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.

保罗的嘱咐中有两个关键词可以帮助我们看出他的重点。提多书 1:9 中的“劝化（parakaleō）”这个词结合了前缀 para-（“旁边”）和动词 kaleo（意思是“呼召出来”）。这里的意思是，长老必须有能力与基督徒在一起肩并肩并按照圣经劝化他们。第二个关键词是“健全”，单词“hugiainouse”的意思是“健康的”。因此，长老必须能够与男人或女人见面，并提供对圣经真理的正确理解，这将带来健康的信仰。长老们必须具备这种能力的这个事实意味着他们是蒙召经常从事这类事工的。

除了引导牧羊人的工作人员之外，长老还必须挥舞斥责的保护棒：“又能把争辩的人驳倒了”（多1:9）。这里的意思是反对、发声反对和面对那些会使信徒背道的人的错误。这项事工需要勇气、信念，也需要品格，请记住保罗之前强调长老不可“不任性，不暴躁”（7节）。在今天的背景下，保罗并不是呼吁长老们在社交媒体上进行无休止的争战，而是呼吁他们保护自己的羊群，尤其是免受内部假教师的侵害。