… ¹³looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus …

Continuing from the truth that God has graciously brought “salvation to all men” (Titus 2:11), we were instructed in five ways (vs. 12), and now we are reminded of what is coming ahead. Just as God appeared in the first advent, so now we look forward to God appearing again.

A few observations are in order. Frequently, Scripture uses a figure of speech known as a metonymy, which uses a word or phrase to refer to the thing or person with which it is associated. So here, Paul speaks of Christ’s first coming as “the grace of God has appeared” (vs. 11), and then expresses His second coming as “the appearing of the glory of our great God!” We find it difficult to refer to God in an undescribed way.

This passage gives powerful witness to the NT teaching that Jesus is God. NT Greek scholar Daniel Wallace asserts that the construction of the phrase “our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” clearly indicates that “our great God” and “Savior” both refer to “Christ Jesus.” A similar statement is made in 2 Peter 1:1. Even those who deny that this is clear evidence that Jesus is God would have difficulty answering how Paul could put Jesus Christ (who in their thinking is not God) on the same level as Almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Further, the “appearing” refers to both in a singular way. To put a mere human in even the same category of reference as God without clearly distinguishing between the two would be tantamount to blasphemy if Jesus were not God!

This appeal concerns all “men” (NASB, NKJV) using the Greek word “anthropos,” which often is used in a non-gender-specific sense of mankind or the human race. When Paul makes a point of addressing males, he will typically use the term “aner,” which can only refer to males (see 1 Tim. 2:12, for example). What Paul is saying in our passage today includes both men and women (see ESV, NIV, NET, NLT). His use of the word “people” (a different Greek word “laos” which is non-gender-specific) in verse 14 supports this.

Christ’s second coming is called “blessed.” It will be the ultimate fulfillment of the beatitudes of our Lord, all of which begin with “Blessed.” This is our hope, that which we desire and expect. There is no more compelling motivation “to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:12) than the anticipation of our Lord’s return. It will be overwhelmingly glorious, far beyond anything this world can provide.

Lord, I can hardly wait! I agree with John, “Come, Lord Jesus.” (Rev. 22:20)