Advent Words 2023
Word 2: Epiphany
“For the
grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to
ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live
self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory
of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Titus 2:11-13
If you saw this word on the calendar for Advent Words and
thought I may have mixed up my holidays, don’t worry, I know it’s the Advent
season! The word “epiphany” has many uses. When we suddenly have a burst of
understanding about something, we call it an epiphany. And there is also the holiday that some
churches celebrate on January 6 to commemorate the wise men, or Magi, visiting
the Christ child. Epiphany also appears in today’s passage, but it’s not quite
so obvious.
In the New Testament the Greek words epipaneia (noun) and
epiphaino (verb) mean manifestation or appearing and refer to the first and
second coming of Christ. In Titus 2:11, he has appeared (epiphaino) refers
to Jesus’ birth and life. Jesus Christ appeared as the grace of God bringing to
all the salvation God promised. The angel proclaimed to the shepherds at the
birth of Jesus,
“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all
people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: he is Christ
the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11
John declares, “From the fullness of his grace we have
all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses;
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:16-17
The grace of God has appeared in the person of Jesus Christ.
This is the first epiphany!
But Paul goes on in his letter to Titus that we are still
waiting for another epiphany; “the blessed hope – the appearing (epiphaneia)
of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). Jesus
will appear again when he comes to judge the living and the dead (2
Timothy 4:1) and establishes God’s kingdom in its fullest expression.
Charles Spurgeon once said, “We stand between two
epiphanies. Behind us is our trust; before us is our hope.
Behind us is the Son of God in humiliation; before us is the great God our Savior
in his glory. “
We live in this present age between
two epiphanies: trusting in the grace of God's salvation through the life and
death of Jesus Christ on our behalf and focusing on the hope of glory that will
come to those who believe in and wait for His promised return. Grace to glory!
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Enjoyed learning a new perspective in Titus of Epiphany. I have only ever thought of Epiphany as being a day in January to celebrate the star and the wise men. The change of focus to Christ's first appearing and His second coming is thrilling.
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