Titus 3:12-13 12When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, eagerly plan to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them.
Paul now closes out the letter with personal instructions that would lead to more effective ministry. His plan was to send a Christian brother to relieve Titus so he could meet up with Paul and spend the winter in ministry in Nicopolis. Eagerly plan (spoudason) has the sense of making a serious effort and planning to do something with haste. Artemas is only mentioned here in the New Testament, so little is known about him. Tychicus was Paul’s companion on his third missionary journey (Acts 20:4). Paul intended to send him to Colossae (Colossians 4:7) and Ephesus (Ephesians 6:21; 2 Timothy 4:12). It is possible that Tychicus was with Paul in Rome and that Paul wrote all these letters while imprisoned there. One of these two brothers possibly carried this letter to Titus. There is a lot of historical uncertainty in many of these events and plans. Nicopolis was a town on the western coast of Greece across from Italy.
Titus was to make a serious effort (same verb spoudason) to help two others on their journeys. Zenas, a Greek lawyer, is only mentioned here. Apollos worked in Corinth after Paul (1 Corinthians 16:12). It is possible that Apollos was planning a journey across the Mediterranean Ocean and would stop in Crete on his way. The close network of ministry workers is amazing considering the long distance and difficult communication channels.
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