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

All that Paul has taught Titus, the latter must now teach others; this parallels the first part of 2 Timothy 2:2, namely that those taught should be faithful to teach others and thus to pass on right doctrine from one generation to the next. Today we benefit from this unbroken chain. In theory, we can trace our spiritual heritage by considering the people who taught us, and before that, who taught that person, all the way back to Titus, and before him, Paul. True, there have been dark times in “church history” where faithful biblical teaching did not take place. But God raised up those who called people back to biblical fidelity. The spiritual ancestral tree, if we can trace it, bypasses centuries of unfaithfulness, drawing us back more directly to the Bible. Thus, today, we have the benefit of both faithful teachers before us and also the faithful Word of God that connects us to the inspired teaching of the apostle Paul (as well as other inspired biblical writers).

At the core of the chain, or spiritual tree motif, is the importance of proclaiming the truth. Here Paul instructs Titus (and to us who look over Titus’ shoulder and read the letter for ourselves) to do three things with the truth, similar to what he wrote another of his disciples (2 Tim. 3:16). First, we are to speak the truth. This goes beyond simply living out the truth as an example. The truths of God need to be verbalized, spoken audibly (or explained in writing). We err if we assume people know the truth. The verb tense in Greek indicates an ongoing activity. We must continually remind people of God’s truth, the good news of God’s grace.

We must also exhort people, that is, call them to live in the truth of God, to walk consistently with God’s design for our lives. We suggest that we (especially elders and spiritual leaders among us) need to challenge the people of God to apply the teachings of Scripture in practical ways that affect how they live. Likewise, we need to confront (that is, reprove) people when they wander from the truth, to bring them back to a life of faithfulness.

In all this, Titus is to speak authoritatively. Since there was no ecclesiastical hierarchy authorized by the apostles beyond that of elders in the local church, Titus’ authority is derivative, that is, it comes from Paul’s teachings. That remains true today. Our authority comes in our faithful speaking, exhorting, and reproving people from God’s Word. We should let no one disregard or minimize the ministry of the Word!

Lord, I commit to faithfully proclaiming Your Word to others.