Zenas (Hastings' Dictionary)
In Tit 3" St. Paul exhorts Titus to bring or, more probably, send forivard (rrpOTre/ii/'oi') on their journey Zenas and ApoUos with great care {aTovSaiai), that nothing may be wanting to them, and describes Zenas as riv voiiinii', i.e. ' the lawyer.' This may mean a lawyer in the secular sense, but more probably one skilled in the Jewish law (cf. Lk T"" 11«14»). Just above, the same word is used about disputes concerning the Law (Tit 3' ' But avoid . .
striv- ings about the law, /idxas fofUKas '). A. C. Headlam.
This topic also has an entry in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Both articles offer independent scholarly perspectives.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Zenas
Zenas ze'-nas (Zenas (Tit 3:13); the name in full would probably be Zenodorus, literally, meaning "the gift of Zeus"): ⇒See a list of verses on ZENAS in the Bible. 1. A Jewish Lawyer: Paul calls Zenas "the lawyer." The meaning of this is, that, previous to his becoming a Christian, he had been a Jewish lawyer. The lawyers were that class of Jewish teachers who were specially learned in the Mosaic Law, and who interpreted that Law, and taught it to the people. ⇒See also the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia. They are met with again and again in the Gospels, where they frequently came into contact with Christ, usually in a manner hostile to Him. For example, "A certain lawyer stood up and made trial of him, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" (Lu 10:25). our Lord replied to him on his own ground, asking, "What is written in the law? how readest thou?" Regarding this class of teachers as a whole, it is recorded that "the Pharisees and lawyers rejected for themselves the counsel of God" (Lu 7:30). The term nomikos, "lawyer," applied to Zenas, is in the Gosp…
Smith's Bible Dictionary on Zenas
a believer, and, as may be inferred from the context, a preacher of the gospel, who is mentioned in (Titus 3:13) in connection with Apollos. He is further described as “the lawyer.” It is impossible to determine whether Zenas was a Roman jurisconsult or a Jewish doctor.
Fausset's Bible Dictionary on Zenas
Contracted for Zenodorus. Tit 3:13. A "lawyer," i.e. Jewish scribe, learned in the Hebrew law, who after conversion still retained the title. Paul commends him to Titus, that he should bring Zenas and Apollos on their journey diligently, so that nothing might be wanting to them of necessaries.
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia