As we journey toward Holy Week, I want to look at another title we associate with Jesus. That title is “Savior.” For many of us, it is the dearest title.
The Old Testament often refers to God as the Savior, especially in the Psalms. He is the Savior of Israel and of the individuals who trust God. The Savior, of course, is one who saves, or rescues another. In that sense, God is the great Savior. He rescued Israel from slavery in Egypt, and constantly from her many enemies (see Judges). He also rescues sinners from the consequences of their own sins, through His forgiveness.
Although, in the New Testament, Jesus is seen as our Savior, the term is surprisingly rare in the Gospels. In the Magnificat, Mary rejoices in God, her Savior (Luke 1:47), but she never calls her Son, her Savior. But at the birth of Jesus, an angel of the Lord announces to shepherds that, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ [the Messiah] the Lord” (Luke 2:11 NIV). Here we find three important titles. Jesus is a Savior, the Messiah, and the Lord. Luke may intend an important contrast with the Emperor Cult here. In the ancient town of Priene, in western Turkey, an inscription concerning the birth of Octavian (Caesar Augustus) has been found.
“Since Providence, which has ordered all things and is deeply interested in our life, has set in most perfect order by giving us Augustus, whom she filled with virtue that he might benefit humankind, sending him as a savior, both for us and for our descendants, that he might end war and arrange all things, and since he, Caesar, by his appearance (excelled even our anticipations), surpassing all previous benefactors, and not even leaving to posterity any hope of surpassing what he has done, and since the birthday of the god Augustus was the beginning of the good tidings [gospel] for the world that came by reason of him.” (1)
The birth of Augustus may have been seen as the birth of a Savior, but his death certainly was not seen as saving.
In the Temple, where the infant Jesus was being circumcised, the aged saint Simeon did not call Jesus a Savior, but that meaning was clear when he said he could now die in peace, since his eyes had seen God’s salvation (Luke 2:30). The only other time Jesus is called Savior in the Gospels is in John 4:42. What is interesting here is that this confession is not made by believing Jews, but by believing Samaritans! They said, “we know that this man really is the Savior of the world” (John 4:42 NIV).
While those are the only places in the Gospels where Jesus is called Savior, the idea of Jesus saving is found throughout the Gospels. Jesus saves (rescues) people from sickness, death, and storms. He saves in the same ways the Father is seen saving in the Old Testament. At times, forgiveness is granted with the saving from disease, pointing to the Divine nature of Jesus’ ministry.
In Acts, Jesus is twice called Savior; first by Peter (Acts 5:31) and then by Paul (Acts 13:23).
Throughout the rest of the New Testament, the use of Savior is more frequent. About half the time, we find “God our Savior,” and the other half, “Jesus our Savior.” The largest cluster of passages in which Jesus is called Savior is in one of the last letters in the New Testament, 2 Peter.
That’s a brief summary of the statistics, but what do they all mean? One of those meanings is that Jesus’ journey to the cross is a journey to be our Savior. He died to save us! In His death, all of His titles converge, as in the hymn Beautiful Savior:
Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, Praise, adoration,
Now and forevermore be Thine!
We cannot be a Savior by our deaths, but while we live, we can give ourselves to our Savior’s service in loving service to others, especially the least of these, His brothers. We can lead others to our Savior, so that He might be their Savior as well. And now, we can long to be face to face with Christ our Savior.
Tim Kelley
(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priene_calendar_inscription