Titus 2:13 | Exposing the False Trinity Doctrine

The King James Version (KJV) is mostly used in these lessons. Click here to access the KJV online.

awaiting the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great G-d and Savior, Yahushua Christ. (Titus 2:13)

The Trinitarian Claim

Trinitarians claim, along with an appeal to the Granville Sharp [First] Rule, that Yahushua is here being identified as "our great G-d and Savior."

The Claim vs. The Facts

The facts show that "our great G-d and Savior" in this verse is the Father [Yahuwah].

The Problems with the Claim

1. Trinitarian Translations Inconsistencies

Trinitarian translation scholars have inconsistently translated this verse in 3 different ways. [The full details can be seen in the links at the end of this lesson]

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The literal Greek text says, "awaiting the appearing of the glory of." The translations above more accurately reflect what the Greek text actually says than the first two set of translations. Unlike the these translations, the KJV and NET translations change the noun "glory" to the adjective "glorious" to have it modify the word "appearing." This completely changes the meaning of the passage from believers eagerly awaiting the appearing of the glory of our G-d and Savior, to believers eagerly awaiting the glorious appearing of our G-d and Savior. One translation has us waiting for the glory; the other has us waiting for G-d. These are two completely different ideas. Trinitarian apologists prefer to disingenuously cherry pick the NET and KJV translations because it suits their apologetic agenda.

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3. The Granville Sharp (First) Rule

The Trinitarian claim here completely relies on something called the highly debated Granville Sharp First Rule. In simple terms, the Granville Sharp rule of Greek grammar states that when you have a word construction in Greek that takes the form THE - NOUN1 - AND - NOUN2, both nouns refer to one person (referent) and not to two persons. Two nouns are being used to refer to the same person. This is also known as a TSKS construction. At Titus 2:13, the construction is "[THE]-[GREAT G-d]-[AND]-[SAVIOR]" which, according to this rule, means that this entire phrase does not refer to two persons:(1) the great G-d and (2) another person who is the Savior. According to the GS Rule, these words only refer to one person.

Trinitarians here claim that the one person/reference is Yahushua who is being identifed or described as "the great G-d and Savior of us." However, this is not the only possibility that satisfies the Granville Sharp rule. The most natural reading of Titus 2:13 is that Yahushua is being described as "the glory OF the great G-d and Savior" since, after all, this is precisely how it reads.

Additionally, there has been a recent effort among Trinitarian apologists to try and justify the KJV translation, "the glorious appearing of our great G-d and Savior, Yahushua Christ." The NET translation has adopted this apologetic agenda. The reason they would like the "glorious appearing" translation to be valid, is not because of any good grammatical reason, but because such a translation would nullify the possibility that Yahushua is being described as "the glory of our great G-d and Savior." With the "glorious appearing" translation, Yahushua would be described as "our great G-d and Savior" and we would rather be awaiting the "glorious appearing of our great G-d and Savior, Yahushua Christ." Let the reader clearly see the underlying agenda here.

Analysis of the Facts

1. The Context: G-d our Savior

Paul refers to "G-d our Savior" in verse 10, three verses before Titus 2:13. It would be extremly tenuous and self-serving to insist this is a reference to Yahushua. Therefore, we should most naturally see that "our great G-d and Savior" is a reference to the Father in verse 13.

"That they will adorn the doctrine of G-d our Savior in all things. For the grace of G-d has appeared, bringing Salvation to all men, instructing us to deny unG-dliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and G-dly in the present age, awaiting the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great G-d and Savior, Yahushua Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us."

In verse 10, we see G-d the Father [Yahuwah] is identified as "our Savior." Now notice what Paul says in verse 13. He says we are awaiting the appearing of the glory of our great G-d and Savior Yahushua Christ. The passage does not say we are waiting for our great G-d and Savior Yahushua Christ. It says we are waiting for the "glory of" our great G-d and Savior Yahushua Christ. And that is just what Yahushua is - the glory of our great G-d and Savior, the glory of the Father.

2. The Greek Noun "doxa" ("glory")

Trinitarian apologists like to disingenuously insist upon the "glorious appearing" translation and it is plain they do this solely for the sake of their doctrine. However, there is simply no grammaticaly reason whatsoever to change the noun doxa into an adjective in this sentence. No reason whatsoever. We shall also see that we are indeed awaiting the appearing of Yahuwah's glory.

Endoxos: How to say "Glorious" in Greek

The Greeks actually had a word they could use to express the concept "glorious." It is not the word doxa but the word endoxos.

But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who are in glorious clothing and live in luxury are found in royal palaces! (Luke 7:25).

As he said this, all his opponents were being humiliated; and the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by him. (Luke 13:17).

We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are glorious, but we are without honor. (1 Corinthians 4:10).

that he might present to himself the glorious church... (Ephesians 5:27)

It is quite clear that there is absolutely no excuse for translating the word doxa as "glorious."

3. Matthew 16:27 and 1 Timothy 6:14-16

Titus 2:13 is referring to the second coming of Yahushua Christ our Blessed Hope. When Yahushua returns, the glory of the Father will appear. Note the following passages which are also referring to Yahushua's second coming:

For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels" (Matthew 16:27).

...the appearing of our Lord Yahushua Christ, who in his own time will show the Blessed and only Potentate... (1 Timothy 6:14-15).

4. The Risen Yahushua is the Glory of Yahuwah

Israel was the glory of our G-d.

If Israel was the glory of our G-d [Yahuwah], then how much more shall we believe the King of Israel, Yahushua Christ, is the glory of [Yahuwah]. If Israel was the glory of our Yahuwah, then we can certainly believe Yahushua is the glory of our G-d [Yahuwah].

But now, thus says YHWH, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!... Everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for MY glory, whom I have formed, also whom I have made." Isaiah 43:1-7

I will put salvation in Zion, to Israel MY glory. Isaiah 46:13.

Hebrews 1:3 tells us that the risen Yahushua is the radiance of the glory of G-d.

And He is the radiance of G-d's glory. (Heb 1:3).

If the risen Yahushua is himself the radiance of Yahuwah's glory, they it certainly is true that we will see the glory of Yahuwah when he comes in that glory.

5. The One Referent is the Father: Our Great G-d and Savior

Yahuwah is our Savior because Yahushua is HIS salvation (Luke 2:30), the human Savior whom Yahuwah raised up (Luke 1:68-69; Acts 5:31; 13:23). Yahushua is all G-d the Father's [Yahuwah's] doing. All the facts tell us that the words "the great G-d and Savior of us" do indeed refer to only one referent - the Father. And the facts also tell us that Yahushua is being descrbed in this verse as "the glory of our great G-d and Savior," that is, the glory of the Father.

This passage is actually a complex form of the Granville Sharp rule since, according to the rule, the blessed hope and the appearing require one referent as well. In this passage, we are told that we are awaiting two things: (1) the blessed hope, and (2) the appearing of the glory of our great G-d and Savior. Yahushua is these two things. He is our blessed hope (see Col 1:27). And when he comes he will also be the appearance of the glory of the Father (Matthew 16:17; 1 Timothy 6:14-16; Hebrews 1:3). He is the one referent for that TSKS construction. For the other TSKS construction (the great G-d and Savior of us), the Father is the one referent.

What is somewhat amusing here is that many Trinitarians have supposed their Granville Sharp rule requires identification of Yahushua as "our great G-d and Savior." This is incorrect. It only requires this construction to refer to one referent and that referent in this case is the Father, our great G-d and Savior. No Granville Sharp rule is broken. This interpretation is also espoused by Pauline scholar Gordon Fee, a Trinitarian scholar.

awaiting the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great G-d and Savior, Yahushua Christ

awaiting the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of [the Father], Yahushua Christ.

Conclusion

When we realize that Yahushua is going to come again in the glory of his Father, the truth of the matter becomes quite clear. Paul is referring to Yahushua's second coming which we are awaiting. In the immediately preceding context we find Paul referring to "G-d our Savior," a reference to G-d the Father [Yahuwah]. And at verse 13, Paul is here telling us that we are awaiting "the appearing of the glory OF our great G-d and Savior." What is appearing? What is appearing is the glory OF our great G-d and Savior, the glory of THE FATHER, and that glory is Yahushua Christ our blessed hope of glory.

Awaiting the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great G-d and Savior, Yahushua Christ.

For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels" (Matthew 16:27).
 

The above lesson was extracted from the links below which may have more details:

• https://www.worldslastchance.com/topical-biblical-studies/anti-trinitarian-studies
• http://www.angelfire.com/space/thegospeltruth/TTD/verses/titus2_13.html