Titus 3:13

Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey The verb -bring on their journey" is literally -send forward," and so Vulg. here -praemitte"; but in the other eight places of its use in N.T. -deduco" is used, that is, -conduct," -take them a certain part of the way." So in old provincial English -I will send you a mile," meaning -accompany you." R.V. in four places has -bring on the way," in five, -set forward on the journey;" but in only one, Acts 21:5, does the context requirethat the -accompanying" should be prominent, -they all with wives and children brought us on our way till we were out of the city." Here set forward with less thought of bringing (A.V.) seems sufficient.

Zenas the lawyer and Apollos Zenas is the Greek form of Zenodorus, as Apollos of Apollodorus, Artemas of Artemidorus. Nothing is known of him, but the phrase itself suggests that he was one of the class of Jewish scribes or lawyers, i.e. experts in Jewish law who were especially numerous among the Pharisees. On his conversion he may have retained the name, as Simon the Zealot and Matthew the publican did theirs. As his class had for their fuller title -teachers of the law," -doctors," Luke 2:46; Luke 5:17, he would be especially fitted to become one of the order of the Christian -teachers"; cf. Ephesians 4:11, -some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers." Apollos, on the other hand, was recognised as an apostle. He was an Alexandrian by race, a learned (or eloquent) man, mighty in the Scriptures, instructed in the way of the Lord, to whom Priscilla and Aquila -expounded the way of God more carefully" (Acts 18:26) at Ephesus. He became a most successful evangelist in Achaia and at Corinth, and was regarded by St Paul as a brother apostle, independent in will and action, 1 Corinthians 16:12, but preaching and serving an undivided Christ, 1 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Corinthians 3:22-23. From this passage we may infer, not that they had been resident in Crete, which introduces an unnecessary complication with the official authority of Titus, but that they had undertaken such a -pastoral mission" there as St Paul had invited Apollos to undertake to Corinth, 1 Corinthians 16:12; perhaps, with Mr Lewin, that they were on the way from Corinth to Alexandria, and were the bearers of this letter to Titus.

This visit of -an apostle" and -a teacher," and the hospitality to be exercised towards them by Titus, are to stimulate, St Paul adds, the zeal and liberality of the whole body of Christians, the Cretan Church.

diligently Vulg. -sollicite" Theod. Mops. Lat. -velociter"; but the following clause -that nothing be wanting unto them," favours -attention" rather than -speed," and implies provision for the journey as part of the sympathetic attendance; so in 3 John 1:6 -set forward on their journey worthily of God," i.e. with supplies worthy of their service to God, the following verses making this clear, -we therefore as fellow Christians ought to give them hospitable support."