An APPEARING, a manifestation — epi, 'upon', + phainō, 'to shine, appear': a shining-forth. In wider Greek it named a god's sudden self-showing and, in the imperial cult, the visitation of an emperor to a city. ⚠ It is the PASTORAL letters' distinctive word for the coming of Christ, used both of his FIRST appearing ('now made manifest through the epiphaneia of our Saviour', 2 Timothy 1:10) and of his RETURN ('the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour', Titus 2:13; 'until the appearing of our Lord', 1 Timothy 6:14) — where the rest of Paul prefers parousia. English 'epiphany', and the Feast of the Epiphany, descend directly from it. → first discussed at 2 Timothy 1:10