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"But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared
(epiphaino), not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His
mercy He saved us" (Titus 3: 4, 5).
"A pillar and ground of truth, and confessedly great is the mystery of godliness: God
was manifest (phaneroo) in the flesh" (I Tim. 3: 16).
When we look at II Tim. 1: 10 again we perceive that there are two words in this
verse that mean "manifest": "But is now made manifest (phaneroo) by the appearing
(epiphaneia)." The Apostle's intention is evidently to show that the grace that was ours
by promise and purpose "before the age times", and consequently sealed up in the
"secret" that was "before the overthrow of the world", was made manifest by the coming
of Christ in the likeness of sinful flesh. Titus brings these two aspects together in
chapter 2::
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared (epiphaino) . . . . . that
we should live . . . . . looking for that blessed hope, and the appearing (epiphaneia)"
(Titus 2: 11, 13).
Moreover, as the reader may have observed, just as Paul speaks of a "sound mind"
(sophronismos) in the context of II Tim. 1: 9, 10, so in Titus 2: 12 he speaks of "living
soberly" (sophronos). The internal evidence that I Timothy, II Timothy, and Titus all
belong to the same group and period is too strong to be set aside.
The appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, both at His first and at His second advent,
is a subject so vital to our hope and peace that we cannot possible deal with it hurriedly at
the close of an article. That wonderful theme must be given due consideration in our next
article, so for the moment we must stop. What wealth there is in this short epistle, and
what a privilege to be free to enter into its teaching in the day of departure that it so
forcefully predicts.
#8.
Light on Life and Immortality (1: 10 - 12).
pp. 122 - 128
The Apostle introduces the promise of life into his salutation in each of the three
pastoral epistles--I Timothy, II Timothy and Titus (I Tim. 1: 1, 2; II Tim. 1: 1, 2;
Titus 1: 1-4). There is much in common between this last passage, Titus 1: 1-4, and
II Tim. 1: 9-11. Both speak of life, and of promise or purpose, and both refer to the
period before the "age times". Both speak of "now" or "due times", both speak of this
message as being committed to Paul, and both speak of "the Saviour".
We must now take up our study again from the point where we were obliged to leave
it--namely, at the mention of the Saviour's first "appearing":
"Who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the
gospel" (II Tim. 1: 10).