Zenas
Overview
- Testament: New
- Role: Lawyer and companion mentioned in Titus; Paul asks Titus to help him and Apollos on their journey
- Family: No family details given; possibly a Gentile convert given his Greek name
- Key Books: Titus
Biography
Zenas the lawyer is mentioned only once in the New Testament, in Titus 3:13: “Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing.” This single verse is notable for what it assumes: Zenas and Apollos were traveling together and would be passing through Crete, where Titus was ministering, on their way to an unspecified destination. Paul’s instruction to Titus to provide for their needs suggests they were engaged in active apostolic work that required community support.
The designation “the lawyer” is more ambiguous than it might appear. In the Roman world, a “lawyer” (Latin: iurisconsultus or iuris peritus) was a specialist in Roman law — a skilled and educated profession. In a Jewish context, the term might refer to a scribe or Torah expert (as in Matthew 22:35, where “lawyer” translates nomikos, literally “one expert in the law”). It is unclear which meaning applies to Zenas. If he was a Roman lawyer by profession, his expertise in civil law would have been invaluable in a mission that regularly navigated legal conflicts with Roman authorities. If he was a Jewish legal expert who became a believer, he joins a company of men with legal training who served the early church.
Zenas is associated with Apollos in this verse, which is striking given Apollos’s reputation for eloquence and scriptural mastery. Their being mentioned together as a traveling pair — and as joint recipients of community support — suggests they were engaged in a shared mission, possibly carrying letters or planting churches in regions beyond Crete.
Key Events
- Travels with Apollos through Crete (implied by Titus 3:13)
- Paul instructs Titus to provide for Zenas and Apollos and ensure they lack nothing (Titus 3:13)
Relationships
- Apollos - traveling companion
- Titus - the one instructed to supply their needs
- Paul - the apostle who mentioned and valued him
Important Verses
- Titus 3:13
Cross-References
Notes
- Zenas is the only person in the New Testament explicitly identified as a lawyer, raising interesting questions about the role of legal expertise in early missionary work and community life
- His pairing with Apollos suggests he was a person of some standing and gift — Paul does not instruct Titus to provide for ordinary travelers, only for those whose mission carries weight
- The instruction to “ensure they lack nothing” is an early expression of what would become the church’s formal practice of hospitality and support for traveling missionaries (see also 3 John 5–8)