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Who Is Jesus? Understanding the "I AM" Statements in John 8:58

One of the most dramatic moments in the Gospels occurs in John 8:58 when Jesus declares, "Before Abraham was, I AM." This statement sparked such outrage that the religious leaders picked up stones to kill Him. But what did Jesus mean, and why does it matter for us today?

What Did Jesus Mean by "I AM" in John 8:58?

When Jesus said "Before Abraham was, I AM," He was making a direct claim to deity. He deliberately used the divine name God revealed to Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3:14: "I AM WHO I AM" (Yahweh in Hebrew).

This was not a grammatical error. Jesus did not say, "Before Abraham was, I was." He said, "I AM"—claiming eternal, self-existent being. The religious leaders understood exactly what He meant, which is why they attempted to stone Him for blasphemy.

Jesus was claiming three things:

Pre-existence — He existed before His birth in Bethlehem, before Abraham, before creation itself.

Aseity — He exists by His own power, dependent on nothing and no one for His existence.

Deity — He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in human flesh.

Why Does the Deity of Christ Matter?

The identity of Jesus is not an abstract theological debate. It carries eternal consequences.

If Jesus is not God, He cannot save anyone. Only God can bear the infinite weight of divine judgment for sin. Only God can bridge the infinite gap between sinful humanity and a holy heaven. Only God can conquer death and offer eternal life.

C.S. Lewis famously argued that Jesus does not allow us the option of calling Him merely a "great moral teacher." A man who claimed what Jesus claimed must be either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord of Glory. There is no middle ground.

What Is the Promise Jesus Makes in John 8:51?

Just before His "I AM" declaration, Jesus made an astonishing promise: "If anyone keeps My word, he shall never see death" (John 8:51).

This does not mean Christians will not die physically. It means believers will never experience the "second death"—eternal separation from God. For those who trust in Christ, physical death becomes a doorway into the presence of God rather than an end.

The phrase "keeps My word" describes the posture of a true believer. It means to treasure, guard, and hold fast to the teachings of Jesus. This is not the cause of salvation but the evidence of it. Just as breathing proves you are alive, treasuring Christ's word proves you have been made spiritually alive.

How Did Abraham See the Day of Christ?

Jesus told the religious leaders, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad" (John 8:56). This puzzled His hearers since Abraham lived two thousand years earlier.

Abraham saw Christ's day by faith. When God called Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah and then provided a ram as a substitute, Abraham witnessed a picture of the coming Messiah. He looked forward through the corridors of time and saw the Cross—the ultimate substitute for sinners.

The Gospel was preached to Abraham beforehand (Galatians 3:8). Every Old Testament believer was saved the same way New Testament believers are saved: by grace through faith in the promised Redeemer.

Why Did the Religious Leaders Want to Kill Jesus?

The reaction of the crowd reveals they understood exactly what Jesus claimed. They picked up stones because Leviticus 24 commanded that blasphemers be put to death.

If Jesus is not God, stoning would have been the appropriate response to His claims. But Jesus is God. Their murderous rage reveals the blindness of the human heart when confronted with divine truth.

This is the tragedy of sin. The most religious, biblically educated men in Israel stood face to face with their Creator and wanted to crush Him with rocks. The human heart, apart from God's grace, does not naturally love the light. It recoils from it.

What Does "I AM" Mean for Your Life Today?

If Jesus is the great "I AM," then He is not merely a historical figure. He is the living God who meets you in your present circumstances.

When God told Moses "I AM," that name carried a promise: I am whatever you need Me to be. Applied to Jesus, this means:

  • He is your provision when resources run out
  • He is your protection when danger surrounds you
  • He is your peace when anxiety overwhelms you
  • He is your righteousness when guilt condemns you
  • He is your resurrection when death approaches

The same Jesus who walked through the crowd unharmed because "His hour had not yet come" sovereignly governs every detail of your life. Nothing touches you that has not first passed through His hands.

How Should You Respond to the "I AM"?

John 8 presents only two options. You can reject Jesus like the Pharisees—holding onto pride, religion, or self-righteousness. Or you can do what Abraham did: look at Christ and rejoice.

The promise of John 8:51 remains open: "If anyone keeps My word, he shall never see death."

The Great I AM became a man. He lived the perfect life you could not live. He died the death your sins deserved. He rose from the grave to offer you His righteousness as a free gift.

The question is not whether you know about Jesus. The question is whether you have trusted Him as your Lord and Savior.

This post is based on a sermon from the Gospel of John series preached at Liberty Baptist Church. For more resources on the deity of Christ and the Gospel of John, visit our website or join us for Sunday worship.

Related Questions:

  • What are the seven "I AM" statements in the Gospel of John?
  • Why is the deity of Christ essential to Christianity?
  • How is Jesus connected to the Old Testament?
  • What does it mean to have eternal life according to Jesus?
  • Why did the Pharisees reject Jesus?