Mattai and Malku replace Αλφαῖος, Μαθθαῖος and Μάλχος. By the Latins and ourselves Χριστὸς is transliterated, but the Syriac has Mĕshîḥâ, the Messiah or Anointed one; in the accusation of Lk xxiii 2 ("saying that he is Christ a king") the term used is Malkâ Mĕshîḥâ, the very same phrase syllable for syllable that we so often meet with in Jewish literature and usually translate by 'King Messiah[1].' It is still more surprising and instructive to find that 'salvation' is identified by the Syriac usage with 'life.' Σωτὴρ is Maḥyânâ 'Life-giver,' and 'to be saved' is 'to live.' This is the more remarkable, as Syriac has several words meaning 'to deliver,' 'to protect,' and 'to be safe and sound.' May we not therefore believe that this identification of 'salvation' and 'life' is the genuine Aramaic usage, and that the Greek Gospels have in this instance introduced a distinction which was not made by Christ and His Aramaic-speaking disciples?
