Saviour

SAVIOUR, Salvator, Soter. This Name is appropriated to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the World, who was prefigured by all those to whom the Scripture of the Old Testament gives the Name of Saviour, as Joshua, the Judges of Israel, the Kings David, Solomon, Josiah, and the Great Men raised up in an extraordinary manner, to deliver the People of God, as Mattathias, Judas Maccabæus, and the rest. The Prophets had marked out Jesus Christ under the Name of Saviour; thus, Isai. xii. 3. Isai. xix. 20. Isai. xliii. 11.for Example, With Joy shall ye draw Water out of the Wells of Salvation, or of the Saviour. The Lord shall send them a Saviour, and a Great One, and he shall deliver them. I, even I am the Lord, and beside me there is no Saviour. Lastly, the Apostles and sacred Writers of the New Testament, generally give to Jesus Christ the Name of Saviour by way of Eminence. When the Angel proclaimed his Birth, he said he should be called Jesus, that is, a Saviour; for he shall save his People from their Sins. Matth. i. 21. See also John iv. 42. Acts xiii. 23. Philipp. iii. 20. and elsewhere in many Places.

Saviour, to save, Salvation. We have already examined the several Acceptations of the Word Salvation under its proper Article. The Name Saviour is given to the Patriarch Joseph. Pharaoh changed his Name, when he took him into his Service, and call’d him in the Egyptian Tongue, the Saviour of the World¹. The Hebrew reads only, he call’d him Zaphnath-phaneah; and these Words are rather Hebrew than Egyptian. St. Jerome himself acknowledges, in his Hebrew Questions upon Genesis, that they signify in Hebrew, he that discovers Secrets. But in Egyptian they may have another Signification. And those who were consulted by St. Jerome upon this Point, might probably tell him, that they signified the Saviour of the World. Nevertheless Philo, Josephus, and others, who thought them also Egyptian, maintain, that in this Language Zaphnath-phaneah signifies one that discovers Secrets, or that interprets Dreams. The Syriack and Chaldee Paraphrasts, and two or three antient Greek Interpreters, are quoted for this, who explain it in the same Sense.

God often takes to himself the Name of Saviour of Israel. Vivit Dominus Salvator 1 Sam. iv. 39.Israel. David also calls him his Strength and his Saviour. Robur meum & Salvator meus. There is no Saviour besides me, says the Lord in the Prophet Hosea. And Isaiah; Thou hast Isai. xvii. 10.forgotten the God of thy Salvation, or thy Saviour. And in truth, God is the Saviour of Saviours, the God of Gods; without him there is neither Salvation, nor Deliverance, nor Succour to be hoped for. ‘Tis he that raises up Saviours to his People. For Example, he raised them a Saviour in the Person of Othniel, the Son of Kenez, against the King of Mesopotamia, who oppressed them. He raised them up another in Ehud, Son of Gerah, against Eglon King of the Moabites. ObadiahJudg. iii. 15. Obad. 21. promises, that the Lord will send Saviours upon the Mountain of Sion, to judge the Mountain of Esau. Probably he means the Maccabees, who subdued the Idumeans.

To save is commonly taken for defending any one in Danger. ‘Tis also taken for flying. Save yourself (or escape) upon this Mountain. I cannot save myself (or escape) upon the Gen. xix. 17, 19.Mountain. To save is also put for preserving; for Example, those who have escaped any Danger; who have fled from a Rout or Defeat, those who have escaped the Sword of the Conqueror. Salvatæ sunt reliquiæ populi, says Deborah in her Song. God has preserved his People, and defended it from the Hand of King Jabin. David fled and was saved. David fugit & salvatus est.

Gen. xix. 17. Prov. xi. 21.To save one’s Soul, to save one’s Life. The Seed of the Righteous shall be delivered, or saved. To save the Souls, is to save and preserve the Persons. Thou hast kept me alive (or saved me) from that I should not Ps. xxx. 3.go down to the Pit. Thou hast protected me, and preserved my Life; thou hast not suffer’d me to be reduced to the Condition of the Psal. lix. 3.Dead. Save me from bloody Men; deliver me out of their Hands. I will save thee from Jer. xxx. 10. Psal. xxxvi. 6. Mat. xxvii. 40, 42.afar; I will bring thee back from a distant Country, I will deliver thee out of Captivity. Thou preservest (or savest) Man and Beast; thou givest them their Subsistance; thy Providence is exerted over both of them, tho’ after a different Manner. Save thyself. He saved others, himself he cannot save. Thus said the Jews to Jesus Christ. Let him deliver himself out of this Danger; let him deliver himself from Death, as he has deliver’d others.

Read this article in its place on the printed pages