Two key words in Paul’s charge help us to see his emphasis. The word for “instruction” in Titus 1:9 combines the prefix para-, “alongside,” with the verb kaleo, meaning “to call out.” The idea is that an elder must be competent to come alongside Christians and exhort them biblically. The second key word is “sound,” with the word hugiainouse, meaning “healthy.” Therefore, an elder must be able to meet with men or women and provide a sound understanding of biblical truth that will lead to a healthy faith. The fact that elders are to have this ability carries with it the calling to engage often in this kind of ministry.

In addition to the ministry of the guiding shepherd’s staff, the elder must also wield the protective rod of rebuke: “and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9). The idea here is to oppose, speak against, and confront the errors of those who would lead believers astray. This ministry requires courage, conviction, and also character, remembering Paul’s earlier emphasis that elders are not to be “arrogant or quick-tempered” (v. 7). In today’s context, Paul is not calling elders to engage in ceaseless warfare on social media, but rather calling them to guard their own flocks, especially from false teachers within.

保羅的囑咐中有兩個關鍵詞可以幫助我們看出他的重點。提多書 1:9 中的“勸化（parakaleō）”這個詞結合了前綴 para-（“旁邊”）和動詞 kaleo（意思是“呼召出來”）。這裡的意思是，長老必須有能力與基督徒在一起肩並肩並按照聖經勸化他們。第二個關鍵詞是“健全”，單詞“hugiainouse”的意思是“健康的”。因此，長老必須能夠與男人或女人見面，並提供對聖經真理的正確理解，這將帶來健康的信仰。長老們必須具備這種能力的這個事實意味着他們是蒙召經常從事這類事工的。

除了引導牧羊人的工作人員之外，長老還必須揮舞斥責的保護棒：“又能把爭辯的人駁倒了”（多1:9）。這里的意思是反對、發聲反對和面對那些會使信徒背道的人的錯誤。這項事工需要勇氣、信念，也需要品格，請記住保羅之前強調長老不可“不任性，不暴躁”（7節）。在今天的背景下，保羅並不是呼籲長老們在社交媒體上進行無休止的爭戰，而是呼籲他們保護自己的羊群，尤其是免受內部假教師的侵害。