but we have sent with him the brother whose praise [is] in the glad tidings through all the assemblies;
Paul sends a second man with Titus to Corinth. He never gives his name. He gives a reputation instead — praise in every church for gospel work. Who was he, and why send him at all?
The description was enough for the first readers. It is not enough for us. One writer runs through the guesses and settles none of them:
The Corinthians knew him so well by this description that they needed no name. Men of other times have found it so vague that it fits many people equally well, and no one in particular with any certainty. Of one thing we may be sure. Whether or not Luke was meant, the phrase "whose praise in the gospel" says nothing about his writing the inspired account of our Lord. That written account is what led many of the ancients to apply the description to him. It gives no more ground for him than it does for Mark. Some have suggested Barnabas and Silas, others Aristarchus, Gaius, Trophimus. But we do know this much: whoever he was, the assemblies chose him to travel with the apostle and the rest who were to carry the offering of love from the Gentile saints to their poor brothers in Judea.
Another writer stops guessing and asks what the praise itself points to:
Some have guessed at who he might have been, but let us leave him where this verse puts him — unnamed. He was praised, no doubt, for the ability and power with which he praised a Name. That Name is the very heart of the gospel: the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
His reputation was for gospel work, and it reached Corinth before he did:
In this happy service Titus had a companion who needed no commendation to their love. The Corinthians had heard of him: as an evangelist, every church knew him and praised him.
(Where the ESV says he was famous for his preaching, older translations read "whose praise is in the gospel" — the wording the writers here use.)
Money for the poor believers in Judea was passing through a few pairs of hands. Paul's answer to any whisper about it was more witnesses:
In the rest of the chapter we see the apostle's care that the handling of the gifts of the saints should be above suspicion — not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men... So that all may be above suspicion or question, he sends two other brothers with Titus. One of them, note, has more than the apostle's approval: his praise is in all the assemblies, and the assemblies chose him to administer this bounty. The need of the saints is met, the glory of the Lord is maintained, and every occasion for question is avoided.
The next verse adds that the churches themselves chose him. One writer finds an older pattern behind that, and a line it must not cross:
Here we see an important principle in exact accordance with the direction the twelve apostles gave in Acts 6. The Christian people gave the money, so they were free to choose the administrators. This was as wise as it was gracious... But in no case did they interfere with the ministers of the word. These the Lord gave, not the church.
This is public honour for a servant of Christ. One writer weighs what to make of it:
But we must not forget there was a brother, whose name we do not know, whose praise in the gospel was in all the churches. I am sure he did not seek that praise, but he was a man whom the Lord delighted to honour. We seek the praise of God first, always. Even so, I judge, we need not ignore our brothers' praise altogether. But let us also remember how easy it is to have our eyes turned towards men rather than to our Lord alone.
- Praise, not name. Paul names no one. He points to a reputation for gospel work. Luke, Mark, Barnabas, Silas — every guess stays a guess.
- Praise earned. His fame came from preaching, so he needed no letter of introduction at Corinth.
- Praise trusted. Paul paired him with Titus so the money would be handled above suspicion — before men as well as before the Lord.
- Praise confirmed. The churches chose him. Those who give the money choose the men who carry it. Ministers of the word are a different matter: the Lord gives them.
- Praise received. He never chased the honour. The Lord delighted to honour him anyway.
and not only [so], but [is] also chosen by the assemblies as our fellow-traveller with this grace, ministered by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and [a witness of] our readiness;
The verse before this one introduced an unnamed brother, and Paul now adds a second thing about him. The churches chose this man to help carry their gift to the poor believers in Jerusalem, which raises two questions: what did that choosing involve, and why does Paul call money a grace?
The Greek word behind "appointed" is rare. Darby says its normal use, not its word history, settles the meaning.
That word means quite simply "they chose." Going by its origin, it hints at the act of stretching out the hand, a common way of voting. But its regular meaning is to choose. The New Testament uses it in this sense twice (2 Corinthians 8:19; Acts 10:41, "witnesses chosen beforehand by God"). These passages leave no doubt about its meaning.
The churches gave the money, so the churches named the men who would carry it. Kelly ties this to Acts 6, where the twelve apostles told the believers in Jerusalem to pick such men themselves.
Here we see an important principle, in exact agreement with the direction of the twelve in Acts 6. The Christian crowd gave the means, so they were left free to choose the administrators. This was as wise as it was gracious... Where the saints gave, they used their own best judgment to choose who would rightly handle their gifts. That held for one assembly, and for the special work of many assemblies together. But in no case did they interfere with the ministers of the word. These the Lord gave, not the church.
Arguments about how church leaders are installed often reach for the word "appointed" here. Dennett answers that this verse is not about that at all.
Here, the churches did the appointing, but we have nothing except the word itself to show the method of appointment. However, this is not the appointment of an elder. It is only the sending of a man by the assemblies to act with the apostle in handling their gifts — an entirely different thing!
Paul refused to travel alone with the fund. Gaebelein reads the whole arrangement as a guard against suspicion.
In all this ministry Paul used great caution. He was "guarding against this, that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us." He aimed at "what is honourable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of men." There is always a danger of reproach in these matters. Messengers were chosen to travel with the apostle "with this grace (the collections) which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and as a witness of your ready mind." The apostle knew the schemes of the enemy. So he guarded against suspicion and damaging hints.
Paul would not send even Titus, his fellow worker, on his own.
There can be no doubt that Paul had full confidence in Titus. Even so, he arranged for two other believers to travel with him, to protect Titus and his reputation, so that everything would be confirmed by at least two witnesses.
Paul never settles on one plain name for the money. He keeps renaming it across these two chapters, and Hardt collects the names.
He uses a great variety of expressions for the gift for Jerusalem. In this way he brings out its value in the sight of God: ministry to the saints (8:4; 9:1); "this grace" (8:6, 7, 19); for the glory of the Lord (8:19); a rich gift (8:20); "the proof of your love" (8:24); "the proof of... our boasting" (8:24).
Beside the Lord's glory, the verse names a second purpose: a ready mind. Commentators differ over whose readiness it is — Gaebelein read "your", while Stuart argues for "our", the reading modern versions follow.
Where did this readiness come from? Was it the natural kindness of the human heart bubbling up? The apostle traces it all to its right source — God. It was the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia... Everyone around him was ready for this good work. So Paul was ready to take charge of their gifts along with others. It was all for the glory of the Lord Himself, and as a witness of our (not your) ready mind. One motive moved all hearts in Greece together to help those in need in Judea: the Lord had made Himself poor for them.
- Grace given. Paul calls the money a grace, a ministry, and a proof of love. His names for it lift a collection into something of value in God's sight.
- Grace chosen. "Appointed" here means chosen. The churches did the choosing themselves, with the same word Acts 10:41 uses of God choosing His witnesses.
- Grace carried. Those who give may pick the men who handle the money. But the church never picks the Lord's ministers of the word. He gives those.
- Grace guarded. Paul would not travel alone with the fund. Extra companions and two witnesses shut the door on blame, because he knew the enemy's schemes.
- Grace crowned. The whole errand aims at the glory of the Lord. He made Himself poor for them, and that is why they were ready to give at all.