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THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
PART 2
NO. 20
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>> Let me continue with this line of questions, if I may.
There are other times in John when Jesus just says, "I am" like
he did when he said, "Before Abraham was, I am." Does this
simply reenforce what you told us as an answer to the previous
question? Or is something new communicated here?
>>DR. CHARLES GIESCHEN: Well, Eric, I thought I would get
into that later. But I see you want to talk more about it. And
that's great. It is a very intriguing thing. And sometimes
missed is that there is a relationship between these what we
would call predicate nominative I am sayings that we just went
over, "I am the bread of life," where there's actual predicate
to the sentence and there's phrases in the Gospel of John where
Jesus simply uses the phrase "I am."
Now, again, I mentioned there were seven sayings -predicate nonnative I am sayings. I mentioned there were seven
signs. Would you be willing to venture a guess of how many
times Jesus uses the simple absolute form "I am"? That's right.
Seven times; seven times.
Now, a lot of times in English translations we miss this.
Because this phrase is translated sometimes differently than
just the phrase "I am." The most prominent one, the one you
brought up, Eric, is from John 8:58 where you have "Before
Abraham was I am." But there actually are six other usages of
this same phrase in Greek ego eimi. And it would be translated
or rendered something like this: "I, I am."
It's sometimes translated in English "it is I," which is
not a bad translation. But the problem with that is you don't
see that the exact same phrase is used in English as is used in
a passage like John 8:58, "Before Abraham was I am." It sounds
a lot different in English to say, "I am" than it is "I." But
the same Greek phrase is used there.
I'll go over these just so you note them in the Gospel.
Especially since in most English translations there's different
translations that render this phrase.
First of all, the first time Jesus uses -- and I'll call
this the absolute form of I am where there's no predicate that
follows where he simply says "I am," the first time is in John
4:26 where he says to the Samaritan woman "I am the one who is
speaking to you." So he uses this announcement of his own
identity as the "I am."
Secondly, you have in Chapter 6 Verse 20 "But he said to
them" -- namely, the disciples in the boat who were scared.
He's coming to them walking on the water during this storm. He
says, "I am. Do not be afraid."
Notice he's revealing himself as none other than the God
who has revealed himself in the Old Testament. And what's very
interesting about that account is the same kind of language -you know, every once in a while there's little things that come
up in the text that just make you just wonder and you're
fascinated by this. One of the phrases that's used is that
immediately he -- the boat was at the other side.
That language actually in John Chapter 6 -- and this is
the miracle, one of the signs, that language of Jesus coming
immediately to the other side, comes from Psalm 107 Verse 30.
And there it's describing how God brought the nation of Israel
through the Red Sea and graciously brought them safely to
harbor, to the other side.
So also here Jesus, the great I am, comes in the moment
of this storm and brings his disciples, the new Israel, safely
to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. The same God at work
in both of these miracles, that's what's being communicated
there.
The next I am saying that you have is in 8:24 where,
again, this is an absolute I am saying. You -- he's talking to
the Jews that he's dialoguing with "You will die in your sins
unless you believe that I am." Namely, unless you believe what
my true identity is as Yahweh, as the God who in the Old
Testament disclosed his identity with this phrase.
Another one is just a few verses later in John 8:28 where
you have this dialogue continuing. "And Jesus says, 'When you
have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am
and that I do nothing on my own but I speak with these things as
the Father instructed me.'" Again, that absolute usage. "You
will realize that I am."
Then in verse -- the next time it's used, the fifth
occurrence, is in John 8:58. That's the one you brought up,
Eric. That's the one that most people are familiar with. So
it's a good starting place in talking about this one. And
that's where at the end of this dialogue which gets very heated
in Chapter 8, Jesus announces "Before Abraham was I am" showing
his pre-existence and showing, indeed, that he was the very God
who engaged and talked with Abraham and gave him that promise.
Then you have in Chapter 13 Verse 19 -- that's the sixth
occurrence. And this is where Jesus says "I tell you this now"
-- he's talking about Judas' betrayal that he just mentioned -"before it occurs so that when it does occur, you will believe
that I am." "You will believe in my true identity."
Then the last one interestingly comes in the garden of
Gethsemane where you have the soldiers coming. Judas is
betraying Jesus. And the question comes "Who are you looking
for?" Jesus asked. The answer, "Jesus of Nazareth." And what
does Jesus say? He says ego eimi in Greek or I am. And what
happens?
You have Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.
And when Jesus said, "I am," they stepped back and fell to the
ground. And then you have this whole sequence repeated a little
bit in the next two verses. But the emphasis is Jesus discloses
his true identity and what happens? The very power of his
disclosing his identity causes them to fall back.
These seven different sayings are very much closely
related to in the Old Testament where you have Yahweh, the Lord,
disclosing his identity with some Hebrew phrases that in Greek
are translated with the same words that Jesus uses here. And
I'll just mention these to you so that you're aware of them.
these phrases are used in Deuteronomy 32:39 where the
Lord discloses his identity with this phrase "I am" or "It is
I." Also Isaiah 41 Verse 4. 43:10, 43:13, 46:4, 48:12, 52:6.
Isaiah 43:25 and 51:12.
What's fascinating here, Eric, is that you have the same
God who uses this phrase in the Old Testament. "It is I." "I
am." And incidentally seven times is using this phrase to
disclose his identity in the earthly ministry of Jesus. The
same type of language used by God in the Old Testament is on the
very lips of Jesus here. And John specifically uses -- I would
argue records this phrase or this kind of language seven times
to show that the fullness of God's revelation in the Old
Testament is now seen in the ministry of Jesus. The very same
God who disclosed his identity there is disclosing his identity
in this flesh and blood Christ.
I would say just in summary that the message is clear in
John's pattern, his recording of this. Jesus' work, seven
signs, is the full revelation of Yahweh's work. His words such
as the predicate nonnative "I am" sayings are the full
revelations of Yahweh's words of salvation. And his self
declarations, the seven absolute sayings that I just talked
about, are a complete revelation of himself as the same Yahweh
who made these self declarations in the Old Testament.
In sum, his saving works are the works of Yahweh. His
saving words are the words of Yahweh. And his self declarations
are those of Yahweh. He is, therefore, Yahweh. No one other
than the Lord. And that's very central to what John is seeking
to do in identifying who Jesus is, none other than the Creator,
than the Lord himself.
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This text is being provided in a rough draft format.
Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) is provided in
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totally verbatim record of the proceedings.
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