JESUS - The GREAT I AM

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John 8:48–59 “The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.”

Study of the Passage

John 8:48 “The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?””

They are accusing JESUS of having a demon. JESUS equating HIMSELF to the FATHER really prompted them to say that HE was a liar and a demon-possessed man. They are degrading HIM to a Samaritan with who they had no relations.

In other gospel accounts we can see them accusing JESUS being possessed by Beelzebul.

Matthew 12:24 “But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.””

Luke 11:15 “But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,””

So it is a common accusation that they made regarding JESUS and they are repeating here again.

JESUS gives a warning regarding blasphemy against the HOLY SPIRIT.

Matthew 12:31–32 “Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”

Mark 3:28–29 ““Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—”

John 8:49–51 “Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.””

JESUS is stating the truth - I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father. In fact, everything that he said and he did was honoring the FATHER. People who were full of personal and political agenda could not see clearly.

“and you dishonor me.” - It is obvious that they are dishonoring JESUS. You won’t call someone is possessed by demons if you are honoring that person.

Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is ONE who seeks it, and HE is the judge - JESUS never sought glory for HIMSELF.

JESUS makes a Truly, Truly statement - “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

JESUS is not talking about physical death, but rather spiritual and eternal death.

Earlier he talked about them dying in their sins unless they believe that HE is the one.

John 8:21 “So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.””

John 8:24 “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.””

So JESUS is not talking about physical death, but rather not dying in their sins.

John 8:52–53 “The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?””

They are asking HIM - who do you think you are.

Their minds are darkened from seeing the glory of CHRIST who is standing in front of them. They simply cannot see the CREATOR. They are only thinking of HIM as someone equivalent to their patriarchs.

John 8:54–56 “Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.””

The LORD here is reiterating the fact that HE is not glorifying HIMSELF. If HE did so, from a human standpoint his glorifying of HIMSELF would amount to nothing. This is not because HE doesn’t deserve glory. HE is the most glorious One, but because the path for HIS glorification through incarnation was not to be done through self-exaltation, but self denial.

JESUS' glorification came after HIS complete submission and suffering where HE drank the bitter cup that was prepared for HIM from before the foundation of the world. At the end of the perfection of suffering, HE was glorified by the FATHER.

All the glory that HE had came from the FATHER. It is the FATHER who glorified HIM. JESUS was glorified because of the fact that HE perfectly carried out the will of the FATHER which was planned from all eternity.

JESUS Himself said that HE did not come to be served but to serve and to give HIS life as a ransom for many.

Mark 10:35–45 “And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.””

JESUS has left us a model to imitate. We are to seek the glory that comes from GOD. Our commendation and honor should come from GOD alone. We are not to seek it for ourselves.

1 Corinthians 4:2–5 “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.”

We are to wait and work earnestly to receive our commendation from GOD.

In verse 56 the LORD says, “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.””

By making this statement, JESUS would declare HIS superiority to Abraham who is their Patriarch.

Your father - the physical father and JESUS continues to acknowledge that Abraham is their physical father, but that doesn't mean that they are children of Abraham (tekna).

Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day - the idea is not that Abraham wished to see JESUS' day but Abraham knew that he would see JESUS' day or the day of the Messiah.

Matthew 13:17 “For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” -

In the above verses the LORD is establishing Himself as the hope and expectation of the Old Testament and the people of the Old Testament. All of them wanted to see the Messiah.

The LORD is trying to open their eyes to the reality of who HE really is.

Previously, HE did declare HIS superiority to Moses.

In other Gospel accounts HE declared HIS superiority to David.

Now HE is letting them know that HE is superior to Abraham.

John 8:57 “So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?””

Fifty years was the age of a man's maturity where a man has finished working and became a mature adult according to their culture. So this statement is a statement of insult and contempt. This is along the lines of them asking "Where is Your father?" earlier in the chapter.

Numbers 4:2–3 ““Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their clans and their fathers’ houses, from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can come on duty, to do the work in the tent of meeting.”

Numbers 4:39 “from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who could come on duty for service in the tent of meeting—”

Numbers 8:24–25 ““This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting. And from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the duty of the service and serve no more.”

Abraham lived 175 years

Genesis 25:7–8 “These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life, 175 years. Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.”

So the idea is that you are not even a complete / mature man and you claim to have seen Abraham? Because JESUS was saying that Abraham rejoiced to see HIM, the Jews were making fun of HIM saying how is it that you have seen Abraham. In their minds JESUS is a man and has not seen Abraham. Here is a young man who has not even completed the years of the working of a man's life, and he is talking about the patriarch who lived 175 years, full of years. Therefore, HE must not authoritatively speak about Abraham.

John 8:58 “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.””

This is one of the greatest statements that JESUS made with regards to HIS pre-existence and HIS eternal nature.

JESUS was not saying that HE somehow was born before Abraham was, but rather that HE existed - I AM - before Abraham was ever born.

This clearly points to so many old testament revelations of YAHWEH who disclosed HIMSELF as I AM:

Exodus 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.’ ””

Isaiah 43:11–13 “I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior. I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and I am God. Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?””

Isaiah 46:4 “even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.”

Isaiah 48:12 ““Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last.”

As you can see JESUS is clearly equating HIMSELF to YAHWEH of OT and HE is declaring HIMSELF as YAHWEH.

It is not a question of whether Abraham was born first or if JESUS was born first, but the fact is JESUS was never born. HE just was.

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Colossians 1:17 “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

John 17:5 “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”

John 8:59 “So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.”

In the temple complex, they tried to kill HIM. They were already intending to kill HIM, but now they are picking up stones to throw at HIM.

This was because what HE said equated to blasphemy. HE made HIMSELF equal with GOD. HE equated HIMSELF to the GREAT I AM.

Conclusion

In this Chapter we learned:

JESUS is the Light of the world who delivers from darkness - the idea is that HE liberates from sin. His entire life, work, and ministry is authenticated by GOD.

HE is the One who came from above, sent by the Father, to be lifted up on the cross, buried and lifted up again to heaven which will be the ultimate proof that HE is the Son of GOD.

Without a person becoming HIS disciple, he or she will have no hope and freedom. HIS disciples are the ones who are continually liberated by the truth. HE is the truth and HE will liberate through the power of HIS word.

Every person who commits sin without experiencing the forgiveness of JESUS is a slave of sin. Therefore everyone needs freedom from sin.

JESUS is the True Son who will remain in the household forever. HE is the One who can truly bring freedom to anyone who believes in HIM.

Those who do not believe in JESUS are still under the paternity of the devil. The devil continues as the father of those who are enslaved to sin, who rejects CHRIST. They continue to believe in lies and continue in the same characteristic as the devil. They have no capacity or predisposition to believe in the truth or hear CHRIST’s word.

Whoever is of GOD, will accept CHRIST, receive HIS word, and continue to trust in the all-sufficiency of CHRIST.

Anyone who is not born of GOD is still enslaved and they in turn cannot bear the word of JESUS.

And why is JESUS’s words important - Because HE is the GREAT I AM.

And only those who hear JESUS’ words will escape death.