The Bible plainly teaches that Jesus is divine. When He came to Earth to die on the cross for humanity, He was God in the flesh (John 1:14; Colossians 1:15-19). Jesus unhesitatingly called attention to this fact on several occasions since the acknowledgment of this truth is necessary for salvation (Romans 10:9-10). Recall the incident 1,500 years before Jesus came to Earth when Moses was tending livestock in the desert and encountered a bush that was on fire but continued to burn unconsumed. Warning him to keep his distance and remove his shoes, God identified Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Announcing to Moses his mission to return to Egypt to proclaim to Pharaoh God\u2019s demands, Moses proceeded to offer a series of quibbles designed to justify his reluctance to go. One of those excuses was framed in this question: \u201cIf I come to the people of Israel and say to them, \u2018The God of your fathers has sent me to you,\u2019 and they ask me, \u2018What is his name?\u2019 what shall I say to them?\u201d (Exodus 3:13, ESV). God\u2019s response was decisive: \u201cI AM WHO I AM.\u201d And he said, \u201cSay this to the people of Israel: \u2018I AM has sent me to you\u2019\u201d (vs. 14).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The import of God\u2019s declaration on this occasion pertains to the eternal nature of deity. God is the Eternal Present, i.e., He has always existed and always will because, unlike everyone else, He possesses infinite eternality. Incredibly, the same may be said of Jesus. He is \u201cthe same yesterday, today, and forever\u201d (Hebrews 13:8). He declares: \u201cI am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End\u2026who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty\u201d (Revelation 1:8)\u2014precisely the same thing that is said about God (Revelation 4:8). Since the purpose of the Gospel of John is to cause people to believe that \u201cJesus is the Christ, the Son of God\u201d (John 20:31), it is to be expected that the book should contain multiple allusions to the deity of Christ\u2014and such is certainly the case. In fact, we encounter several instances in John where Jesus applies to Himself the same expression that God used at the burning bush: \u201cI AM.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, on the occasion when Jesus faced the incessant unbelief of the Jews, He forthrightly declared to them: \u201cTherefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins\u201d (John 8:24). The word \u201cHe\u201d is in italics in the NKJV and several other translations,1<\/sup><\/a> indicating the translators\u2019 insertion. However, in keeping with the theme of John, as well as the immediate context, its insertion is unwarranted and obscures the power of Jesus\u2019 statement. He was, in fact, forthrightly declaring His deity to the hard-hearted Jews by identifying Himself with the same Deity that Moses encountered at the burning bush.2<\/sup><\/a> This fact is evident in the context. Three verses later, Jesus again states: \u201cWhen you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things\u201d (vs. 28). Once again, the NKJV places \u201cHe\u201d in italics. And then, for a third time, Jesus pointedly presses the fact to bring closure to His confrontation: \u201cYour father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.\u201d Then the Jews said to Him, \u201cYou are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?\u201d Jesus said to them, \u201cMost assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM\u201d (vss. 55-58). The Jews correctly understood that Jesus was making a direct claim to Deity, evidenced by the fact that they prepared to execute Him for the capital crime of blasphemy.3<\/sup><\/a> Jesus stressed this same point to the Samaritan woman with whom He engaged in a conversation regarding His identity. His remarks were such that she first considers Him to be a prophet (John 4:19). But as He continues to speak, she admits that she is aware of the fact that the Messiah\/Christ was yet to come. He uses her admission to declare: \u201cI who speak to you am He\u201d (vs. 26).4<\/sup><\/a> Once again, in various translations, the word \u201cHe\u201d is in italics to denote its insertion. But I suggest that Jesus was connecting Himself with the \u201cI AM\u201d of the burning bush.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After the feeding of the 5,000, the disciples sought to row back across the Sea of Galilee when there arose a sudden storm. Gripped by fear for their lives, their fear was enhanced by the sudden appearance of Jesus walking on the water toward their boat. \u201cBut He said to them, \u2018It is I; do not be afraid\u2019\u201d (John 6:20). The English reader would likely never know that the words \u201cIt is I\u201d are a translation of the Greek ego eimi<\/em>\u2014\u201cI am.\u201d The only reason for the disciples not to fear a life-threatening situation is if Jesus was more than a mere man who, in fact, possessed the divine power to still a storm. Undoubtedly, Jesus was again calling attention to His divinity\u2014as indicated by the JUB: \u201cI AM. Be not afraid.\u201d5<\/sup><\/a> On the occasion when Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, as a predictive prelude to Judas\u2019 betrayal He quoted Psalm 41:9 and declared: \u201cNow I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He\u201d (John 13:19). Once again, Jesus was deliberately spotlighting His divinity to His disciples by identifying Himself with the burning bush episode. He intended to emphasize to them that they would realize that He is the great \u201cI AM.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still another occasion appears to set forth the same realization. When the mob came to arrest Jesus, which consisted of Judas, together with a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons, the text states: \u201cJesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, \u2018Whom are you seeking?\u2019 They answered Him, \u2018Jesus of Nazareth.\u2019 Jesus said to them, \u2018I am He\u2019\u201d (John 18:4-5). Once again, \u201cHe\u201d is in italics. Observe the reaction to Jesus\u2019 identification: \u201cThen\u2014when He said to them, \u2018I am He,\u2019\u2014they drew back and fell to the ground\u201d (vs. 6). One might assume that they were surprised that Jesus would come forward and identify himself, since one would think that a criminal would try to evade arrest and not give himself up so easily. But surely such surprise would hardly evoke a reaction that included falling to the ground. Remember, that these soldiers were not Romans. They were Jewish soldiers sent by the chief priests and Pharisees. Consequently, they were likely quite aware of the Jewish anticipation of the coming Messiah, as well as the import of the expression \u201cI AM.\u201d They were likely initially stunned by the bold, but presumptuous, affirmation by Jesus, only to recover themselves and dismiss the claim to deity as the rantings of a madman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following English translation renderings capture the meaning: CEB: \u201cWhen he said, \u2018I Am,\u2019 they shrank back and fell to the ground.\u201d CJB: \u201cWhen he said, \u2018I AM,\u2019 they went backward from him and fell to the ground.\u201d ISV: \u201cWhen Jesus told them, \u2018I AM,\u2019 they backed away and fell to the ground.\u201d JUB: \u201cAnd when he said unto them, I AM, they went backward and fell to the ground.\u201d Keep in mind that the words \u201cI am\u201d are also used throughout the Bible simply to refer to any person\u2019s existence\u2014even in John where the blind man identified himself as the one that Jesus had healed (9:9). The issue in John, however, is whether Jesus intentionally used the expression to link Himself to God and thereby assert His deity.6<\/sup><\/a> It is equally interesting that Jesus enlisted the use of \u201cI am\u201d in seven additional instances when He offered descriptions of His divine nature, each prefaced by ego eimi<\/em>: 1. \u201cI am the Bread of Life\u201d (6:35). 2. \u201cI am the Light of the world\u201d (8:12). 3. \u201cI am the Door\u201d (10:9). 4. \u201cI am the Good Shepherd\u201d (10:4). 5. \u201cI am the Resurrection and the Life\u201d (11:25). 6. \u201cI am the Way, the Truth, and the Life\u201d (14:6). 7. \u201cI am the Vine\u201d (15:5). In each of these cases, a feature of Jesus\u2019 Person is spotlighted that can only describe deity<\/strong>. No mere human being can rightfully be said to be the Bread of Life, the Light of the world, etc. These glorious affirmations pertain solely to Christ in His divine state<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To summarize, it so happens that the expression \u201cI am He\u201d likewise connotes that Jesus is the divine Messiah Who was to come. So, the import remains the same either way. However, inserting the word \u201cHe\u201d was not only unnecessary, its insertion obscures and softens the force of Jesus\u2019 claim explicitly linking Himself directly to the statement spoken by God to Moses at the burning bush. Indeed, the very heart and core of Christianity is Christ as the divine Son of God. One cannot even be a Christian unless that divinity is orally confessed prior to conversion (Romans 10:9-10).<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1<\/sup><\/a> ASV, BRG, KJV, LEB, NASB (1995).<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2<\/sup><\/a> Several English translations recognize this fact and refrain from inserting \u201cHe,\u201d including: CEB, ERV, GNT, ISV, PHILLIPS, JUB, NABRE, NASB, TPT, TLV, WYC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3<\/sup><\/a> \u201cBelieving that He was speaking sheer blasphemy and claiming equality with the great \u2018I Am,\u2019 they sought to stone Him\u201d\u2014Marcus Dods (no date), The Gospel According to John<\/em> in The Expositor\u2019s Greek Testament<\/em>, ed. W. Robertson Nicoll (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans), 1:782.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4<\/sup><\/a> Literally: \u201cI am, the one speaking to you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5<\/sup><\/a> Also the CEB, TLV, and WYC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6<\/sup><\/a> For more discussion of the nuances of the Greek, including the issue of the predicate nominative, see Robertson, Grammar<\/em>, pp. 879-880; Robertson, Word Pictures<\/em>, 5:68,146,242,284; Alford, 1:801-802; P.B. Harner (1970), The \u201cI AM\u201d of the Fourth Gospel<\/em> (Philadelphia: Fortress); Raymond Brown (1977), \u201cThe EGO EIMI (\u2018I Am\u2019) Passages In the Fourth Gospel\u201d in A Companion to John: Readings in Johannine Theology<\/em>, ed. Michael Taylor (New York: Alba House), pp. 117-126; Georg Braumann and Hans-Georg Line (1976), \u201cI Am,\u201d The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology<\/em>, ed. Colin Brown (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan), 2:278-283; E.D. Freed (1982), \u201cEgo Eimi in John viii. 24 in the Light of Its Context and Jewish Messianic Belief,\u201d Journal of Biblical Literature<\/em>, 33, 1:163-167, April.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Bible plainly teaches that Jesus is divine. When He came to Earth to die on the cross for humanity, He was God in the flesh (John 1:14; Colossians 1:15-19). Jesus unhesitatingly called attention to this fact on several occasions since the acknowledgment of this truth is necessary for salvation (Romans 10:9-10). Recall the incident… Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":23874,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"kids-category":[],"people":[273],"bible-book":[],"language":[168],"age-group":[173],"publication":[248],"class_list":["post-23816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-deity-of-christ","people-dave-miller-phd","language-english","age-group-adults","publication-reason-revelation"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/I-Am-He-or-I-Am-DM-02-1.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23816","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23816"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23816\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23817,"href":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23816\/revisions\/23817"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23874"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23816"},{"taxonomy":"kids-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kids-category?post=23816"},{"taxonomy":"people","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/people?post=23816"},{"taxonomy":"bible-book","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bible-book?post=23816"},{"taxonomy":"language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/language?post=23816"},{"taxonomy":"age-group","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/age-group?post=23816"},{"taxonomy":"publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apologeticspress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication?post=23816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Endnotes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n