Timothy: Savior name; Titus: appearing of our great God and Savior

From Timothy: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the command of God our Savior, to Timothy, my true child in faith.” The name Savior fits no one else properly and truly — except the one who is God by nature. So the mystagogue has named him that even here. Yet our Lord Jesus Christ is also Savior: he is named Jesus, and the blessed angel made the force of the name clear: “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” So Christ is God, if he is Savior of all people, as the inspired Paul says.

From Titus: “For the saving grace of God has appeared to all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly desires and to live soberly, justly, and godly in the present age, awaiting the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people of his own, zealous for good works.”

What grace has appeared to us, or of what God — though it is called saving for all people? Clearly “the Lord, being God, has also appeared to us,” as blessed David says. We await his appearing of glory from the heavens. And he himself is our great God and Savior, Jesus the Christ, who has given himself for us so that, freeing us from all sin, he may present to himself genuine worshipers.