father as well as the Christ who is Jesus, who is our Savior. (My translation)
Paul assigned Titus the task of being the superintendent of the churches on the island of Crete.
Like the first epistle to Timothy, this letter had as its purpose to give the young pastor instructions to aid him in his work.
Paul first mentions Titus in Galatians 2:1-3.
As an uncircumcised Gentile, Titus accompanied Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem as a living example of a great theological truth: Gentiles do not need to be circumcised in order to be saved.
Titus next appears in connection with Paul's mission to Corinth.
While Paul was in Ephesus during his third missionary journey, he received disturbing news from the church at Corinth.
After writing two letters and paying one visit to Corinth, Paul sent Titus to Corinth with a third letter (2 Corinthians 7:6-9).
When Titus failed to return with news of the situation, Paul left Ephesus and, with a troubled spirit (2 Corinthians 7:5), traveled north to Troas (2 Corinthians 2:12-13).
Finally, in Macedonia, Titus met the anxious apostle with the good news that the church at Corinth had repented.
In relief and joy, Paul wrote yet another letter to Corinth (2 Corinthians), perhaps from Philippi, sending it again through Titus (2 Corinthians 7:5-16).
In addition, Titus was given responsibility for completing the collection for the poor of Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8:6, 16-24; 12:18).
Titus appears in another important role on the island of Crete (Titus 1:4).
Beset by a rise in false teaching and declining morality, Titus was told by Paul to strengthen the churches by teaching sound doctrine and good works, and by appointing elders in every city (Titus 1:5).
Paul then urged Titus to join him in Nicopolis (on the west coast of Greece) for winter (Titus 3:12).
Not surprisingly, Titus was remembered in church tradition as the first pastor of Crete.
A final reference to Titus comes from 2 Timothy 4:10, where Paul remarks in passing that Titus has departed for mission work in Dalmatia (modern Yugoslavia).
Titus was a man for the tough tasks.
According to Paul, he was dependable (2 Cor 8:17), reliable (2 Cor 7:6), and diligent (2 Cor 8:17); and he had a great capacity for human affection (2 Cor 7:13-15).
Titus possessed both strength, tact, and calmed a desperate situation on more than one occasion.
He is a good model for Christians who are called to live out their witness in trying circumstances.
Paul calls Titus his “true son in a common faith” (Titus 1:3), “a brother” (2 Corinthians 2:13) and his “partner and fellow worker” (2 Corinthians 8:23).
We must make clear that when Paul says that Crescens went to Galatia and Titus went to Dalmatia, he does not mean they deserted him like Demas since the text does not imply this or make this explicit.
The text only says that Demas deserted Paul.
The verb egkataleipō, “deserted” is only used with Demas as its subject and not Crescens or Titus.
Therefore, it appears that Paul sent these two men to fulfill some mission in the regions of Galatia and Dalmatia.
Both were pastor-teachers and were sent to the churches in these regions of the Roman Empire.