Commentary - Titus 2:15

Bird's-eye view

Titus 2:15 serves as the capstone and commissioning for the preceding block of instruction. Having laid out the glorious theological foundation of salvation in Christ (vv. 11-14), Paul now turns to Titus and charges him with the practical task of ministerial application. This is not a suggestion; it is a command. The verse outlines the three-fold duty of a faithful minister: proclamation, encouragement, and correction. This is to be done not timidly, but with the full weight of divine authority. The final clause is a direct charge to Titus to conduct his ministry in such a way that he cannot be legitimately dismissed or disdained. This verse is a potent summary of the nature of gospel ministry: it is doctrinal, it is authoritative, and it must be conducted with unimpeachable character.

The entire chapter is about bringing order to the household of God. Paul has addressed various groups within the church, older men, older women, younger women, young men, and servants, and now he gives Titus his marching orders for overseeing it all. The gospel that saves us is the same gospel that teaches us, and this teaching must be declared, urged, and defended. The authority for this task does not originate in Titus's personality or rhetorical skill, but in the gospel itself and the God who sent him. Therefore, any contempt shown to Titus in the faithful execution of his duty is ultimately contempt for the Word of God.

Outline

Context In Titus

This verse concludes the central teaching section of the letter. In chapter 1, Paul established the need for qualified leadership in Crete to combat the false teachers who were upsetting households. In chapter 2, he provides the positive content of the "sound doctrine" that Titus is to teach. This doctrine is not abstract but profoundly practical, shaping the conduct of every member of the church. The instructions for various age and social groups (2:1-10) are all grounded in the glorious appearance of God's grace in Jesus Christ, who redeemed us to be a people zealous for good works (2:11-14). Verse 15 is therefore the hinge. It links the doctrinal foundation (vv. 11-14) to the ongoing, practical work of pastoral ministry. It is the charge that empowers Titus to take "these things", the whole counsel of the gospel and its ethical implications, and press them into the life of the Cretan church. It sets the stage for the final instructions in chapter 3 concerning submission to civil authorities and dealing with division.

Key Issues

The Un-ignorable Word

We live in a squishy age, an age that despises authority of any kind. The modern spirit wants a Christianity that is all exhortation and no reproof. It wants a Jesus who is a life coach, not a Lord. It wants a gospel that is a helpful suggestion, not a sovereign summons. But the ministry described here by the apostle Paul is anything but squishy. It has a backbone. It has teeth.

The charge to Titus is to be an ambassador of the King. An ambassador does not show up in a foreign court and offer his personal opinions on things. He speaks with the authority of the one who sent him. The minister of the gospel is not peddling his own ideas; he is delivering a message from on high. This is why his work is comprised of speaking, exhorting, and reproving. These are not the actions of a man testing the waters or taking a poll. They are the actions of a herald. And because the message is from God, the messenger must not carry himself in such a way that the message can be easily dismissed. The authority is in the Word, but if the man is a buffoon or a hypocrite, he provides the rebellious with an easy excuse to disregard the Word. The man and the message are inextricably linked.

Verse by Verse Commentary

15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Paul concludes this section with a four-part charge to his apostolic delegate, Titus. First, we have the content: these things. This refers back to the whole of the preceding instruction, from the character of elders in chapter one to the ethical duties of the saints in chapter two, all of it grounded in the rich gospel summary of verses 11-14. The minister is not to invent his message, but to deliver the one he has received. The whole counsel of God is his curriculum.

Second, we have the method. This message is to be delivered in three ways: speak, exhort, and reprove. To "speak" is the simple act of proclamation, of laying out the truth plainly. This is the didactic, teaching function of the ministry. To "exhort" is to come alongside and encourage, to urge the saints to press on in the application of the truth. This is the pastoral, encouraging function. To "reprove" or "rebuke" is to confront sin and error. This is the judicial, corrective function of the ministry. A faithful ministry must contain all three. A ministry of all teaching becomes dry intellectualism. A ministry of all exhortation becomes shallow sentimentalism. And a ministry of all reproof becomes harsh legalism. The faithful shepherd must know how to use the staff to guide, the rod to comfort, and the rod to fend off wolves.

Third, we have the warrant for this work: with all authority. Where does this authority come from? It does not come from Titus's dynamic personality, his seminary degree, or his ordination certificate. It comes from the Word of God itself. Jesus taught as one having authority, and not as the scribes, because He spoke the very words of God. The minister's authority is a derived authority. When he is faithfully proclaiming the Word, he is speaking for God, and the congregation is to receive it as such. This is not a call for pastoral tyranny, because the authority is strictly limited to the boundaries of Scripture. But within those boundaries, it is absolute. The Word is not to be offered as a suggestion for their consideration. It is to be declared as the binding Word of the King.

Finally, we have the character of the minister: Let no one disregard you. This is not a command for Titus to develop a thin skin or to demand personal respect pugnaciously. It is a command to live and minister in such a way that no one can legitimately despise or dismiss him. His life must be consistent with his doctrine. If he is orthodox in the pulpit but a mess in his personal life, he gives people a reason to disregard his teaching. As Paul told Timothy, he must set an example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity (1 Tim. 4:12). When a minister's life backs up his preaching, any disregard shown to him is shown to be what it really is: rebellion against the Word he preaches.

Application

This verse is a bracing tonic for the modern church, which is often tempted to cowardice. We are tempted to soften the hard edges of the law, to skip over the uncomfortable demands of the gospel, and to avoid confrontation at all costs. We are tempted to turn the ministry into a popularity contest, where the goal is to be liked rather than to be faithful.

This verse calls ministers back to their primary duty: to be heralds of the King. This means we must speak the whole counsel of God, not just the parts that are currently in fashion. It means we must not only encourage the sheep but also rebuke the erring and refute the wolves. This must be done with authority, not the authority of a bully, but the authority of a man who knows he is standing on the unshakable Word of God. The authority is not in the man, but in the message. When the man is faithful to the message, he speaks for God.

For the congregation, this verse is a call to receive the Word with humility. Your pastor is not just another talking head. When he is faithfully expositing the Scriptures, you are not simply hearing his opinions. You are hearing the Word of God. You are to receive it, submit to it, and obey it. To disregard the faithful preaching of the Word is to disregard Christ Himself. We must pray for our ministers, that they would have the courage to speak with this kind of authority, and we must pray for ourselves, that we would have the humility to receive it.