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Tit_2:11-14. Foundation for the moral precepts given from the nature of Christianity: eximium ex evangelii medulla motivum inseritur (Bengel).
Chrysostom ( πολλὴν παρὰ τῶν οἰκετῶν ἀπαιτήσας τὴν ἀρετὴν , ἀπάγει καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν δικαίαν , διʼ ἣν ὀφείλουσι τοιοῦτοι εἶναι οἱ οἰκέται ) and others refer Tit_2:11 ( γάρ ) only to the exhortation to slaves which immediately precedes. It is more correct, however, to refer it to the whole sum of moral precepts, given from Tit_2:1 onwards (so, too, van Oosterzee, Plitt, Hofmann).
ἐπεφάνη γὰρ ἡ χάρις τοῦ Θεοῦ ] (see Tit_3:4) is used of the sun in Act_27:20. Possibly Paul is speaking here with this figure in mind (comp. Isa_9:2; Isa_60:1; Luk_1:79), as Heydenreich, Wiesinger, van Oosterzee suppose; but possibly, also, the expression simply means that the χάρις τοῦ Θεοῦ , formerly hidden in God, has come forth from concealment and become manifest and visible.
ἡ χάρις τοῦ Θεοῦ ] The old writers on dogma give to this expression, which denotes the absolute ground of the work of redemption, too special a reference to Christ’s incarnation; Oecumenius: ἡ μετὰ σαρκὸς ἐπιδημία ; Theodoret: τούτου χάριν ἐνηνθρώπησεν ὁ μονογενὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ υἱὸς , ἵνα κ . τ . λ . It need hardly be said that he is speaking here not simply of a revelation of the divine grace by teaching, but also of its appearance in act, viz. in the act of redemption.
To define the χάρις more accurately, there is added: σωτήριος πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ] not: “as bringing salvation” (de Wette, van Oosterzee). This would make σωτήριος here the main point, which from the context it cannot be; the main point is not given till παιδεύουσα . Σωτήριος is rather an adjective qualifying the substantive χάρις : “there appeared the grace bringing salvation to all men.” With the Rec. ἡ σωτήριος this construction is beyond doubt.
πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ] does not depend on ἐπεφάνη , but on σωτήριος . Matthies is not intelligible in regarding it as dependent on both.[3]
The emphasis laid on the universality of the salvation, as in 1Ti_2:4 and other passages of the Pastoral Epistles, is purely Pauline.
[3] Wiesinger translates: “for there appeared the grace of God which brings salvation to all men;” and on the construction of πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις he afterwards says: “according to the context, it can only be construed with σωτήριος .”