The I Am Statements of Jesus
By Mike Oppenheimer (Let Us Reason Ministries) (Articlesource)
Who do you say Jesus is? Jesus asked this same question to
his disciples about what others thought of him and then asked what they thought
of him.
Jn.5:37: "And the Father himself, who sent me, has
borne witness of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his
shape.
‘Jesus gives the source of his commission, which is from the
Father personally.
It is the Fathers voice and form they have not seen, yet
Christ has.
Christ who is called the exact image of the invisible Father
is the voice that the people heard. He then says that they search the
Scriptures in them you think you have eternal life but they testify of
me."(v.39) The Son is said to be the eternal life with the Father. Are we
to believe the Scriptures testify of only a human being and not God himself? In
the end of the discourse Jesus says in vs.46-47 "If you believed Moses you
would believe Me; for he wrote about me. But if you don’t believe his writings,
how will you believe my words?"
When did Moses write of him? Deut.18:15-19: "The LORD
your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your
brethren. Him you shall hear, "according to all you desired of the LORD
your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, 'Let me not hear again
the voice of the LORD my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I
die.' "And the LORD said to me: 'What they have spoken is good. 'I will
raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My
words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. 'And it
shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I
will require it of him." Jesus claims to be the prophet Moses spoke of
that should listen to. Notice that it says they did not want to hear the voice
of the Lord anymore or see his glory in Horeb. Then God says he will put his
words in a future prophets mouth if they do not listen to his words, God will
require it of him." This very thing Jesus said of himself in Jn.8:24
"Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not
believe that I am (He), you will die in your sins."
John 6:51:"I am the living bread which came down from
heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever;"
John 8:23: And He said to them, "You are from beneath;
I AM from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
John 8:12: Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I
AM the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but
have the light of life."
John 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to
you, before Abraham was, I AM."
John 10:9: "I AM the door. If anyone enters by Me, he
will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."
John 10:11: "I AM the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives
His life for the sheep.
John 10:36: "do you say of Him whom the Father
sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I
am the Son of God'?
John 11:25: Jesus said to her, "I AM the resurrection
and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
John 14:6: Jesus said to him, "I AM the way, the truth,
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 15:1: "I AM the true vine, and My Father is the
vinedresser.
John 19:2: Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to
Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'He said, "I am
the King of the Jews."'"
Acts 7:32: Stephen speaking of Moses' encounter at the
burning bush "saying, 'I am the God
of your fathers-- the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'
And Moses trembled and dared not look."
Acts 9:5: And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And
the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you
to kick against the goads."
The I Am In the Old Testament was whatever man needed. He
became, he was his all in all. Jesus in the New Testament uses all the examples
to show who He is. He is everything to man and the only way to God.
The most important of all the statements is in John 8:24 after he tells them I am not of
this world.
"Therefore I said to you that you will die in your
sins; for if you do not believe that I am [He], you will die in your
sins." ( he is not in the original). He is communicating to them he is the
same I AM that Moses met at the burning bush which commissioned him.
Christ's Deity Was questioned many times in different ways,
and many times it was Affirmed by both God and man
The IF of Satan- IF Thou art the Son of God command that
these stones be made bread" (Matt, 4- 3).
God's Testimony: -This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased" (Matt. 3:17 ) Affirmed by God the Father.
The IF Of 'the Jews - 'IF You are the Christ, tell us
plainly" (John 10: 24).
Christ's Testimony v.25 Jesus answered them, "I told
you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear
witness of Me."v.36"I am the Son of God.". Affirmed by Jesus
The IF of the Chief Priests - "If He is the King of
Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him." (Matt
27:42)
Nathanael's Testimony: -"Thou art the Son of God, Thou
art the King of Israel" (John 1: 16). Affirmed by a Jew with no guile.
Luke 23:38And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek,
Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS
The IF of the passersby -'IF Thou be the Son of God, come
down from the cross" (Matt. 27: 40).
The Centurion's Testimony-Truly this was the Son of
God" (Matt. 27: 54). Affirmed by a Roman witness
The IF of the Rulers - "Let Him save Himself IF He be
the Christ, the chosen of God" (Luke 23: 35).
the Father "If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It
is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. John 8:54
The IF of the Pharisee "This man, IF He were a prophet,
would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is
a sinner."
Jesus’ testimony But Jesus did not commit Himself to them,
because He knew all men, John 2:24
Luke 19:10"for the Son of Man has come to seek and to
save that which was lost." Affirmed by Jesus
The IF of the high priest -"I put You under oath by the
living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!" (Matt 26:63)
Jesus’ Testimony "It is as you said. Nevertheless, I
say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of
the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven." Matt 26:64 affirmed by
Jesus
The thief’s testimony Then he said to Jesus, "Lord,
remember me when You come into Your kingdom." (Luke 23:42) Affirmed by a
criminal put to death.
Why would Satan challenge on his being the Son of God if son
only meant his humanity or being a child of God in the general sense like
anyone else. It was an assault on His true person who He was before he came to
earth. For one to claim specifically to be God's Son was to claim a unique
relationship that no one else has. In Jn.5:18, the Jews wanted to kill him
because He said God was his Father, making himself equal with God (in nature.)
This meant a special relationship that excludes anyone else is able to have. In
Jn.10:30 Jesus claimed “I and my Father are one.” In V.33 the Jews pick up
stones because they understood this as blasphemy in v.36 Jesus interprets what
He meant by saying, “because I said, I am the Son of God."
4 TITLES of Son are used in the New Testament:
The Son of Adam- Means he is a man (Son of Man) within the
lineage of humanity.
Son of David- Means Jesus is a King a descendent of David
being an heir to his throne.
Son of Abraham- Means Jesus is of a Jewish descent.
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