{6} For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

(6) The first admonition: to ordain elders in every church.

People's New Testament

Titus 1:5 For this cause left I thee. Paul had then been in Crete, attended by Titus, and had left him there to set the churches in order.

In Crete.

The things that are wanting. Not only in organization, but in instruction and practice.

Ordain. Appoint (Revised Version). The mode of appointing is not here indicated.

Elders. See notes on 1Ti 3:1-6.

In every city. A plurality were to be appointed wherever there were churches.

Wesley's Notes

1:5 The things which are wanting - Which I had not time to settle myself. Ordain elders - Appoint the most faithful, zealous men to watch over the rest. Their character follows, Tit 1:6 -
9. These were the elders, or bishops, that Paul approved of; - men that had living faith, a pure conscience, a blameless life.

King James Translators' Notes

wanting: or, left undone

Scofield Reference Notes

[1] wanting

It is not at all a question of the presence in the assembly of persons having the qualifications of elders, made overseers by the Holy Spirit Acts 20:28 that such persons were in the churches of Crete is assumed; the question is altogether one of the appointment of such persons. These assemblies were not destitute of elders; but were "wanting," in that they were not duly appointed. There is a progress of doctrine in respect of the appointing of elders. Cf. v. 5, note.

[2] elders

Elder (presbuteros) and bishop (episcopos = "overseer") designate the same office (cf Ti 1:7 Acts 20:17 20:28 the former referring to the man, the latter to a function of the office. The eldership in the apostolic local churches was always plural. There is no instance of one elder in a local church. The functions of the elders are: to rule 1Tim 3:4,5 5:17 to guard the body of revealed truth from perversion and error Ti 1:9 to "oversee" the church as a shepherd his flock Acts 20:28 Jn 21:16 Heb 13:17. 1Pet 5:2. Elders are made or "set" in the churches by the Holy Spirit Acts 20:28 but great stress is laid upon their due appointment Acts 14:23 Ti 1:5. At first they were ordained (Gr. "cheirotoneo," "to elect," "to designate with the hand,") by an apostle; e.g. Acts 14:23 but in Titus and First Timothy the qualifications of an elder become part of the Scriptures for the guidance of the churches in such appointment. 1Tim 3:1-7.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

5. I left thee-"I left thee behind" [Alford] when I left the island: not implying permanence of commission (compare 1Ti 1:3).

in Crete-now Candia.

set in order-rather as Greek, "that thou mightest follow up (the work begun by me), setting right the things that are wanting," which I was unable to complete by reason of the shortness of my stay in Crete. Christianity, doubtless, had long existed in Crete: there were some Cretans among those who heard Peter's preaching on Pentecost (Ac 2:11). The number of Jews in Crete was large (Tit 1:10), and it is likely that those scattered in the persecution of Stephen (Ac 11:19) preached to them, as they did to the Jews of Cyprus, &c. Paul also was there on his voyage to Rome (Ac 27:7-12). By all these instrumentalities the Gospel was sure to reach Crete. But until Paul's later visit, after his first imprisonment at Rome, the Cretan Christians were without Church organization. This Paul began, and had commissioned (before leaving Crete) Titus to go on with, and now reminds him of that commission.

ordain-rather, "appoint," "constitute."

in every city-"from city to city."

as I . appointed thee-that is, as I directed thee; prescribing as well the act of constituting elders, as also the manner of doing so, which latter includes the qualifications required in a presbyter presently stated. Those called "elders" here are called "bishops" in Tit 1:7. Elder is the term of dignity in relation to the college of presbyters; bishop points to the duties of his office in relation to the flock. From the unsound state of the Cretan Christians described here, we see the danger of the want of Church government. The appointment of presbyters was designed to check idle talk and speculation, by setting forth the "faithful word."

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:5-9 The character and qualification of pastors, here called elders and bishops, agree with what the apostle wrote to Timothy. Being such bishops and overseers of the flock, to be examples to them, and God's stewards to take care of the affairs of his household, there is great reason that they should be blameless. What they are not to be, is plainly shown, as well as what they are to be, as servants of Christ, and able ministers of the letter and practice of the gospel. And here are described the spirit and practice becoming such as should be examples of good works.