Please read the passage before reading the commentary.
The letter to Titus is one of the later books of the Bible. It mentions presbyters and bishops. The Church is moving into a more organized structure. The age of the apostles is coming to an end. The Greek word presbyter means elder and linguistically gives us the word priest (priest, by etymology, means elder). In this period of development, the office of the presbyter and the office of overseer (bishop) are being distinguished from each other. Eventually, the term presbyter will mean priest and overseer (episcopus morphing into bishop) will be bishop. Titus has the task of appointing Church leaders in Crete as the Church moves into a new stage of development.
Throughout the years, the Church has continued to develop. When the civil government of Rome broke down, the bishop of Rome, by default, had to step in to retore peace the civil affairs of Rome, which eventually gave the bishop of Rome authority over other churches.
The exercise of authority in the Church continues to develop. Women and other lay people are moving onto areas of greater responsibility now. The recent Synod on Synodality is an example of this change, The requirement, however, that the leaders of the Church be hospitable, lovers of goodness, temperate, just, holy, self-controlled, and faithful to the gospel still holds and still challenges us leaders now as in the days of Titus.
Just as Christ provided for his Church through the ministries of Paul and Titus, so likewise does Christ continue to provide for us in our day. As Paul instructed Titus to ensure the integrity of the Church, so do his words continue to encourage us to maintain the integrity of the Church in our day so that we can pass it on to the generations to come.