THE DIVINE SAVIORHOOD OF THIS PERSON IS DECLARED

The Divine Saviorhood of This Person is Declared

Vs. 18 "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."

He claims to be the Living One. (o zwn)

This is claim to deity like no other phrase that could be used. This distinguishes him from all other gods and identifies him with the God of the Old Testament (cf. Jer. 10:10; 1 Tim. 3:15).

"But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation."
"But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."

There is no limitation placed upon this title. Eternity is in the title; self—existence is there. Perhaps no more absolute title could be used. Since he is the living one he has power and is therefore able to do things. And he did do something as the next claim asserts.

He Claims that He Became Dead. (egenomhn nekroV)

This is indeed a paradox that outdistances all others. The living One becomes dead. The One Who is active becomes inactive. The One Who is life and the source of life is separated from life. And this statement is a clear claim to the fact that He wrought this upon Himself (Middle Voice in the Grk.). It could have been effected by no other.

And the Jehovah Witness has to answer when did the Lord Jehovah die.

In that this change from life to death took place in Him and upon Him and was wrought by Himself, some supreme cause alone will explain this. This cause must have been sin, but not sin in Himself, but sin in His creation.

Christ declared that man did not take his life (John 10:17-18).
17 "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again."18 "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."
"He sent away the spirit" (ajhken) Mt. 27:50
"He breathed out his spirit" (exepneusen) Mk. 15:37
"I deposit my spirit" (eiV ceiraV sou paratiqemai) Lk. 23:46
"He breathed out his spirit" (Lk. 23:46)
"He delivered over his spirit" (John 19:30). (paredwken to pneuma)

He Claims to be Alive into the Ages of the Ages.

(kai idou zwn eimi eiV touV aiwnaV twn aiwnwn)

Death was an event in the timelessness of the living one. For behold he is living, and this extends into the ages of the ages.

In this statement, he does not affirm that he became alive, though surely this was an event which took place at the tomb. But it is rather the effect from the event, rather than the event herein expressed. He is living, and this will be true through the ceaseless movement of the ages. Death was in relation to sin. But once that was dealt with there can be no other effect than the ceaseless movement of life. This means that the death was supremely efficacious.

Hence, these three things proclaim him to be a Savior of men. In that he died, he died for men; and now that he lives, he lives for the men for whom he died.

The "Amen" does not appear in the better texts. But if it did, it would only confirm what has been said.