To Titus, my own son, according to the common faith. Hence it is evident in what sense a minister of the word is said to beget spiritually those whom he brings to the obedience of Christ, that is, so that he himself is also begotten. Paul declares himself to be the father of Titus, with respect to his faith; but immediately adds, that this faith is common to both, so that both of them alike have the same Father in heaven. Accordingly, God does not diminish his own prerogative, when he pronounces those to be spiritual fathers along with himself, by whose ministry he regenerates whom he chooses; for of themselves they do nothing, but only by the efficacy of the Spirit. As to the remainder of the verse, the exposition of it will be found in the Commentaries on the former Epistles, and especially on the First Epistle to Timothy. [1]

Footnotes

1 - See [16]p. 21.

To Titus - See the Introduction, Section 1.
Mine own son - Notes, 1-Timothy 1:2.
After the common faith - The faith of all Christians; - equivalent to saying "my son in the gospel." That is, Paul had been the means of converting him by preaching that gospel which was received by all who were Christians.
Grace, mercy, and peace - See the notes at Romans 1:7.

To Titus, mine own son - Him whom I have been the instrument of converting to the Christian faith; and in whom, in this respect, I have the same right as any man can have in his own begotten son. See the preface; and see on 1-Timothy 1:2 (note).

(4) To Titus, [mine] own son after the common faith: (5) Grace, mercy, [and] peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
(4) The apostle exhorts the Cretians to hear Titus, by setting forth his consent and agreement with them in the faith, and in addition shows by what special note we may distinguish true ministers from false. (5) There is but one way of salvation, common both to the pastor and the flock.

To Titus, mine own son after the common faith,.... Not in a natural, but in a spiritual sense; the apostle being the instrument of his conversion, as he was of the conversion of Onesimus, and of many of the Corinthians, and therefore is said to beget them, Plm 1:10 and so was their spiritual father, and they his children: Titus was, in this sense, his "own son", or a true son, a legitimate one; a true convert; one really born again; a sincere believer, an Israelite indeed: and this he was "after the common faith"; either the doctrine of faith, which is but one, and is common to all the saints; or the grace of faith, which though different in degrees, yet is alike precious faith in all; the same for nature, kind, object, operation, and effects: and this phrase is used to show in what sense Titus was son to the apostle; as he was a believer, and no otherwise.
Grace, mercy, and peace, &c. which is the apostle's usual salutation; see 1-Timothy 1:2. The word "mercy" is left out in the Claromontane copy, and in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions.

Titus, mine own son--Greek, "my genuine child" (1-Timothy 1:2), that is, converted by my instrumentality (1-Corinthians 4:17; Plm 1:10).
after the common faith--a genuine son in respect to (in virtue of) the faith common to all the people of God, comprising in a common brotherhood Gentiles as well as Jews, therefore embracing Titus a Gentile (2-Peter 1:1; Jde 1:3).
Grace, mercy, and peace--"mercy" is omitted in some of the oldest manuscripts. But one of the best and oldest manuscripts supports it (compare Notes, see on 1-Timothy 1:2; 2-Timothy 1:2). There are many similarities of phrase in the Pastoral Epistles.
the Lord Jesus Christ--The oldest manuscripts read only "Christ Jesus."
our Saviour--found thus added to "Christ" only in Paul's Pastoral Epistles, and in 2-Peter 1:1, 2-Peter 1:11; 2-Peter 2:20; 2-Peter 3:18.

My own son - Begot in the same image of God, and repaying a paternal with a filial affection. The common faith - Common to me and all my spiritual children.