Question 1

In “Say these things,” what does “these things” most naturally refer to in the flow of Titus 2?

Accepted Answer

In context, “these things” most naturally points back to the instruction unit Titus 2 has just delivered (2:1–14): guidance for different groups in the churches and the reasons grounded in God’s revealed kindness and purpose. Verse 15 functions as a closing charge that gathers the whole section and tells Titus to keep communicating it. The wording could be stretched to include more than chapter 2, but the immediate placement at the end of the chapter’s teaching makes the narrow reference the clearest reading.

Question 2

What are the three actions Titus is told to do, and how do they differ from each other?

Accepted Answer

The verse names three actions: (1) “say” the message—regular communication of the teaching content; (2) “exhort”—urging people toward the response the teaching calls for, not leaving it at explanation; and (3) “reprove” (rebuke)—correcting what contradicts the teaching, including exposing and addressing wrong. The flow suggests these are complementary: instruction provides the standard, exhortation presses for alignment with it, and reproof confronts cases where behavior or belief deviates from it.

Question 3

What does the term translated “reprove/rebuke” add to the picture of Titus’s role?

Accepted Answer

The word translated “reprove” (often rendered “rebuke”) indicates more than a negative opinion or disappointment. It carries the sense of exposing and correcting what is wrong. In this verse, it sits next to “exhort,” suggesting Titus’s work includes both positive urging and negative correction. The text does not specify the setting (public or private) or the exact method, but it does make the corrective dimension explicit: Titus is not to ignore, excuse, or simply tolerate contradictions to the teaching he is to keep speaking.

Question 4

How does “with all authority” shape the tone or force of Titus’s speaking, exhorting, and reproving?

Accepted Answer

“With all authority” indicates that Titus is to carry out these tasks with full weight rather than hesitancy. The phrase can be heard in two close ways: as describing Titus’s confident firmness in delivery, and/or as describing the authorized status of his role as Paul’s delegate among the churches. Either way, the text’s point is that the message is not presented as optional suggestions. Titus’s exhortations and corrections are meant to land as serious directives connected to the wellbeing of the communities.

Question 5

What does “Let no one despise you” suggest about the social dynamics Titus might face?

Accepted Answer

The command assumes Titus could be treated as dismissible—someone people might brush off, mock, or sideline. In the setting implied by the letter, local honor, status, and reputation could influence who was taken seriously, especially when correction was involved. The verse links this issue to the message’s effectiveness: if Titus is despised, his exhorting and correcting will be easier to ignore. The text does not state why Titus might be despised (age, status, opposition), only that it is a real risk.

Question 6

How does the last line relate to the first two commands in the verse?

Accepted Answer

“Let no one despise you” supports the earlier commands by protecting their impact. The verse presents Titus’s communication (say), urging (exhort), and correction (reprove) as ongoing responsibilities, and then adds a warning about resistance that could weaken them. If Titus is treated as insignificant, the community can more easily treat the teaching as insignificant. So the last line is not a separate topic; it reinforces the idea that Titus must maintain the stance and conduct that prevents the message from being neutralized through social pressure.

Titus 2:15

Scripture