Words Of Jesus - The "I AM" Statements

We must ask ourselves the questions: Who was Jesus? What did HE say about HIMSELF?

Jesus made many literal statements about himself. And, HE also used many metaphors to describe who HE was, and the purpose of HIS coming into the world; we will review these Gospel metaphors in the next post. Many theories have been put forth to explain away the statements that Jesus made about himself [1]; some said HE was just a man, fully human - others said HE was GOD manifest as a human, but not actually human - still others said HE was something else altogether. [2] But all of these views, which have been recognized as heresy, are not in agreement with the statements that Jesus actually made about himself! As C.S. Lewis said,

“Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” [3]

The statements Jesus made about himself force us to either reject HIM as evil (because HE lied), or accept HIM as LORD and Savior! You must decide what you will believe; so you must know What Jesus Actually Said!

Jesus said:

• “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM”  ~ John 8:58 KJV
• “I that speak unto thee AM [Messiah]”  ~ John 4:26 KJV
• “I AM the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:”  ~ John 11:25 KJV
• “I tell you before [I am betrayed], that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I AM”  ~ John 13:19 KJV

In these literal statements, Jesus claims to be GOD: self-existent and eternal. By saying, “before Abraham” HE claims to have existed at a time more than 2000 years earlier. But notice that HE does not say “before Abraham was, I was”, but he says “I AM”. In this statement HE is claiming to exist outside of time itself, and in fact to be self-existent (i.e. un-created, and the source of HIS own existence)! This is the same statement which GOD made to Moses in Exodus 3:14, “I AM”. In Greek it is “ego eimi”, in Hebrew “hawyah asher hawyah”, and in English “I exist”, or “I AM”. Either way HIS intention is the same: Jesus is claiming to be GOD.

In John 4:26, Jesus is speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well. She makes a reference to the promised Messiah [4], and Jesus tells her directly, “I AM he”! HE therefore claims to be the fulfillment of these prophecies, and the one who shall “save HIS people from their sins”. [5]

Only GOD can raise the dead, and give us eternal life beyond this earthly existence. Yet Jesus claims to possess exactly these powers when HE says, “I AM the resurrection and the life”. HE says these words to a woman named Martha after her brother Lazarus had died. [6] As proof that HE is God, and HE has the power to give life, Jesus raised Lazarus from the grave!

Finally, Jesus re-affirms the literal statement, “I AM” to HIS disciples at the last supper, and explains that HIS will is that they should believe in HIM! As proof that HE is worthy of their faith, Jesus provides a sign of HIS divinity by declaring that one of them will betray HIM. [7] This shows that HE is omniscient, knowing and declaring things before they come to pass, which only GOD can do. In this statement Jesus claims to be both the promised Messiah, and GOD in the flesh.

It should be clear from these statements Jesus made about himself that HE did not simply claim to be a ‘teacher’, or ‘good man’, or a ‘leader’ who happened to be popular with many people. HE was not like any other prophet or earthly king. On the contrary, Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.”, and “ye believe in God, believe also in me”. [8] What will you do with the challenge raised by C.S. Lewis: will you reject Jesus as a mad-man or a liar? Or will you acknowledge HIM as GOD? We must know and believe that Jesus is LORD and Savior.



return to "Words Of Jesus" series


References 

[1] Machen, “Liberalism and Christianity”, 1923
[2] Docetism (divine but not human), Arianism (human but not divine), Monophysitism/Apollinarianism (synthesis of human and divine) 
[3] Lewis, “Mere Christianity”, 1952
[4] Genesis 3:14, Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2 (Note: These are only a few of the many Messianic Prophecies) 
[5] Matthew 1:21 
[6] John 11:1-45 
[7] John 13:21, 26 
[8] John 10:30, 14:1 

Canada's Foundations

This Canada Day, we celebrate because we are privileged to live in a country that is free and is blessed with prosperity!  As we celebrate our nation, we must remember to humble ourselves, and recognize that these things are the gift of GOD.  HIS blessing will continue on our nation if we honor HIM and obey HIS commands.

"Happy are the people, whose GOD is the LORD"
   ~ Psalm 144:15 

Our founding fathers believed in GOD, and wrote HIS name into the corner-stones of our nation.  Look at the following examples of "Canada Under GOD":

Family Worship

"Masters of families ought to read the Scripture to their families and instruct their children and servants in the matters and doctrines of salvation. Therefore, they are to pray in and with their families. No man that will not deny the Scripture can deny the unquestionable duty of reading the Scripture in our houses"

~ Thomas Doolittle (1630-1707)


Reading GOD's WORD and prayer should never be relegated to only the Church Service, or mid-week Meeting. Those times are blessings where Believers can assemble in Jesus name to worship publicly and encourage one another. But those times should not serve as the Believer's only spiritual nourishment; think of those times more like "icing on the cake" rather than the "main course".


"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: (5) And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (6) And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: (7) And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."

~ Deuteronomy 6:4-7 KJV


As this Scripture makes clear, we are to teach and talk of GOD's WORD to our children constantly. And in Ephesians 6:4, Fathers are instructed to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Daily family worship, reading and prayer together, should be the norm in every Christian home.


Links:

How To Lead Family Worship [video]

Leading Family Worship

Reasons for Family Worship