The Greek epitimaō (G2008) means to rebuke, warn sharply, or censure with authority. It is one of the characteristic verbs of Jesus' ministry: He rebukes demons (Mark 1:25, 'Be quiet!'), the storm (Mark 4:39), Peter (Mark 8:33, 'Get behind me, Satan!'), and fever (Luke 4:39). The word carries a sense of authoritative control — the rebuke has power to actually silence and stop. In 2 Timothy 4:2, Timothy is charged to 'preach the word... correct, rebuke (epitimaō) and encourage.'
Epitimaō reveals the nature of Jesus' authority: His word is not merely instructive but immediately effective. When He rebukes a demon, it obeys; when He rebukes a storm, it stops. The Capernaum crowd's astonishment was precisely this: 'He gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him' (Mark 1:27). This authority is not merely an attribute of the divine nature but has been delegated to the church (Luke 10:19) and exercised in His name. The pastoral charge in 2 Timothy 4:2 calls for this same spirit of authoritative, caring correction in the ministry of the Word.