"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. (John 8:56-59)
God told Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, that through him all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:1-7; 15:1-21). Abraham had been able to see this through the eyes of faith. Jesus, a descendant of Abraham, blessed all people through His death, resurrection, and offer of salvation.
What did Jesus mean when He told the religious leaders that "Abraham rejoiced to see My day" - Abraham looked for the One who would fulfill all that was promised to him—promises that included blessings for all nations (see Gal. 3:8, 9, 29).
Jesus made one of His most powerful and profound statements regarding His deity in John 8:58. When Jesus said that He existed before Abraham was born, He undeniably proclaimed His divinity. Not only did Jesus say that He existed before Abraham; He also applied God's holy name (I Am - Exodus 3:14) to Himself.
What did Jesus mean when He told the religious leaders that "Abraham rejoiced to see My day" - Abraham looked for the One who would fulfill all that was promised to him—promises that included blessings for all nations (see Gal. 3:8, 9, 29).
Jesus made one of His most powerful and profound statements regarding His deity in John 8:58. When Jesus said that He existed before Abraham was born, He undeniably proclaimed His divinity. Not only did Jesus say that He existed before Abraham; He also applied God's holy name (I Am - Exodus 3:14) to Himself.
Word Focus: I AM - (Gk. ego - eimi) (John 6:35; 8:58; 10:7, 14; 15:1; 18:5) G1473; G1510: This expression denotes “self-identity in self-sufficiency.” In one breath, Jesus asserted His eternal preexistence and His absolute deity. Abraham, as with all mortals, came into existence at one point in time. The Son of God, unlike all mortals, never has a beginning. He is eternal; and He is God. This is evident in Jesus’ use of the words “I AM” for Himself. This statement recalls the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) translation of Ex. 3:6, 14, in which God unveiled His identity as the “I AM WHO I AM.” Thus, Jesus was claiming to be the ever-existing, self-existent God.
In accordance with the law given in Leviticus 24:16, the religious leaders were ready to stone Jesus for claiming to be God. They well understood what Jesus was claiming, and because they didn't believe He was God, they charged Him with blasphemy. It is ironic that they were really the blasphemers, cursing and attacking the very God they claimed to serve! The religious leaders could not and would not believe that Jesus was God in the flesh.
The question is: How have you responded to Jesus, the Son of God? Have you allowed Him to come into your life and be Lord and Savior? Have you turned everything over to Jesus? Is Jesus your Lord of Lords, King of Kings and do you consider Him to be the Great I AM?
References: NKJV Holy Bible, Life Application Bible (NIV), the Nelson Study Bible.
11 comments:
Great post on an very interesting blog. I shall return. k
Hi Lloyd,
None of us should want to mimic the religious leaders who opposed Christ when He declared, "...before Abraham was, I AM." -- We should also not be in the group that would ignore Christ, The I AM.
Good post brother. It drives home the point that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Blessings and peace.
MTJ
Yes, I allowed Him! :) Jesus is my Salvator. I read last time Genesis - chapters about Abraham. God bless You.
Attacking an idol can get get things thrown at you today too,(figuratively speaking.) Jesus' claim distinguished the true God from the one they'd fabricated in their heart.
I'm thankful that he "sought me, and bought me with his redeeming blood."
Another great post as always. I find your words to be so uplifting,
Jane
From the beginning in John we know who Jesus is - 'In the beginning....' we have the benefit of faith, the Gosples and our own encounter with the Risen Christ. We should remember that the Pharisees applied their Law because they saw just a man, would we have been any different - we need to have understanding for those who do not yet see. To live clothed in Christ so that to be a Christian is not to be 'just a man or woman,.
It is amazing how few in the 'church' of today have any interest into looking into the wonder of the Incarnation or the high and Holy Mystery of the Trinity.
Many books and sermons about how to do this or that, but how few have bothered seeking to KNOW who God is.
It's also amazing that groups like the Jehovah's Witness have so much success. Even their truncated and corrupted scriptures still testify to the deity of Christ.
Always a good topic. Thanks for the post.......
Mind-blowing post. I meditated on the word "eternal" while reading; it's amazing to think, of all the great empires that have risen and fallen, that only one, true, infallible, unassailable power will exist for all time. That's amazing...
Amen and Amen. Another great post. Thanks again.
I have turned everything over to Him!! Thank you for the post! I enjoyed it very much!
Greetings -
As Peter so accurately stated in Matthew 16:16, "..Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus is the Prince of Peace, the Son of the Majesty on High, the True Vine, the Captain of our Salvation....bless His Holy name.
Thank you, JESUS, that You are the Lamb of GOD who takes away the sin of the world and that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimonies. Praise You, Lion of the tribe of Juda....
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