Epiphany

In the scripture quote below, the English words revealed and revelation are different words in the Greek.

1 Peter 1:3-7, “³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, ⁵ who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that ⁷ the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,”

Verses 3-5 talks about an actual future occurrence, “last time” in regarding to Christ’s epiphaneia.

Epihaneia means,

“Epiphany,” lit., “a shining forth,” was used of the “appearance” of a god to men, and of an enemy to an army in the field, etc.

Verse 7 talks about the revelation of Christ within us now.

The Greek word for revelation is apokalupsis which means “unveiled”.

Young’s Literal translation seems more accurate to the Greek in what Peter was saying,

“that the proof of your faith — much more precious than of gold that is perishing, and through fire being approved — may be found to praise, and honour, and glory, in the revelation of Jesus Christ,”

Verse 13 says it again, “Wherefore having girded up the loins of your mind (readiness of mind or preparedness), being sober, hope perfectly upon the grace that is being brought to you in the revelation of Jesus Christ,”

Also note, the preposition “at” in 1 Peter 3:7 (KJV), is also translated “in” 1,902 times in scripture.

This verse sounds similar to Gal. 5:5 (NIV), “But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.” The Aramaic-to-English translation says we “abide” in the hope of righteousness. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the unveiled word of God. This hope hinges on faith which comes by revelation of Christ.

In Christ, by revelation, and through grace, we abide and live in a constant overwhelming, diffusing expectation of His righteousness or His nature in us. As we abide in this grace and hope of righteousness, we are transformed from faith to faith by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit and washing of the Word into His image from glory to glory. We are finite jars of clay, 2 Cor. 4:7 (NIV), containing and possessing and being apprehended by this new nature, 2 Cor. 5:17, Eph. 2:10.

This ‘expectation’ or hope of righteousness is His will in us and not ours, but eventually becomes our will in Him by Him and His grace, Phil. 2:13.