SPECIAL TOPIC: OUR SAVIOR (title)

  1. In the OT this recurrent title/concept is expressed in several related phrases.
    1. "God of (several different PRONOUNS) my salvation"
      1. Psalm 24:5; 25:5; 27:9; 65:5; 79:9; 85:4; 106:21
      2. Micah 7:7
      3. Habakkuk 3:18
    2. "Lord, my salvation" ‒ Ps. 38:22
    3. "The God is our Salvation" ‒ Ps. 68:19
    4. "YHWH, Elohim, the Holy One of Israel, Your Saviour" ‒ Isa. 43:4
    5. "YHWH and there is no Saviour beside Me"
      1. Isa. 43:11; 45:21
      2. Hosea 13:4
    6. "The God of Israel, the Savior" ‒ Isa. 45:15
    7. "God of Israel, the Savior" ‒ Isa. 45:15
    8. "Savior" ‒ Isa. 63:8
    9. "God my Savior"
      1. Luke 1:47
      2. Jude v. 25

      There is no other "God" who can save. Because there is no other "God." The man-made idols cannot see, hear, speak, or act (see SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM).

      Salvation is the term used for

      1. physical deliverance
      2. spiritual rescue (i.e., forgiveness and restoration)

      SPECIAL TOPIC: SALVATION (OT term)

  2. In the NT this title/concept is used of both YHWH and His Messiah. It was a way to affirm Jesus' Deity (see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY). The following are examples of phrases used for Jesus.
    1. "Savior who is Lord" ‒ Luke 2:11
    2. "Jesus. . .who will save His people from their sins" ‒ Matt. 1:21
    3. "the Savior of the world"
      1. John 4:42
      2. 1 John 4:14 (also note 2:2)
    4. "Prince and Savior" ‒ Acts 5:31
    5. "a Savior, Jesus"
      1. Acts 13:23
      2. Phil. 3:26
    6. "Savior of the body (Church)" ‒ Eph. 5:23
       In the OT YHWH is savior primarily to the covenant people, Israel, but in the NT, Jesus is the Savior of all people.
      SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN

  3. Paul, in his Pastoral Letters, puts the title for YHWH and the title for Jesus in close proximity several times.
    1. YHWH
      1. God our Savior (1 Tim. 1:1)
      2. God our Savior (1 Tim. 2:3)
      3. the Savior of all men (1 Tim. 4:10)
      4. God our Savior (Titus 1:3)
      5. God our Savior (Titus 2:10)
      6. God our Savior (Titus 3:4)
    2. Jesus
      1. our Savior Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 1:10)
      2. Christ Jesus our Savior (Titus 1:4)
      3. our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus (Titus 2:13)
      4. Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 3:6)
    3. The Pastoral Letters, written in the mid to late sixties, were also reacting against the Roman Emperor's claims of being both God and savior (as well as these titles' use in the Mystery Religions). For Christians, these titles were reserved for YHWH and His Messiah and could not be used for Caesar (also note 1 Pet. 1:11; 2 Pet. 2:20; 3:18).


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