Jesus And The Claim To Be I AM (ἐγώ εἰµι)

# How is I AM the name of God? A title that Jesus used for himself is the specific phrase **I AM**, also know as ***ego eimi - ἐγώ εἰμι*** in Greek. This is related back to the divine name given by God in the Old Testament. In the book of Exodus, Moses is told the name of God as "**I AM WHO I AM**", and in the following sentence, the shortened version of the name "**I AM**" is given. The Hebrew words are ***אוה ינא* (Ani Hu)** and **היהא *רשא היהא* (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh)** and the Greek translation in the Septuagint is ***ἐγώ εἰµι ὁ ὤν* ("I AM WHO I AM"-** or **"I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE)** and ***ἐγώ εἰµι* ("I AM")**. > [!bible]+ [Exodus 3:14 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/2/3/) > 14. 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.’” This shortened name is then used throughout the bible in places like [Exodus 6:2](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/EXO.6.2) and [Isaiah 48:12](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.48.12) to declare the name of God. [Deuteronomy 32:39](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/DEU.32.39) uses the name **I AM** serves as climactic declaration of God's all-embracing and unlimited power to offer deliverance and intervene on behalf of Israel. Scholars argue that the repetition of ***ἐγώ εἰµι*** in passages like [Isaiah 43:25](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.43.25) and [Isaiah 51:12](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.51.12), where ***אוה יכנא יכנא*** is translated as ***ἐγώ εἰµι ἐγώ εἰµι***, further supporting the view that ***ἐγώ εἰµι*** was understood as a form of the divine name ([[Brown1991-px]][[Dodd1968-js]]). When the New Testament authors were writing the Gospels, the Greek Translation of the Old Testament was the most common Bible used at the time ([[Law2013-ui]]). # Sayings In The Gospel Of John ***ἐγώ εἰμι*** is quite common and occurs in about 31 different verses in the gospel of John. > [!Bible]- Read the I AM Statements in John > ![[Index of I AM Statements#Jesus' I AM Statements In John]] Jesus’ **“I AM”** sayings in the New Testament serve not only as identifiers of His mission but also as clear assertions of His deity. These statements are special because they tell us more about who Jesus is and what he does; they tie back to the Old Testament description of God in [Exodus 14:3](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/EXO.14.3) , [Deuteronomy 32:38-39](https://archive.org/details/origenhexapla01unknuoft/page/322/mode/2up?view=theater), and ([Isaiah 41:4; 45:12, 18]([Origen Hexapla : Field, Frederick : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/origenhexapla02unknuoft/page/518/mode/2up?view=theater) [Origen Hexapla : Field, Frederick : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/origenhexapla02unknuoft/page/518/mode/2up?view=theater))) that translate the Hebrew ***“אֲנִי הוּא”*** to ***“ἐγώ εἰμι”*** for the name of God. These declarations can be grouped into two distinct categories based on the predicate that is used. In linguistics, a predicate is the part of a sentence or clause containing a verb and stating something about the subject. In the context of Jesus' "I AM" sayings, the predicate is the descriptive element that follows "I AM" ([[noauthor_undated-td]]). ## Jesus's 7 Claims and 7 Signs In John's Gospel > [!example]- Category 1: Sayings with a Predicate: > In the first category of the "I AM" sayings, each statement includes a predicate, which is a metaphorical description that follows "I am." For example, when Jesus says, "I am the bread of life" [John 6:35](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.6.35)), the predicate "the bread of life" describes how He is essential for sustenance and life. Similarly, in "I am the light of the world" ([John 8:12](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.8.12)), the predicate "the light of the world" illustrates His role as the source of truth and guidance in spiritual darkness. This is not just in the Chapter of John, but in the rest of the Bible and other ancient Greek sources. One example is in [Revelation 2:23](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/REV.2.23) where Jesus says, “I am the one who searches the minds and the hearts”; In [Revelation 22:16](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/REV.22.16) He says, “I am the root and the descendent of David” ([[Guthrie1981-xj]]). > [!Tip]- Jesus Claims Gods Attributes > >![[Jesus's 7 Claims and 7 Signs In John's Gospel]] ## Jesus's Seven Divine Statements > [!Example]- Category 2: Sayings without a Predicate: > In the second category of the "I AM" sayings found in the Gospel of John, Jesus uses the phrase "I AM" (*ego eimi - ἐγώ εἰμι*) without a following predicate. For an example of this, you can look at this claim of Jesus: > > >> [!bible]+ [John 18:4-6 - ESV](https://bolls.life/ESV/43/18/) > 4. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5. They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “**I am [he].**” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6. When Jesus said to them, “**I am [he]**,” they drew back and fell to the ground. > > >[!question] I am he? > Many translations supply the word “he” (“I am he”) to avoid an awkward ending to the phrase; however, this term is not present in the Greek text ([[Barry2016-qq]]). The correct rendering would be **"I AM"** > These sayings are inspired by the prophet Isaiah who often used **"I AM"** to talk about the glory and power of God. See the chart below for references; > | Point | References | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **1.** YHWH alone is God | [Isaiah 41:4](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.41.4); [Isaiah 43:10](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.43.10), [Isaiah 43:13](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.43.13), [Isaiah 44:6](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.44.6), [Isaiah 44:8](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.44.8), [Isaiah 45:5](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.45.5), [Isaiah 45:6](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.45.6), [Isaiah 45:18](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.45.18), [Isaiah 45:21](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.45.21), [Isaiah 45:22](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.45.22), [Isaiah 44:9](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.44.9) | | **2.** YHWH is the Lord of History and redeemer of Israel | [Isaiah 41:4-5](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.41.4-5), [Isaiah 45:8-13](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.45.8-13), [Isaiah 45:14-16](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.45.14-16), [Isaiah 45:21-24](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.45.21-24), [Isaiah 42:6](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.42.6), [Isaiah 43:15](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.43.15), [Isaiah 43:25](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.43.25), [Isaiah 44:6-8](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.44.6-8), [Isaiah 45:1-8](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.45.1-8), [Isaiah 46:4-13](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.46.4-13), [Isaiah 49:23](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.49.23), [Isaiah 49:26](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.49.26), [Isaiah 51:12](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.51.12), [Isaiah 52:6](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.52.6) | | **3.** Shows YHWH alone created the world | [Isaiah 41:4-5](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.41.4-5), [Isaiah 43:1-2](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.43.1-2), [Isaiah 44:24](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.44.24), [Isaiah 45:7](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.45.7), [Isaiah 48:12-13](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.48.12-13), [Isaiah 51:10](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.51.10), [Isaiah 51:12-13](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.51.12-13) | | **4.** Emphasizes Israel to trust and renew their faith in YHWH, serving as his witness | [Isaiah 41:4](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.41.4), [Isaiah 43:8-13](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.43.8-13), [Isaiah 46:3](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.46.3), [Isaiah 48:12](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.48.12), [Isaiah 51:12](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.51.12), [Isaiah 52:6](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.52.6) | | **5.** Is short for “I am YHWH” | [Isaiah 41:4](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.41.4), [Isaiah 43:10](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.43.10), [Isaiah 43:13](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.43.13), [Isaiah 46:4](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.46.4), [Isaiah 46:9](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.46.9), [Isaiah 48:12](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.48.12), [Isaiah 51:12](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ISA.51.12) | > [!Tip]- *Jesus claims to be **I AM ἐγώ εἰμι**:* ![[Jesus's Seven Divine Statements]]