What does Titus 2:11 mean?

This verse turns the focus of Paul's letter from the Christians of Crete to a discussion of the grace of God. The mention of the appearance of grace is a reference to Jesus Christ and His appearance on earth (John 1:14). The grace Jesus brought was responsible for "bringing salvation for all people." In the past, talk of salvation was primarily focused on the Jews, as God's chosen people. However, with the coming of Jesus, the message of salvation was spreading to both Jews and Gentiles. This concept is especially important in this letter, since Titus was a Gentile and led churches on Crete, a Gentile territory.

Paul develops this theme of human unity elsewhere in his writings. He wrote that being Jewish or Gentile, free or slave, male or female was irrelevant: all are equal in Jesus (Galatians 3:28). In Colossians 3:11, Paul says again that race and ethnicity are meaningless, in terms of our relationship to Christ.