Titus 3:4

But after that the kindness and love of God - By χρηστοτης we may understand the essential goodness of the Divine nature; that which is the spring whence all kindness, mercy, and beneficence proceed.

Love toward man - Φιλανθρωπια· Philanthropy. It is to be regretted that this attribute of the Divine nature, as it stands in relation to man, should have been entirely lost by a paraphrastical translation. Philanthropy is a character which God gives here to himself; while human nature exists, this must be a character of the Divine nature. God loves man; he delighted in the idea when formed in his own infinite mind, he formed man according to that idea, and rejoiced in the work of his hands; when man fell, the same love induced him to devise his redemption, and God the Savior flows from God the Philanthropist. Where love is it will be active, and will show itself. So the philanthropy of God appeared, επεφανη, it shone out, in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, and in his giving his life for the life of the world.

But after that - Greek, when - ὅτε hote The meaning is, that "when the love of God was manifested in the plan of salvation, he saved us from this state God appeared" after we had sinned in this way, but that when his mercy was thus displayed we were converted from our sins, and made pure in his sight.

The kindness - χρηστότης chrēstotēs - "the goodness, or the benignity." The word is rendered "goodness" and "good" in Romans 2:4; Romans 3:12; Romans 11:22, thrice; "kindness," 2 Corinthians 6:6; Ephesians 2:7; Colossians 3:12; Titus 3:4; and "gentleness," Galatians 5:22. The act of redeeming us was one of great kindness, or goodness.

And love of God - Margin, "pity." The Greek word is φιλανθρωπία philanthrōpia - "philanthropy - the love of man." The plan of salvation was founded on love to man, and was the highest expression of that love; the notes at John 3:16. The Greek of this verse is, "When the kindness and love of God our Saviour to man was manifested, he saved us" Titus 3:5, to wit, from those sins of which we had before been guilty.

3:4 When the love of God appeared - By the light of his Spirit to our inmost soul.