Titus 2:15

Speak these things and urged, and reproved with all authority. Let no one despise you. with all authority. That is, with harshness. For since the characters of these men were harsher, therefore they say that they are rebuked sharply. Let no one despise you, that is, let no one look down on you. Do you see how the bishop is to be both powerful and authoritative?

Ver. 15. "These things speak and exhort, and rebuke with all authority." "These things speak and exhort." Do you see how he charges Timothy? "Reprove, rebuke, exhort." But here, "Rebuke with all authority." For the manners of this people were more stubborn, wherefore he orders them to be rebuked more roughly, and with all authority. For there are some sins, which ought to be prevented by command. We may with persuasion advise men to despise riches, to be meek, and the like. But the adulterer, the fornicator, the defrauder, ought to be brought to a better course by command. And those who are addicted to augury and divination, and the like, should be corrected "with all authority." Observe how he would have him insist on these things with independence, and with entire freedom. "Let no man despise thee."

Speak these things, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. He has set out three things: speak, exhort, and rebuke. And indeed, in what he says, "speak," it seems to refer to teaching. But what he introduced, "exhort," that is, παρακάλει, means something else in Greek than in Latin: for παράκλησις sounds more like comfort than exhortation. This word was also spoken of earlier concerning young people: Likewise, comfort the young, be modest in everything. About this we have expressed it in its place as it is read in Latin, as if it was written to exhort. Therefore, he comforts the listener who says: "For Christ, we beseech you, be reconciled to God" (1 Cor. 5:20), and humbles and submits himself, in order to gain whom he comforts. But as for the third, rebuke, it seems to me contrary to consolation, so that whoever despises consolation is worthy of rebuke and deserves to hear, 'You have forgotten the consolation that speaks to you as sons.' To Timothy we also read of one consolation and another rebuke, as the Apostle says, 'Be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort' [2 Tim. 4:2]. And there rebuke is taken up beforehand, and afterward severity is tempered by consolation. Here, however, he wants to console his disciples beforehand, and if they do not profit by consoling, then to rebuke them, and to rebuke them with all authority. For I interpret this to mean, 'Rebuke with all authority,' so that it is referred specially to rebuke, and not to the two preceding points in general. For it is not fitting to say, 'Console with all authority,' or 'Speak with all authority,' but only 'rebuke with all authority.' Let no one despise you. Someone might think that this now written to Titus is the same as what was said to Timothy: Let no one despise your youth (1 Tim. IV, 14). But we, according to the differences of the Greek language, think that one thing signifies περιφρονείτω, which is written here, and another thing καταφρονείτω, which was said to Timothy, and the prepositions περὶ or κατὰ make a different meaning. And that it is not by chance or as he pleases that the Apostle Paul uses not only different names and words, but also different prepositions for the variety of causes, can be made clear from what he says: For the woman is of the man, and man by the woman (2 Cor. XI, 12). Elsewhere: For from him and through him and in him are all things…