You may be familiar with the I AM statements of Jesus. These are powerful declarations of the divinity of our Lord. Their original source is in the Old Testament with God appearing to Moses at the burning bush.
Exodus 3:13,14 reads,
Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
The I AM statements of Jesus are not confined to The Gospel of John. In the account of Jesus walking on the water all four gospels record Jesus using the words “I AM” to comfort His disciples who were terrified in the storm. Mark 6:50 in the English Standard Version reads,
“They all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said,
‘Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.’”
The English wording in all the Gospels is, “It is I,” or something like that. But in the original language the wording is, “ἐγώ εἰμι,” “I am.”
Several of the most crucial I Am statements of Jesus are in John 8. Two of them are stunningly translated into English. John 8:12 reads, “I am* the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” This is not a difficult linguistic construction. And although many scholars across the years have recognized this as one of the I Am statements, it is possible that Jesus did not intend this as a reference to Exodus 3. John 8:58 is much stronger. It shows us something of the eternal presence of Jesus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am*.”
Two other examples are not easily translated into English. John 8:24 in the E.S.V. reads, “Unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” In the original language this simply reads, “If you do not believe that “I AM*” you will die in your sins.” The other is in verse 28. In the E.S.V. it reads, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he.” But again the wording in Greek is, “I Am*.” His crucifixion proved who He was. Even the Roman Centurion at the cross said, “Surely this was the Son of God,” Matthew 27:54.
In the words I AM, ἐγώ εἰμι, we see His Divinity, His Eternity, His Authority, and His immediacy. Do you believe?
*Italics mine
http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/
http://theanchorofthesoul.blogspot.com/
http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/
http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/
Website
YouTube
Amazon Author Central page.
No comments:
Post a Comment