Titus 2:13 Commentary and Bible Study

Here at the close of this second very practical chapter of exhortations in the letter to Titus, we turn to looking for that blessed hope. This should be the outlook of every believer, with their eyes on the coming glory. There is here an extraordinary summary of Christian priorities, not omitting the duties of pastors or preachers at the very end. ‘Looking for that blessed hope.’ It is so very interesting here that grace will keep glory in view. The previous verses hinge around the word ‘grace’ as it is found in verse 11 – the incarnation of Christ and the appearing of the message of salvation in the gospel. The grace of God teaches sanctification (verse 12). But then glory in verse 13 involves the appearing of Christ at the second coming, so there are two appearances in the verses. It is a little masked in our version because the translators have chosen different words to describe them, but it is a passage about two appearances. We must not lose sight of glory. We are to look for that blessed hope, that is, we are to look forward to it. Just as in olden times someone would stand at the very front of a sailing vessel, and watch for any rocks or impediments to the voyage, particularly at the end of the voyage, peering forward to spot land and familiar landmarks, to gain an entry into the harbour, and this is the idea here. Looking for, peering forward to see, and to take in that blessed hope. That is the outlook of the Christian life. Sanctification, and now looking forward, every day looking for that blessed hope. We have a duty to look forward. Everybody understands the duty of holiness, and concern for resisting temptation, seeking by prayer the help of God, living a better and an upright life, at home in the family, in the place of employment. But what slips out of the mind is equally this daily duty to look for, to live life in the context of, the return of Christ and his appearing. This is so important to the believer.But the language is cumbersome and deliberately so. ‘Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing’, or it could be translated, ‘the appearing of the great God and our Saviour in glory.’ He will appear in glory. When he came at the incarnation to be our Saviour into this world the first time, he came in apparent weakness with human limitations – the God man, subject to our infirmities and weaknesses. But then he will appear in glory. There is no description of Christ in glory in the Scripture except a partial description of the transfiguration before three of the disciples, and that is really not enough to fill our minds with the realisation of the glory that will be seen. We can't take it in now. Everything else in the Scripture is symbolism and imagery. Although the symbolic description is remarkable and uplifting, it speaks of him in veiled terms. The power and glory of Christ, when we see him, will be overwhelming to us. Our souls will be so warmed and lifted, and our minds so opened, seeing things we could never have imagined or described in human language. It is noted that in the original Greek, there is one article ‘the great God.’ You could omit the word ‘our’, and you rather get the sense: ‘the great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.’ There are not two persons of the Godhead described here: God the Father, and God the Son. This is all about the Saviour; there is one person in view. He is God, we are reminded. He is equal with the Father. He is equally glorious. He is also our Saviour, and we cling to that as children of the King of kings. That he is the great God will be evident in his appearance. It will be obvious that he is divine and equal with the Father, and he is our Saviour, the one who saves from wrath and sin.