Teach God’s Word With Authority - Titus

Titus 2:15 (ESV)

Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Titus is being charged with a responsibility as the elder of the church on the island of Crete.  He is to make sure that all that Paul wrote to him is taught to the church.  In this exercise he is to declare, exhort and rebuke.   

1. Declare - the word is used almost 300 times in the N.T.   It is translated in 244 times simply as talk.   Titus is to talk to others about this scripture that Paul sent him in these first two chapters. 

2. Exhort - this word is used over 100 times in the N.T.   It is translated exhort only 21 times.  Mostly it is translated to beseech (43x).   The world means to invoke or call near or invite.  Titus is not to just to talk of these scriptures, he is to encourage others to draw near in obedience to them. We would call this preaching. 

3. Rebuke - this world is used 17 times in the N.T.  It is translated six times as rebuke.   This word carries the thought of convincing, or admonishing.   This might mean that after declaring and exhorting, if there is not obedience, Titus is to turn to rebuking.   We don’t see much of this in churches today.   

Titus is to do all this with two things on his mind:

1. He is to do this will all authority. This word is only used 7 times in the N.T. This is the only verse in the N.T. where the word is translated authority.  All the other times it is translated as commandment.   Timothy is to declare, exhort and rebuke as though he were under a commandment to do so.   That is his authority.  Paul is commanding him to do so.   

2. He is to do this while not allowing anyone to disregard him.   Timothy was told something similar in 1 Timothy 4:12.  Timothy was told not to allow anyone to despise his youth.  Paul says the same thing to Titus, but doesn’t mention his age.   He might have been older than Timothy.   The point for Titus and Timothy is that some will disregard and despise the teaching ministry they are commanded to do.   We are not to live as though that won’t happen.  

Paul wanted Titus to fulfill the ministry he was given by Christ.  That included some very specific instructions and would be meet with some very specific resistance.   He was to persevere.