“I am.” Two very simple words. But two very dangerous words in John 8.
We use these words very comfortably together, “I am . . . going to the store.” “I am . . . tired.” “I am . . . angry.” “I am . . . whatever.” But the way Jesus uses these two words reveals something about him that is very important: who he is.
There are two things about this “I am”; two things that make it stand out. The first is the tense: Present tense. “Before Abraham was (past tense), I am (present tense).” It’s one of those odd moments where you shake your head and say, “Wha?” Time doesn’t work the way Jesus is talking here. You cannot be in the now and in the then at the same time. For us the only moment we have is now. Moving forward, we will have moments to come, if God grants it, but looking backward there is no way to back to then; and no way to be in both now and then at the same time.
Unless the rules of time do not apply to you. Or maybe if you made the rules of time.
The second thing that is important about this little statement, is that in Greek they didn’t usually use two words to say, “I am.” They just used one word; “am”. They put different endings on verbs to show the subject – who is doing the action. This works for us too with the being verbs to some degree, although it is bad grammar. He/she is. They are. We are. (Oops, that’d be confusing.) And, I am. To use both words, I and AM, was both unusual and emphatic. He wants the Jews gathered around to hear both words – I am.
These two words, spoken emphatically, spoken in a way so that they will stand out, would point these Jews in Jerusalem, standing in the temple, back to Exodus 3:14 when Moses stood at the burning bush and God told him, “I AM WHO I AM.” And when Jesus said it, that is exactly where their minds went, because, “they picked up stones to throw at him.” They intended to kill him by stoning him, because to take God’s name to yourself is to make yourself to be God.
Jesus came because God loves us and wants us to know Him. He himself is God – and he says so right here. But they don’t get it. Probably, neither would we. Rules are easier to understand. Love gives freedom, and God wants us to freely love and serve Him. Jesus needs to do something drastic to get our attention. He has to shake us to break through the darkness. So Jesus says, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.”
It is not until Jesus is lifted on the cross that we truly see him for who he is. This is the Father’s drastic plan to shake us to see how much he loves us. He gives the Son, and the Son goes freely, to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
So what? So this – Jesus’ death and resurrection are THE signal event of his ministry. He came to love us so well that we might have forgiveness and return to the Father. Therefore, if we live in forgiveness, should we not extend that forgiveness to others? “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone!” God did not send Jesus to us to condemn us, but to forgive us. Let’s live as forgiven and forgiving people.
We use these words very comfortably together, “I am . . . going to the store.” “I am . . . tired.” “I am . . . angry.” “I am . . . whatever.” But the way Jesus uses these two words reveals something about him that is very important: who he is.
There are two things about this “I am”; two things that make it stand out. The first is the tense: Present tense. “Before Abraham was (past tense), I am (present tense).” It’s one of those odd moments where you shake your head and say, “Wha?” Time doesn’t work the way Jesus is talking here. You cannot be in the now and in the then at the same time. For us the only moment we have is now. Moving forward, we will have moments to come, if God grants it, but looking backward there is no way to back to then; and no way to be in both now and then at the same time.
Unless the rules of time do not apply to you. Or maybe if you made the rules of time.
The second thing that is important about this little statement, is that in Greek they didn’t usually use two words to say, “I am.” They just used one word; “am”. They put different endings on verbs to show the subject – who is doing the action. This works for us too with the being verbs to some degree, although it is bad grammar. He/she is. They are. We are. (Oops, that’d be confusing.) And, I am. To use both words, I and AM, was both unusual and emphatic. He wants the Jews gathered around to hear both words – I am.
These two words, spoken emphatically, spoken in a way so that they will stand out, would point these Jews in Jerusalem, standing in the temple, back to Exodus 3:14 when Moses stood at the burning bush and God told him, “I AM WHO I AM.” And when Jesus said it, that is exactly where their minds went, because, “they picked up stones to throw at him.” They intended to kill him by stoning him, because to take God’s name to yourself is to make yourself to be God.
Jesus came because God loves us and wants us to know Him. He himself is God – and he says so right here. But they don’t get it. Probably, neither would we. Rules are easier to understand. Love gives freedom, and God wants us to freely love and serve Him. Jesus needs to do something drastic to get our attention. He has to shake us to break through the darkness. So Jesus says, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.”
It is not until Jesus is lifted on the cross that we truly see him for who he is. This is the Father’s drastic plan to shake us to see how much he loves us. He gives the Son, and the Son goes freely, to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
So what? So this – Jesus’ death and resurrection are THE signal event of his ministry. He came to love us so well that we might have forgiveness and return to the Father. Therefore, if we live in forgiveness, should we not extend that forgiveness to others? “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone!” God did not send Jesus to us to condemn us, but to forgive us. Let’s live as forgiven and forgiving people.
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