Albert Barnes Commentary Titus 3:4

"But when the kindness of God our Saviour, and his love toward man, appeared," — Titus 3:4 (ASV)

But after that. The Greek is ote (meaning 'when'). The meaning is that "when the love of God was manifested in the plan of salvation, he saved us from this state by our being washed and purified." The idea is not that "the love of 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. The Greek is h crhstothv—the goodness, or the benignity. The word is rendered goodness and good in Romans 2:4, Romans 3:12, and Romans 11:22 (thrice); kindness in 2 Corinthians 6:6, Ephesians 2:7, Colossians 3:12, and Titus 3:4; and gentleness in 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 filanyrwpia—philanthropy—the love of man. The plan of salvation was founded on love to man and was the highest expression of that love. (See Barnes on 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), namely, from those sins of which we had previously been guilty.