A common argument in Trinitarian and Oneness theology is that since both Jehovah and Jesus are called *savior*, and since Jehovah declares that “there is no savior besides Me” (Isaiah 43:11), Jesus must therefore be Jehovah. At first glance, this may seem compelling—but a closer look at the biblical context, Hebrew terminology, and the broader scriptural pattern reveals a very different picture.
This study examines what Scripture actually says about Jehovah as Savior, Jesus as Savior, and the many other “saviors” God raised up throughout Israel’s history.
1. Jehovah Declares Himself the Only Savior—What Does That Mean?
Two key passages are often cited:
“I, I am Jehovah; and there is no Savior besides Me.” — Isaiah 43:11“You shall know no God but Me; for there is no Savior besides Me.” — Hosea 13:4
In both texts, the Hebrew word for "savior" is yashaĘż (Strong’s #3467). The context is crucial:
Israel had turned to idols for deliverance. Jehovah reminds them that no idol-god can save them. He alone is their God, and He alone is the ultimate source of salvation.
This is the same type of exclusive language used in Deuteronomy 32:12:
Jehovah alone did lead him; there was no foreign god with him.
Yet Scripture also says Moses led Israel (Exodus 15:22), and that Jehovah led Israel by the hand of Moses and Aaron (Psalm 77:20).
This does not make Moses equal to Jehovah. It simply means Jehovah was the true source of deliverance, even when He used human agents.
*** formatting below needs to be edited
*** formatting below needs to be edited
## **2. Jehovah Frequently Sent Human “Saviors”**
The Bible explicitly states that Jehovah raised up *many* saviors for Israel:
- **Judges 2:16** — “Jehovah raised up judges, who saved them.”
- **Nehemiah 9:27** — “You gave them saviors who saved them.”
Examples include:
- **Othniel** (Judges 3:9)
- **Gideon** (Judges 6:13–14; 8:22)
- **Samson** (Judges 13:5)
- **David** (2 Samuel 3:18)
These men were saviors **because Jehovah empowered them**. They were not saviors “apart from” Jehovah. They were instruments of His salvation.
Thus, when Jehovah says there is “no savior besides Me,” He is not denying that He appoints saviors. He is denying that **any salvation originates independently of Him**.
---
## **3. The Hebrew Words “Besides” and “Apart From” Do Not Mean Absolute Exclusivity**
Isaiah 43:11 uses **bilĘżadey** (Strong’s #1107), meaning *apart from, without, except*.
Hosea 13:4 uses **biltiy**, a related term.
Neither word means:
- “No one else may ever be called a savior,” or
- “No one else may act as an agent of salvation.”
Rather, they mean:
- “No savior exists **independently** of Jehovah.”
- “No salvation originates **apart from** Him.”
This fits perfectly with the biblical pattern: Jehovah is the **source**, and those He sends are the **instruments**.
---
## **4. Jesus Is a Savior—But Not the Source of Salvation**
The New Testament repeatedly states that Jesus was **sent by God**, speaks **for God**, and acts **in God’s name**:
- Deuteronomy 18:15–19
- John 5:19, 30, 43
- John 7:16, 28
- John 12:49–50
- John 17:1–3
- Acts 3:13–26
- Hebrews 1:1–2
- Revelation 1:1
Jesus is never called **the Almighty**, nor is He ever identified as **Jehovah**, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead, Jehovah is consistently identified as:
- **the God and Father of Jesus** (Ephesians 1:3; 1 Peter 1:3)
- **the One who sent Jesus** (John 3:17)
- **the source of Jesus’ authority** (Matthew 28:18)
Thus, Jesus is Savior **because Jehovah appointed Him**, empowered Him, and sent Him.
---
## **5. The Scriptural Pattern: One Source, One Agent**
Paul summarizes the entire biblical pattern in one verse:
> “For us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things… and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things.” — 1 Corinthians 8:6
Jehovah is the **source** (“from whom”).
Jesus is the **instrument** (“through whom”).
This pattern is consistent from Genesis to Revelation.
---
## **6. Even the Saints Are Called “Saviors”**
Obadiah 21 speaks of **multiple saviors** who will rule with Christ:
> “Saviors shall come up on Mount Zion…”
These are the glorified saints who reign with Christ (Revelation 20:6; Daniel 7:22, 27; 1 Corinthians 6:2).
Their role as “saviors” does not make them Jehovah.
Nor does Jesus’ role as Savior make Him Jehovah.
---
## **7. Conclusion: Jesus Being “Savior” Does Not Make Him Jehovah**
The biblical evidence leads to a clear conclusion:
- Jehovah is the **only ultimate Savior** because all salvation originates from Him.
- Jehovah appoints **many saviors**, including judges, prophets, kings, the saints—and Jesus Himself.
- Jesus is Savior **because Jehovah sent Him**, empowered Him, and works through Him.
- Jesus is never identified as Jehovah, but always as Jehovah’s **Son**, **Servant**, and **Messiah**.
Therefore, the claim that Jesus must be Jehovah simply because both are called “savior” is not supported by Scripture. Jehovah remains the one true God and the ultimate source of salvation, while Jesus is the divinely appointed agent through whom that salvation is accomplished.
**** Phase 2 needs to be started for below
Objection: The Name Jesus
Someone has objected to the above due to their claim that only the savior Jesus bears God's name, claiming that since the name "Jesus", taken from the Hebrew for the same name that is rendered as "Joshua", can be translated as "Jehovah saves", "Jehovah is Savior", or "Savior of Jehovah" [the latter meaning a Savior sent by Jehovah, not that Jehovah needs to be saved]. Salvation from the condemnation in Adam is the work of the God and Father of Jesus through Jesus. (John 3:17; 14:10) Although many wish to somehow make it appear that the name Jesus (Joshua) means that Jesus is Jehovah, there is nothing in the name "Jesus" that makes Jesus not a savior sent by Jehovah. Actually, Jesus is the savior sent by Jehovah, and his name, given to him by Jehovah, proclaims such. Jehovah is thus the ultimate savior who uses his Son Jesus as the means of salvation.
We further note it is not actually true that only God's Son, Jesus (of Nazareth), is the "savior" bearing this name, for Joshua, son of Nun, also bore this name and was sent also by Jehovah to deliver the nation of Israel into the promised land. If one would think that Jesus *is* Jehovah because his name contains the shortened form of Jehovah, that is, "Jah", then the only conclusion to be reached is that Joshua, son of Nun, is also Jehovah, since he bears the same name.
Additionally, at least three other persons in the Bible bore the same name: (1) 1 Samuel 6:14,16;(2) 2 Kings 23:6; (3) (sometimes translated as "Jeshua") Ezra 3:8; Nehemiah 12:26; Haggai 1:1,12,14; 2:2-4; Zechariah 3:1-9; 6:11. Furthermore, there are others in the Bible that are called by the same name as Jeshua. Are we to believe that these are all Jehovah, since they supposedly bear the name of Jehovah?
See the following links concerning Joshua (We do not necessarily agree with every statement found in the links):
New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia under Joshua
Smith's Bible Dictionary under Joshua
and Jeshua
"Our Savior" in Titus 1:3,4
Titus 1:3,4: but at the proper time manifested, {even} His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior, To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. -- New American Standard
The argument is being made that the above scripture definitely shows that Jesus is God Almighty, since both are being referred to as "our savior." It is still evidently being assumed that God cannot send a savior who is not Himself. In reality, all we see here is that both God (who is being presented unipersonally as the Father) and Jesus are referred to as "our savior". God is our savior in that he sent Jesus to die for us. Jesus is our savior in that he was sent by God to die for us. Thus, each can be spoken of as "our Savior" without demanding that such would mean that Jesus is God Almighty.
Jesus is definitely not identified as "God" in the verses, and "God" in these verses is not identified as three persons, but as one person, the God and Father of Jesus.
In the context, we find that it is the Father (Titus 1:3), who "saved us" (Titus 3:5) "through Jesus Christ our Savior" (Titus 3:6). Thus, Titus 3:4,5 shows that "God, our Savior" is referring to the Father, who works "through" Jesus Christ. Since "God" here refers to the Father, to read into this text that Jesus is the God being referred to would actually lead to the conclusion that Jesus is his Father. This may fit some concepts, such as the oneness doctrine, but it would not fit the trinity doctrine. The reality is that one God is the source; the Son of that one God is the instrument, which is in harmony with the principle as presented in Corinthians 8:6. There is certainly nothing here about both the Father and His Son as two persons of one God, or that Jesus is the one Supreme Being.
Regardless, there is nothing in Titus 1:3,4 that proves that Jesus is Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, or that Jesus is a person of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. One has to create assumptions beyond what is written and then add those assumptions to what is written, in order to read such an idea into what is stated.
"The Lord" in Titus 1:3,4
But has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior; To Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. -- New King James Version
One argues that the usage of the "Lord" is presented with "God the Father" in Titus 1:4. It is claimed that it would seem like blasphemy to call that which is not Jehovah "Lord" in the context conjoining him with Jehovah.
The Received Text (Textus Receptus) has Kurios "Lord" in it (without the definite article); the Westcott and Hort text does not have the word Kurios at all. Thus we have two different readings: one as shown from the New American Standard in Addendum 1, and the other as shown above from the New King James Version. Regardless. Regardless, there is nothing blasphemous (speaking evil) in calling Jesus "Lord", since it is the Lord Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who made Jesus both Lord and Christ. -- Isaiah 61:1; Acts 2:36.
Jesus is joined with God the Father because he is His son, and it is through the Father's son that our salvation comes.
One has asked us to "translate the word Jehovah or YHWH in English and let’s rewrite the verse from Isaiah 43:11 using only English words. No transliteration.. only translated word." We are not sure why this is requested, but our response was:
Names are not usually translated from language to language, but are rendered into each language with similar sounds and language patterns as used in each language. Translating the verb as "I will be" and disregarding words often added by translators:
I I "I will be" and none aside from me saves.
Translating his name as "I cause to be":
I I "I cause to be" and none aside from me saves.
Jesus, of course, is not aside from Jehovah (Yahweh), since Jehovah sent him, as Jehovah sent many saviors in the Old Testament.
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/2017/05/isa4310.html
-- Ronald R. Day, Sr. (ResLight)
===============For Related Study:
The Price of Redemption - God or Man?
Only Jehovah Saves
Originally published on this site: April 13, 2013; Updated and republished: February 1, 2015; Edited 11/6/2020; 04/23/2021; 05/05/2023.
Originally published on this site: April 13, 2013; Updated and republished: February 1, 2015; Edited 11/6/2020; 04/23/2021; 05/05/2023.
======================
No comments:
Post a Comment