I Am…

I Am.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus said that was the theme of the bible, saying, “You search the Scriptures, because you think in them you have eternal life. These are they who bear witness of Me.” Jhn 5:39

So who is Jesus? A 1 st century Jewish carpenter nobody? A liar, a fake, a crazy man?

In the gospel of John, there are quite a few times when Jesus uses the phrase “I am” to describe himself:

Jesus said unto them, ““I am the bread of life.” Jhn 6:35 

Jesus again said unto them, “I am the light of the world.” Jhn 8:12

Jesus said, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Jhn 9:5

Jesus unto them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” Jhn 10:7

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd.” Jhn 10:11

Jesus said unto her, “I am the resurrection.” Jhn 11:25

Jesus said unto him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Jhn 14:6

Jesus said, “I am the true vine.” Jhn 15:1

These are statements to describe who Jesus is based on his work, like me saying, I am the fisherman”; meaning I am the best fisherman; or the only true fisherman. These are important statements, which help us to understand who Jesus is, who said he is, but in contrast, there are four (4) times, during two (2) separate occasions, when Jesus simple said “I Am.” That is a significantly different statement!

Jesus said, “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I Am, you will die in your sins.” Jhn 8:24

Then said Jesus unto them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, a then you will know that I Am, and I do nothing of Myself. But I speak these things as My Father taught Me.” Jhn 8:28

Jesus said unto them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, a then you will know that I Am He, and I do nothing of Myself. But I speak these things as My Father taught Me.” Jhn 8:58

Jesus said, “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen, but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’ Now I tell you before it happens, so that when it does happen, you may believe that I Am.” Jhn 13:18-19

In these statements, in contrast to the first group, Jesus is telling us who he is in his person, referring to himself by the personal name of God: Jehovah, “I AM that I AM.” “And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM,” and He said, “You will say this to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” Exo 3:14 

Jesus is clearly saying “I Am that I Am”, “I Am God”; the Eternally Self-Existing One. Every verse that uses Jehovah, which in the King James Version is “LORD” in all capital letters, is a verse regarding Jesus.

Jesus enemies clearly understood him to be saying “I am God”, for in Jhn 8:59, after he had said that he was “I Am,” they sought to kill him. “Then they took up stones to stone Him.” Then when we get to Jhn 10:33, referring back to the events of chapters 8 and 9, we read, “The Jews answered Him, We are not stoning You for a good work, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, claim to be God,” i.e., you are saying about yourself, “I am God.”

Here is the point: Jesus clearly claimed to be God.

He is either a lying lunatic, or he is telling the truth, but one thing is clear, he claimed to be God, the Self-Existing Eternal God. Not “a god”, but the one and only Eternally Existing God.

If he was lying, then he was a bad man, and we should not believe anything he said, nor should we believe in him, nor follow him. Additionally, it was absolutely right for the Jews to want to kill him, because if he was lying, then he really did commit blasphemy, and under Jewish law, should be stoned. Here is their exchange with Pilate: When the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him.” The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God!” Jhn 19:6-7

The same logic applies if he is a lunatic, some crazy person making ridiculous claims!

To validate the truth of his statement Jesus said, “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen, but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’ Now I tell you before it happens, that when it does happen, you may believe that I Am.” Jhn 13:18-19

He says that he told them that Judas would betray him prior to it happening, so that when it did happen, the people would know that in fact, he, Jesus is the “I Am”, God, and they would believe in him.

So who do you think Jesus is?

A liar?

A lunatic?

Or did he tell the truth? Is he really “I Am”, the Eternally Self Existing God?

Where you spend eternity depends on how you answer that question, for Jesus said, “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I Am, you will die in your sins.” Jhn 8:24