Titus 3:13 (a) — Puzzle Pieces

Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way 

Summary: Today’s passage provides another glimpse into the life of early Christians. Paul, acting under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is directing others in their work for the Lord. The glimpse we get is a fascinating peek at a much larger puzzle. 

Paul knows a lot about what is happening on Crete. It is also clear that Paul is coordinating a small army on behalf of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. 

Titus is not alone on Crete. Zenas and Apollos are there, too. Paul is aware that they will be traveling soon. It may even be the case that Paul has asked them to take on a special mission. Artemus or Tycyicus are on their way to Crete. 

It is like we are looking at three or four pieces of a large puzzle. There is a picture here that we can only see a part of. Paul, a man on the move himself, is coordinating mission work across the known world. 

Zenas, named here, is only mentioned once in the New Testament. Apollos, on the other hand, is everywhere. Luke tells us a bit about him in his book, “Acts of the Apostles.” He writes, “Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures.” (Acts 18:24) 

Even though “Apollos” is not a very Jewish name, Apollos is a Jew. More than that, he has been educated in the Scriptures. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he tells us how he sees his ministry working in conjunction with Apollos: 

“What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” (1 Corinthians 3: 5-6)

Paul then goes on to add: 

“For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:9)

There is much that we do not know. We do not know who Zenas is, except that Paul vouches for him in this letter. We know more about Apollos, but not what he was doing at that moment or where he was headed with Zenas. We know nothing about Artemus and very little about Tychicus. Yet these puzzle pieces all meet together in Crete. 

God’s handiwork through these men is evident in the church that exists today. Our Bible, including this letter to Titus, exists today because of these moments in time and place coordinated by God’s Holy Spirit. 

Application: Knowing how God works, keep in mind that our piece of the puzzle, no matter how small, is important to the work that God is doing through us. 

Food for Thought: How does knowing God’s work through these men help us in our work today?