Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
(Philippians 3:20-21). Looking for - with constant expectation [prosdechomenoi], "waiting for" (Luke 2:25), and joy (Romans 8:19): the antidote to worldly lusts; the stimulus to "live in this present world" conformably to this expectation. That - Greek, "the."
Blessed - bringing blessedness (Romans 4:7-8). Hope - i:e., object of hope; including glory, righteousness, and resurrection (Romans 8:24; Galatians 5:5; Colossians 1:5). The glorious appearing. One Greek article connects closely "hope" and "appearing" (the hope being about to be realized only at the appearing of Christ). 'The blessed hope and manifestation (cf. note, Titus 2:11) of the glory.' х Epiphaneian (G2015)] 'Manifestation' is translated "brightness," 2 Thessalonians 2:8. As His "coming" х parousia (G3952)] expresses the fact, so Epiphany, or 'manifestation,' His personal visibility when He shall come. There are two Epiphanies-the one of grace (Titus 2:11), the other of glory. The great God and our Saviour Jesus, х Tou (G3588) megalou (G3173) Theou (G2316) kai (G2532) Sooteeros (G4990)].
(1) One article combines "God" and "Saviour," which shows that both are predicated of one and the same Being. 'Of Him who is at once the great God and our Saviour.' Also
(2) "appearing" х Epefanee (G2014)] is never by Paul predicated of God the Father (John 1:18), or even of 'His glory' (as Alford explains it), but invariably of CHRIST'S coming, to which (at His first advent, cf. 2 Timothy 1:10) the kindred "appeared" х epefanee (G2014)], Titus 2:11, refers (1 Timothy 6:14; 1 Timothy 6:16; 2 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 4:8). Also
(3) in the context (Titus 2:14) there is no reference to the Father, but to Christ alone; and here there is no occasion for reference to the Father. Also
(4) the expression "great God," is uncalled for as to the Father, but is appropriate to Christ, the glory of His appearing being contrasted with His humility in "giving Himself for us," as "the true God" is predicated of Christ (1 John 5:20).
The phrase occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, but often in the Old. Deuteronomy 7:21; Deuteronomy 10:17, predicated of Yahweh, their manifested Lord, who led the Israelites through the wilderness, the Second Person in the Trinity. Believers now look for the manifestation of His glory, as they shall share in it. Even the Socinian explanation, making "the great God" to be the Father, "our Saviour," the Son, places God and Christ on an equal relation to "the glory" of the future appearing: incompatible with the notion that Christ is not divine: it would be blasphemy so to couple any created being with God.