Understanding Titus 2-13
Titus 2-13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ KJV
This verse is often used to prove that Jesus is the great God and saviour.
While it cant really be argued although some do try but in reality fail , that the great God and saviour are being referenced as one person (one referent) . In this verse using the Granville sharp rule (definitive article – noun- noun) it most certainly can be argued that these two titles are not actually referring to Jesus Christ at all , but in fact being applied to God.
Most people fail to state that there are actually 2 occurrences of this rule in this verse. The first actually being the blessed hope and the glorious appearing (of the great God and saviour)
Titus 2-13 προσδεχόμενοι τὴν μακαρίαν ἐλπίδα καὶ ἐπιφάνειαν τῆς δόξης τοῦ μεγάλου θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ
Jesus isn’t being referenced as the great God and Saviour rather, Jesus is being referenced as the Blessed hope and appearing OF the great God and saviour- Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the hope
1 Timothy 1-1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
God is the saviour Jesus Christ is the hope.
Titus 1-3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
Colossians 1-27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
He is also the appearing of the great God (the manifestation of) God. Just as Angels were the manifestation of God in the OT
1 Timothy 3-16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
People use this verse to show that the pre existent Jesus who is God came to earth and became human. Jesus being the flesh that God manifested into. This verse is clearly referencing Jesus, but if we look at the verse with the understanding that jesus was the manifestation of the word rather than a pre existent son, it can be easily explained. (john 1-1,2,3,14)
It has to be noted there is no Father , son , Holy spirit anywhere in this verse, just God as a singular.
Manifest being the greek word ἐφανερώθη ephanerōthē and it simply means I make clear (visible, manifest), make known.
So God was made known in the flesh. Jesus being the manifested revelation of God the image of the invisible God
Romans 8-29 29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
1 Colossians 1-15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Hebrew 1-3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Image being eikōn εἰκὼν. An image is NEVER what it is the image of it is only ever a likeness. If i look in the mirror and see an image of me the image is the likeness of me but ity isnt physically me. Jesus is the image of God but by definition that means he cannot be God. Just as Adam was the image of God but would not have been God.
The NIV translates the verse as
Titus 2-13 while we wait for the blessed hope–the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
If we take this translation then Jesus Christ is the blessed hope and also the Glory of the great God and saviour.
Hebrews 1-3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
He comes in the glory of the father
Matthew 16-27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
He received this Glory after he was crucified.
John 17-5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
There is a similar use of this in 2 Peter 1-1
2 Peter 1-1 Συμεὼν Πέτρος δοῦλος καὶ ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῖς ἰσότιμον ἡμῖν λαχοῦσιν πίστιν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ
2 peter 1-1Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ
Jesus being the righteousness and the saviour of God.
1 John 2-1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Romans 10-6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
Romans 10- 3For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Philippians 3-9 9And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Just as we become the righteousness of God through him in the faith
2 corinthians 5-21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Romans 3-22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
But this doesnt make us God.
Jesus the saviour
1 John 4-14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
John 4-42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
John 3-17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
This is how both the son and the father are our saviour.
Jesus is our saviour because that’s how God has chosen to save. Gods salvation is through his son.
Titus 2-13 is not saying that Jesus is God but the blessed hope and appearing of God.