Hello,<\/p>\n
I hope this finds you doing well. I just wanted to let you know that I love your site. It helps me a lot in my studies of God’s Word.<\/p>\n
I heard a radio minister say that Titus deserted Paul. He used II Timothy 4:9-11 as his proof text. “Be diligent to come to me quickly; for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica – Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.” I don’t believe Titus deserted Paul. I think he is understanding this text incorrectly. I just wanted your input on this.<\/p>\n
Thanks.<\/p>\n\t
The wording of this passage is that Demas is not with Paul because he deserted Paul and left for Thessalonica. Only one person has deserted by the wording of this passage. Crescens left for Galatia, but the reason for his departure is not given. Since Demas is specifically stated to have deserted Paul, the lack of a reason for Crescens implies that he is gone with Paul’s blessings. Most likely Paul sent him there to preach. The same goes for Titus who is currently in Dalmatia. Paul is explaining to Timothy why he is currently alone. Two men were sent off and the third man, who should have been with him, deserted Paul to go his own way.<\/p>\n
Albert Barnes:<\/strong>\u00a0“Paul does not mention the reason why Titus had gone there: but it is not improbable that he had gone to preach the gospel, or to visit the churches which Paul had planted in that region. The apostle does not suggest that he was deserving of blame for having gone, and it can hardly be supposed that Titus would have left him at this time without his concurrence. Perhaps when he permitted him to go, he did not know how soon events would come to a crisis with him; and as a letter would more readily reach Timothy at Ephesus than Titus in Dalmatia, he requested him to come to him, instead of directing Titus to return.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: Hello, I hope this finds you doing well. I just wanted to let you know that I love your site. It helps me a lot in my studies of God’s Word. I heard a radio minister say that Titus deserted Paul. He used II Timothy 4:9-11 as his proof text. “Be diligent to come…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[118,835],"class_list":["post-44363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-paul","tag-titus"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":30310,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-did-demas-love\/","url_meta":{"origin":44363,"position":0},"title":"What did Demas love?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 12, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I was doing some digging about Demas.\u00a0Demas left Paul because he loved the world. We aren't supposed to love the world. It's never said if Demas ever got back in a right relationship with the Lord, but if he died in the state of loving the world, then he\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6914,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-did-paul-say-he-left-titus-in-crete\/","url_meta":{"origin":44363,"position":1},"title":"Why did Paul say he left Titus in Crete?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 16, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I just discovered your website after searching the Internet for \u201cPaul\u2019s letter to the Laodiceans\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0Your explanation\u00a0is very interesting and has merit.\u00a0 Thank you for providing answers to so many questions that arise from time to time. Now that I think about it, I have a question:\u00a0 How do you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":88543,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/two-christians\/","url_meta":{"origin":44363,"position":2},"title":"Two Christians","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 10, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by David Gibson Drawn away What can we learn from two of Paul's associates, Mark and Demas? Paul writes, \"Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers\" (Philemon 23-24 NASB; see Colossians 4:10, 14). Later Paul mentions both Mark and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":63239,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/pauls-imprisonment\/","url_meta":{"origin":44363,"position":3},"title":"Paul’s Imprisonment","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 10, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 2:17-30 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We all have a tendency to make assumptions about what does not appear \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Those assumptions help us to organize what we do know \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We do this whether we are trying to determine why someone walked by without saying \u201cHi!\u201d or when we\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22072,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/thank-you-for-the-information-on-when-paul-left-titus-in-crete\/","url_meta":{"origin":44363,"position":4},"title":"Thank you for the information on when Paul left Titus in Crete","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 4, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I am a member of the Lord's church and I am studying the letter to Titus. I was looking at references in the New Testament, trying to figure out when Paul would've left Titus in Crete. I Googled for help and got your explanation. It was very helpful! I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16185,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-desertion-a-ground-for-remarriage\/","url_meta":{"origin":44363,"position":5},"title":"Is Desertion a Ground for Remarriage?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 28, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"by Johnny Stringer Guardian of Truth XXIX: 5, pp. 137, 141, March 7, 1985 Jesus taught that marriage is permanent. In keeping with God's original intent regarding marriage, He prohibited divorce and stated that all second marriages of divorced persons are adulterous (Matthew 19:3-9; 5:32; Luke 16:18). 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