Bible Encyclopedia: Saviour

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

SAVIOUR

sav'-yer:

(1) While that "God is the deliverer of his people" is the concept on which, virtually, the whole Old Testament is based (see SALVATION), yet the Hebrews seem never to have felt the need of a title for God that would sum up this aspect of His relation to man. Nearest to our word "Saviour" is a participial form (moshia`) from the verb yasha` (Qal not used; "save" in Hiphil), but even this participle is not frequently applied to God (some 13 times of which 7 are in Isaiah 43:1-63:19).

(2) In the New Testament, however, the case is different, and Soter, is used in as technical a way as is our "Saviour." But the distribution of the 24 occurrences of the word is significant, for two-thirds of them are found in the later books of the New Testament-10 in the Pastorals, 5 in 2 Peter, and one each in John, 1 John, and Jude-while the other instances are Luke 1:47; Luke 2:11 Acts 5:31; Acts 13:23 Ephesians 5:23 Philippians 3:20. And there are no occurrences in Matthew, Mark, or the earlier Pauline Epistles. The data are clear enough. As might be expected, the fact that the Old Testament used no technical word for Saviour meant that neither did the earliest Christianity use any such word. Doubtless for our Lord "Messiah" was felt to convey the meaning. But in Greek-speaking Christianity, "Christ," the translation of Messiah, soon became treated as a proper name, and a new word was needed.

(3) Soter expressed the exact meaning and had already been set apart in the language of the day as a religious term, having become one of the most popular divine titles in use. Indeed, it was felt to be a most inappropriate word to apply to a human being. Cicero, for instance, arraigns Verres for using it: "Soter.... How much does this imply? So much that it cannot be expressed in one word in Latin" (Verr. ii.2, 63,154). So the adoption of Soter by Christianity was most natural, the word seemed ready-made.

(4) That the New Testament writers derived the word from its contemporary use is shown, besides, by its occurrence in combination with such terms as "manifestation" (epiphaneia, 2 Timothy 1:10 Titus 2:13), "love toward man" (philanthropia, Titus 3:4), "captain" (archegos, Acts 5:31; compare Hebrews 2:10), etc. These terms are found in the Greek sources many times in exactly the same combinations with Sorer.

(5) In the New Testament Soter is uniformly reserved for Christ, except in Luke 1:47 Jude 1:25, and the Pastorals. In 1 Timothy 1:1; 1 Timothy 2:3; 1 Timothy 4:10 it is applied only to the Father, in 2 Timothy 1:10, (only) it is applied to Christ, while in Titus there seems to be a deliberate alternation: of the Father in 1:3; 2:10; 3:04; of Christ in 1:4; 2:13; 3:06.

LITERATURE.

P. Wendland, "Soter" Zeitschrift fur neutestamentliche Wissenschaft, V, 335-353, 1904; J. Weiss, "Heiland," in RGG, II, 1910; H. Lietzmann, Der Weltheiland, 1909. Much detailed information is available in various parts of Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, 1910.

Burton Scott Easton

Greek

4990. soter -- a savior, deliverer
... Word Origin from sozo Definition a savior, deliverer NASB Word Usage Savior (24).
Savior. From sozo; a deliverer, ie God or Christ -- saviour. see GREEK sozo. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4990.htm - 7k

Library

A Vindication of Three of Our Blessed Saviour's Miracles
A Vindication of Three of Our Blessed Saviour's Miracles. <. A Vindication
of Three of Our Blessed Saviour's Miracles Nathaniel Lardner. ...
/.../lardner/a vindication of three of our blessed saviours miracles/

Teacher or Saviour?
... TEACHER OR SAVIOUR? 'The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto Him,
Rabbi, we know that Thou art a Teacher come from God: for ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture i/teacher or saviour.htm

A Mighty Saviour
... A Mighty Saviour. A Sermon ... Therefore, do we trust in him, as the Daysman, the Mediator,
Son of God, and Son of Man. This is the person who is our Saviour. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/a mighty saviour.htm

Proof that the Divinity of the Saviour is Impassible.
... Book V. Proof that the Divinity of the Saviour is Impassible. 1. Alike
by the divine Scripture and by the holy Fathers assembled ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/proof that the divinity of.htm

Unto You a Saviour
... The DESIRE of AGES Chapter 4 Unto You a Saviour. ... For unto you is born this day
in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 4 unto you a.htm

When I Heard the Saviour Calling
... HYMNS OF THE EARLY CHURCH When I heard the Saviour calling. 8,7,8,7,8,7. When
I heard the Saviour calling. Weary, burdened souls to rest". ...
/.../brownlie/hymns of the early church/when i heard the saviour.htm

How the Title of Saviour is Given to Christ in one Sense, and to ...
... Book IV. Chapter XII. How the title of Saviour is given to Christ in one
sense, and to men in another. "Thou," he says, "art our ...
/.../cassian/the seven books of john cassian /chapter xii how the title.htm

The Weeping Saviour.
... XII. THE WEEPING SAVIOUR. The silent procession is moving on. We may suppose
they have reached the gates of the burial-ground. But ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/macduff/memories of bethany/xii the weeping saviour.htm

Praise and Thanksgiving to the Saviour.
... Praise and Thanksgiving To the Saviour. VI. To the Saviour. 5,5,7,5,5,7,5,5,5,5,
5,4,5,5,5,5,5,4. In dir ist Freude. [299]I. Lindemann.1580-1630. ...
/.../praise and thanksgiving to the.htm

Standing by the Saviour.
... Book XII. 32. Standing by the Saviour. The reflections in regard to the
passage before us that occur to us at the present time are ...
/.../origens commentary on the gospel of matthew/32 standing by the saviour.htm

Easton's Bible Dictionary

One who saves from any form or degree of evil. In its highest sense the word indicates the relation sustained by our Lord to his redeemed ones, he is their Saviour. The great message of the gospel is about salvation and the Saviour. It is the "gospel of salvation." Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ secures to the sinner a personal interest in the work of redemption. Salvation is redemption made effectual to the individual by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thesaurus

Saviour (157 Occurrences)
... In its highest sense the word indicates the relation sustained by our Lord to his
redeemed ones, he is their Saviour. ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. SAVIOUR. ...
/s/saviour.htm - 39k

Immanuel (3 Occurrences)
... only in Isaiah 7:14 and 8:8. Most Christian interpreters have regarded these words
as directly and exclusively a prophecy of our Saviour, an interpretation ...
/i/immanuel.htm - 16k

Breastplate (45 Occurrences)
... Samuel 22:3 My God, my Rock, in him will I put my faith; my breastplate, and the
horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my safe place; my saviour, who keeps ...
/b/breastplate.htm - 24k

Luke (4 Occurrences)
... Luke's Gospel has been called "the Gospel of the nations, full of mercy and hope,
assured to the world by the love of a suffering Saviour;" "the Gospel of the ...
/l/luke.htm - 55k

Fulfilment (25 Occurrences)
... Acts 13:23 "It is from among David's descendants that God, in fulfilment of His
promise, has raised up a Saviour for Israel, even Jesus. (WEY). ...
/f/fulfilment.htm - 13k

Raiseth (33 Occurrences)
... Judges 3:9 and the sons of Israel cry unto Jehovah, and Jehovah raiseth a saviour
to the sons of Israel, and he saveth them -- Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's ...
/r/raiseth.htm - 15k

Expectation (25 Occurrences)
... Philippians 3:20 We, however, are free citizens of Heaven, and we are waiting with
longing expectation for the coming from Heaven of a Saviour, the Lord Jesus ...
/e/expectation.htm - 15k

David's (142 Occurrences)
... of David, (WEY DBY). Luke 2:11 for to-day a Saviour has been born to you
in David's city, who is Christ the Lord. (DBY). Luke 20:41 ...
/d/david's.htm - 37k

Malefactor (2 Occurrences)
... of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2-4). Men become sons of God in the regenerative and
adoptive sense by the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour (John 1 ...
/m/malefactor.htm - 49k

Son (25967 Occurrences)
... Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 4:5, 6; Philippians 2:15; 1 John 3:1, 2). It occurs
thirty-seven times in the New Testament as the distinctive title of our Saviour...
/s/son.htm - 48k

Bible Concordance

Saviour (157 Occurrences)

Matthew 27:42 A saviour of others, he has no salvation for himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will have faith in him.
(BBE)

Matthew 27:43 He put his faith in God; let God be his saviour now, if he will have him; for he said, I am the Son of God.
(BBE)

Mark 15:31 In the same way the chief priests, laughing at him among themselves with the scribes, said, A saviour of others, he has no salvation for himself.
(BBE)

Luke 1:47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

Luke 19:10 For the Son of man came to make search for those who are wandering from the way, and to be their Saviour.
(BBE)

Luke 23:35 And the people were looking on. And the rulers made sport of him, saying, He was a saviour of others; let him do something for himself, if he is the Christ, the man of God's selection.
(BBE)

Luke 24:21 But we were hoping that he would be the Saviour of Israel. In addition to all this he has now let three days go by from the time when these things took place;
(BBE)

John 4:42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

Acts 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

Acts 7:25 And he was hoping that his brothers would see that God had sent him to be their saviour; but they did not see.
(BBE)

Acts 7:35 This Moses, whom they would not have, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge? him God sent to be a ruler and a saviour, by the hand of the angel whom he saw in the thorn-tree.
(BBE)

Acts 13:23 Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

Acts 13:47 For such is the Lord's command to us. "'I have placed Thee,' He says of Christ, 'as a light to the Gentiles, in order that Thou mayest be a Saviour as far as the remotest parts of the earth.'"
(WEY)

Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

Philippians 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

1 Thessalonians 1:10 Waiting for his Son from heaven, who came back from the dead, even Jesus, our Saviour from the wrath to come.
(BBE)

1 Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

1 Timothy 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

1 Timothy 4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
(KJV WEY ASV BBE YLT)

2 Timothy 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

Titus 1:3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

Titus 1:4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

Titus 2:10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

Titus 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

Titus 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

Hebrews 7:25 So that he is fully able to be the saviour of all who come to God through him, because he is ever living to make prayer to God for them.
(BBE)

2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

2 Peter 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

2 Peter 3:2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

1 John 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

Jude 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
(KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT)

Genesis 32:11 Be my saviour from the hand of Esau, my brother: for my fear is that he will make an attack on me, putting to death mother and child.
(BBE)

Genesis 45:5 Now do not be troubled or angry with yourselves for sending me away, because God sent me before you to be the saviour of your lives.
(BBE)

Genesis 48:16 The angel who has been my saviour from all evil, send his blessing on these children: and let my name and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, be given to them; and let them become a great nation in the earth.
(BBE)

Deuteronomy 22:27 for in a field he found her, she hath cried -- the damsel who is betrothed -- and she hath no saviour.
(YLT)

Deuteronomy 28:29 You will go feeling your way when the sun is high, like a blind man for whom all is dark, and nothing will go well for you: you will be crushed and made poor for ever, and you will have no saviour.
(BBE YLT)

Deuteronomy 28:31 Your ox will be put to death before your eyes, but its flesh will not be your food: your ass will be violently taken away before your face, and will not be given back to you: your sheep will be given to your haters, and there will be no saviour for you.
(BBE YLT)

Deuteronomy 33:29 Happy are you, O Israel: who is like you, a people whose saviour is the Lord, whose help is your cover, whose sword is your strength! All those who are against you will put themselves under your rule, and your feet will be planted on their high places.
(BBE)

Judges 2:18 And whenever the Lord gave them judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and was their saviour from the hands of their haters all the days of the judge; for the Lord was moved by their cries of grief because of those who were cruel to them.
(BBE)

Judges 3:9 And when the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah, Jehovah raised up a saviour to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
(See JPS ASV BBE YLT)

Judges 3:15 But when the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah, Jehovah raised them up a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. And the children of Israel sent tribute by him unto Eglon the king of Moab.
(See JPS ASV BBE YLT)

Judges 3:31 And after him came Shamgar, the son of Anath, who put to death six hundred Philistines with an ox-stick; and he was another saviour of Israel.
(BBE)

Judges 6:14 And the Lord, turning to him, said, Go in the strength you have and be Israel's saviour from Midian: have I not sent you?
(BBE)

Judges 6:15 And he said to him, O Lord, how may I be the saviour of Israel? See, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
(BBE)

Judges 6:31 But Joash said to all those who were attacking him, Will you take up the cause of Baal? will you be his saviour? Let anyone who will take up his cause be put to death while it is still morning: if he is a god, let him take up his cause himself because of the pulling down of his altar.
(BBE)

Judges 6:36 And Gideon saith unto God, 'If Thou art Saviour of Israel by my hand, as Thou hast spoken,
(YLT)

Judges 7:2 And the Lord said to Gideon, So great is the number of your people, that if I give the Midianites into their hands they will be uplifted in pride over me and will say, I myself have been my saviour.
(BBE)

Judges 8:22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, Be our ruler, you and your son and your son's son after him; for you have been our saviour from the hands of Midian.
(BBE)

Judges 8:34 And the children of Israel did not keep in their minds the Lord their God, who had been their saviour from all their haters on every side;
(BBE)

Judges 10:1 Now after Abimelech, Tola, the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, became the saviour of Israel; he was living in Shamir in the hill-country of Ephraim.
(BBE)

Judges 10:13 But, for all this, you have given me up and have been servants to other gods: so I will be your saviour no longer.
(BBE)

Judges 12:3 and I see that thou art not a saviour, and I put my life in my hand, and pass over unto the Bene-Ammon, and Jehovah giveth them into my hand -- and why have ye come up unto me this day to fight against me?'
(YLT)

Judges 18:28 And they had no saviour, because it was far from Zidon, and they had no business with Aram; and it was in the valley which is the property of Beth-rehob. And building up the town again they took it for their living-place.
(BBE)

1 Samuel 10:19 But today you are turned away from your God, who himself has been your saviour from all your troubles and sorrows; and you have said to him, Put a king over us. So now, take your places before the Lord by your tribes and by your thousands.
(BBE YLT)

1 Samuel 10:27 But certain good-for-nothing persons said, How is this man to be our saviour? And having no respect for him, they gave him no offering.
(BBE)

1 Samuel 14:39 For, by the living Lord, the saviour of Israel, even if the sinner is Jonathan, my son, death will certainly be his fate. But not a man among all the people gave him any answer.
(BBE)

1 Samuel 17:37 And David said, The Lord, who kept me safe from the grip of the lion and the bear, will be my saviour from the hands of this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Go! and may the Lord be with you.
(BBE)

1 Samuel 23:5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and had a fight with the Philistines, and took away their cattle, and put them to the sword with great destruction. So David was the saviour of the people of Keilah.
(BBE)

2 Samuel 22:2 And he said, The Lord is my Rock, my walled town, and my saviour, even mine;
(BBE)

2 Samuel 22:3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
(KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY YLT)

2 Samuel 22:20 He took me out into a wide place; he was my saviour because he had delight in me.
(BBE)

2 Samuel 22:28 For you are the saviour of those who are in trouble; but your eyes are on men of pride, to make them low.
(BBE)

2 Samuel 22:42 They look, and there is no saviour; Unto Jehovah, and He hath not answered them.
(YLT)

1 Kings 1:29 And the king took an oath, and said, By the living Lord, who has been my saviour from all my troubles,
(BBE)

2 Kings 13:5 (And the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime.
(KJV ASV BBE DBY YLT)

2 Kings 14:27 And the Lord had not said that the name of Israel was to be taken away from the earth; but he gave them a saviour in Jeroboam, the son of Joash.
(BBE)

1 Chronicles 16:35 And say, Be our saviour, O God of our salvation, and let us come back, and give us salvation from the nations, so that we may give honour to your holy name and have glory in your praise.
(BBE)

Job 22:29 For God makes low those whose hearts are lifted up, but he is a saviour to the poor in spirit.
(BBE)

Job 29:12 For I was a saviour to the poor when he was crying for help, to the child with no father, and to him who had no supporter.
(BBE)

Job 30:24 Has not my hand been stretched out in help to the poor? have I not been a saviour to him in his trouble?
(BBE)

Psalms 7:2 So that he may not come rushing on my soul like a lion, wounding it, while there is no one to be my saviour.
(BBE)

Psalms 7:10 God, who is the saviour of the upright in heart, is my breastplate.
(BBE YLT)

Psalms 17:7 Make clear the wonder of your mercy, O saviour of those who put their faith in your right hand, from those who come out against them.
(BBE YLT)

Psalms 17:13 Up! Lord, come out against him, make him low, with your sword be my saviour from the evil-doer.
(BBE)

Psalms 18:2 The Lord is my Rock, my walled town, and my saviour; my God, my Rock, in him will I put my faith; my breastplate, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
(BBE)

Psalms 18:19 He took me out into a wide place; he was my saviour because he had delight in me.
(BBE)

Psalms 18:27 For you are the saviour of those who are in trouble; but eyes full of pride will be made low.
(BBE)

Psalms 18:41 They cry, and there is no saviour, On Jehovah, and He doth not answer them.
(YLT)

Psalms 22:4 Our fathers had faith in you: they had faith and you were their saviour.
(BBE)

Psalms 22:8 He put his faith in the Lord; let the Lord be his saviour now: let the Lord be his saviour, because he had delight in him.
(BBE)

Psalms 22:21 Be my saviour from the lion's mouth; let me go free from the horns of the cruel oxen.
(BBE)

Psalms 26:11 But as for me, I will go on in my upright ways: be my saviour, and have mercy on me.
(BBE)

Psalms 28:9 Be a saviour to your people, and send a blessing on your heritage: be their guide, and let them be lifted up for ever.
(BBE)

Psalms 31:5 Into your hands I give my spirit; you are my saviour, O Lord God for ever true.
(BBE)

Psalms 31:16 Let your servant see the light of your face; in your mercy be my saviour.
(BBE)

Psalms 34:18 The Lord is near the broken-hearted; he is the saviour of those whose spirits are crushed down.
(BBE)

Psalms 34:22 The Lord will be the saviour of the souls of his servants, and no one who has faith in him will be put to shame.
(BBE)

Psalms 35:10 All my bones will say, Lord, who is like you? The saviour of the poor man from the hands of the strong, of him who is poor and in need from him who takes his goods.
(BBE)

Psalms 37:39 But the Lord is the saviour of the upright: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
(BBE)

Psalms 37:40 And the Lord will be their help, and keep them safe: he will take them out of the hands of the evil-doers, and be their saviour, because they had faith in him.
(BBE)

Psalms 40:17 Though I am poor and in need, the Lord has me in mind; you are my help and my saviour; let there be no waiting, O my God.
(BBE)

Psalms 41:1 <To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David.> Happy is the man who gives thought to the poor; the Lord will be his saviour in the time of trouble.
(BBE)

Psalms 44:7 But it is you who have been our saviour from those who were against us, and have put to shame those who had hate for us.
(BBE)

Psalms 50:15 Let your voice come up to me in the day of trouble; I will be your saviour, so that you may give glory to me.
(BBE)

Psalms 51:14 Be my saviour from violent death, O God, the God of my salvation; and my tongue will give praise to your righteousness.
(BBE)

Psalms 54:7 Because it has been my saviour from all my trouble; and my eyes have seen the punishment of my haters.
(BBE)

Subtopics

Saviour

Related Terms

Immanuel (3 Occurrences)

Breastplate (45 Occurrences)

Luke (4 Occurrences)

Fulfilment (25 Occurrences)

Raiseth (33 Occurrences)