What is the glorious appearing in Titus 2:13?

Here the apostle presents it in a comprehensive way, not only the blessed hope, but the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Grace, we know, did already appear (ver. 11), saving grace for all men. This they reject at their peril; for salvation cannot be otherwise, and the richer and surer the grace that saves, the guiltier is the unbelief that refuses or slights it. The grace of God alone leads into a walk of communion, and of practical righteousness for every day. But we need also to look for "the blessed hope and appearing of the glory" (ver. 13). These are the two parts which comprise the revealed object God would have before our souls.

The one article given to the two objects brackets them together, not at all as if they are identical, but as here expressly associated to convey the complex and combined outlook. "The blessed hope" is that which alone can satisfy the heart; it is to be in the presence of Christ on high, changed at His coming into His likeness and with Him for ever. "The appearing of the" divine "glory" is bound up with it, and follows in due time, as that display or the divine manifestation in power, which our renewed souls cannot but desire to the utter exclusion of moral and physical evil and of Satan's guileful energy. It is the Lord Jesus Who introduces the world-kingdom of the Lord and of His Anointed (Rev. 11:15). As He brought the grace of God here below, so will He bring the glory to appear in His day. He it is who is called "the great God" as well as "our Saviour" lest we might forget His essential nature, when He emptied Himself to become a bondman, and humbled Himself to the death of the cross, in accomplishment of the infinite devotedness of His love in redemption to God's glory. He is no little God, as Arians feigned, but our great God and Saviour.

But also, it presents a future prospect of immeasurable blessing, to which the believer looks forward with absolutely assured anticipation. "That blessed hope" is the coming of the Lord Jesus for His saints, that which therefore is unmixed blessing. "The appearing of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ" is His later manifestation to all the world in power and great glory. To many this will be blessing; but to many others solemn judgment.

This passage really contains a summary of Christianity, and, as may be readily seen, it is introduced here to enforce the previous exhortations - "the things which become sound doctrine." These concern the conduct of the aged men, the aged women, the young women, the young men, and the servants, the object being, though only given in connection with the last class, "that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things." This forms the transition to our scripture, as shown by the language used: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation for all men" (we give the more approved rendering) "hath appeared," etc. In verse 13 a change in the translation is also necessary; it should read, "Looking for the blessed hope, and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ." There are then two appearings: grace has appeared, and the glory of our blessed Lord will appear, and it is between these two appearings that the exhibition of true and practical Christianity is to be made by those who have been brought into the possession of grace. No doubt the appearing of grace began with the incarnation of our Lord; it was seen in the whole of His life, for God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself; it was declared in the cross, for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son; and it has been continued ever since in the publication of the glad tidings of the gospel. It brings salvation for those whose hearts are open to receive it, and then it begins to teach them (v. 12). It should be said that the word "teach" here is not the same as "doctrine" (teaching) in verses 1 - 10. The word in verse 12 is often rendered "disciplining," and the reason for the change is that the character of the life enjoined is seldom displayed, excepting through discipline. Those then who are the subjects of grace are taught to deny ungodliness or impiety, everything that savours of indifference or opposition to God, and also worldly lusts, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. (1 John 2) They should, moreover, live "soberly," with self-restraint and chastened, subdued spirits; "righteously," having regard to what is due to one's neighbour, indeed to all men; and "godly," walking before God in humble dependence, confidence, and subjection to His will. Then, while so living, the attitude to be maintained is that of constantly looking for the blessed hope, and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Believers are caught up to meet Christ before the appearing; only, when in responsibility, the appearing of Christ is always the goal, because that is the time of the vindication of His own rights and claims, and of the displayed recompense of His people. (See 1 Thess. 4 and 2 Thess. 1) Next, the apostle leads us back to the death of Christ, and to His object in His death as furnishing an all-powerful motive to a holy life. The One who will soon appear in glory is the One who gave Himself for us, thus claiming our devotedness by the revelation in His death on our behalf of all His love, and in that death His object was to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. What an appeal to our hearts! May we all have the opened ear to hear it, that, constrained by His mighty love, we may seek grace to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

This is to be the character of our walk amid the seductions of this age; and, moreover, we have to maintain the attitude of expectation, "looking for that blessed hope," etc. The coming of Christ for His people is not found in these personal epistles, nor ever indeed when the believer is regarded as in service or under responsibility. The appearing of Christ is then the goal. (See 1 Tim. 6:13-15.) It is just possible, however, that in "the blessed hope" there is a hint of the coming before the reference to the displayed glory. If not this, it directs our attention to the truth contained in 1 John 3:2 — to our being like Christ, when we see Him as He is. The words, "Our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ," from their arrangement in the original, may, and without question do, refer to the same Person; that is, it is not God and the Saviour Jesus Christ, but rather He who will appear in glory is our great God as well as our Saviour Jesus Christ. What a presentation of the dignity of His person; yea, of His Deity! And what a glorious event it is that we await!

So again we shall find His day in the Epistle to Titus. "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the appearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." (Titus 2:11-13) Now there it would seem that both are introduced. I think it is not merely the one but the other, the "blessed hope" being more particularly the accomplishment of our joy in being caught up to be with Christ, and the "appearing of the glory" being our manifestation before the world. This therefore is a remarkably full and rich scripture, if, as I suppose, it embraces both these truths.

It is used with a similar object in the Epistle to Titus — "The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:11-13). Here are two things looked for, "the appearing of the glory," and "that blessed hope." What is meant by these last words? Not conversion, for that is a fact; nor death, for that is never spoken of as a hope. In Romans the hope is "the redemption of the body;" in Philippians the changing of the body into Christ's likeness, which would take place at his coming, and might be in the believer's lifetime. This hope, then, was familiar to Titus, and surely it can be to none other that the apostle alludes in these terms. This will be still more evident when we see how closely the other part of Christ's coming, here called "the appearing of the glory," is associated with the first act of His return for His saints. But apart from this inference, the nature of the hope held out in the other epistles makes it morally certain that the "blessed hope" thus mentioned is the same to which such frequent reference is elsewhere made.

Here is a converted Cretian. This wild beast of a man is thoroughly tamed and now plods on serving his master in a sober, righteous and godly way. But suppose he had no prospect! Life to him might then wear a very drab aspect. But grace teaches him to lift up his eyes and look for the approaching glory; the glory being that of "our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ." The glory will be the fruition of all the hopes that grace has awakened. It may well be that by, "the blessed hope" the Apostle indicated the coming of the Lord for His saints, of which he writes to the Thessalonians in his first epistle (1 Thess. 4:15-17), and if so we have both His coming for and His coming with His saints set before us as our hope in verse 13.

Lastly, grace also directs our eyes to the future, so that we are "awaiting the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ" (New Trans.). The grace that has appeared redeems, instructs, and leaves us to await the glory; for the second coming of our Lord is an integral part of "sound doctrine."

This is to be the character of our walk amid the seductions of this age; and, moreover, we have to maintain the attitude of expectation, "looking for that blessed hope," etc. The coming of Christ for His people is not found in these personal epistles, nor ever indeed when the believer is regarded as in service or under responsibility. The appearing of Christ is then the goal. (See 1 Tim. 6:13-15.) It is just possible, however, that in "the blessed hope" there is a hint of the coming before the reference to the displayed glory. If not this, it directs our attention to the truth contained in 1 John 3:2 - to our being like Christ, when we see Him as He is. The words, "Our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ," from their arrangement in the original, may, and without question do, refer to the same Person; that is, it is not God and the Saviour Jesus Christ, but rather He who will appear in glory is our great God as well as our Saviour Jesus Christ. What a presentation of the dignity of His person; yea, of His Deity! And what a glorious event it is that we await!

The glorious appearing will follow that blessed hope; indeed, it is part of it. The glory of our Saviour shall fill the world in that day. It does not fill the world yet; this is the night in which our Lord is absent from the world and in which we have to shine as lights and be witnesses to the blessedness of the gospel, but the morning is coming when the Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings. The world will not rejoice when He appears; all nations of the earth shall wail because of Him, but we shall rejoice in that day. And what is it that has made the difference? The next verse tells us, "WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR US." Such was His love, and because He loved us and gave Himself for us, we shall not be afraid when He comes in His glory, and because we love Him we shall rejoice to see Him exalted where once He was dishonoured.