Ezekiel, Jonah, and Pastoral Epistles by Patrick Fairbairn - Titus 2:15 - 2:15

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Ezekiel, Jonah, and Pastoral Epistles by Patrick Fairbairn - Titus 2:15 - 2:15


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Ver. 15. These things speak, and exhort, and reprove with all authority. A short retrospective utterance, for the purpose of impressing upon the mind of Titus the importance of the things which had just been declared respecting the salvation of God in Christ, and of his bringing them to bear in every possible way upon the understandings and hearts of the people. They were, therefore, first to be spoken, or taught in plain and intelligible language; then they were to be made the subject of exhortation, that is, pressed as matters of obligation upon the conscience; and finally, when these failed to secure the requisite attention and compliance, reproof was to be added—and this with all authority, ìåôὰ ðÜóçò ἐðéôáãῆò —with every sort of imperative earnestness, as of one speaking under authority, having a right to enjoin as well as to teach and exhort. The word ἐðéôáãç ̀ is used only by Paul, and always in much the same sense—an authoritative order or command (Rom_16:26; 1Co_7:6; 1Ti_1:1; Tit_1:3). Let no man despise thee; that is, maintain your place as a delegated ambassador and servant of Christ, and act in such a manner that others shall see your determination to secure what in this respect is due to your office. Admonitions of this kind, given more than once to Timothy (comp. 1Ti_4:11-12, 1Ti_5:21, 1Ti_6:13-14, 2Ti_4:1-2), seem to imply that his weak point lay here, and that he required to be stimulated to the display of firmness and resolution in standing to the rights and duties of his office.