Titus 1:5

Ver. 5. For this cause I left thee behind in Crete, that thou shouldst further set in order the things which are wanting general indication of the work which had been assigned to Titus in Crete, which the apostle, for want of time to do it himself, left him behind (ἀπέλιπόν) (The best supported reading being that at first hand of א, A, C, D, F, I, the received has κατε ́ λιπον.) to carry forward. In the verb ἐπιδιορθώσης, the ἐπί “does not serve the purpose of strengthening = omni cura corrigere, but expresses the idea of addition: still further bring into order” (Huther). Matters had been so far put in a right condition by Paul himself; what further remained to be done was left to the charge of Titus. The kind of rectification meant can only be learned from what follows; but the first, and apparently the most prominent point, concerned the official organization of the churches: and mightest appoint elders in every city, as I directed thee. This was virtually to say that each church or Christian community was to have its governing body of elders; for in the very infancy of the Christian cause in Crete, it is not to be imagined that each town could have more than one such community. Even that, in most cases, must have been comparatively small. Not only was the appointment of elders to each several congregation to be made, but it was to be done in accordance with the instructions which had been given by the apostle the main part of which are doubtless embodied in the description, which immediately follows, of the qualifications to be sought in the persons who were to receive the appointment.