By T. W. Parker

Since Jesus Christ’s ministry began, He performed “signs and wonders” and spoke gracious, influential, controversial words that amazed the people and Jewish leaders. However, one of the most profound statements Jesus has ever made is the I AM statement in John 14:6: “In the upper room on the eve of the crucifixion, Jesus spoke of his imminent departure, finishing with “And where I am going you know the way” (John. 14:4, NIV). Thomas rejoined with, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going; how can we know the way?” to which Jesus replied, “I AM the way and the truth and the life,” adding, “no one comes to the Father except through me (14:5–6).” (Morris 1989, 118). Jesus spoke these words that would reveal the role He played in the (OT) related to God, His deity related to the Godhead, and how this truth can transform every believer’s life. “These statements are also crucial since “I am” is the Old Testament name of God (cf. Exod. 3:14–15; frequently in Isa. 40–66, e.g., 41:4)” (Köstenberger2013, 247).

Apart from the instances where the simple form “I AM “occurs in Greek with overtones of the divine name, John’s gospel records seven so-called “I AM” sayings. “I am the bread of life,” “I am the light of the world,” “I am the gate,” “I am the good shepherd,” I am the “resurrection and the life,” “I am the way and the truth and the life,” I am the true vine.” “John is insisting that Jesus is the one way to the Father. He will not allow for one moment that the way of the Jewish priestly leaders, with their insistence on the place of the law and the significance of circumcision, is another possible way to God” (Morris, 118).

Christ is the only way to heaven; Christ’s words and works must indicate a unique relationship between the Father and the Son. Jesus tells His disciples that He is the way if you want to see the Father. Jesus clarifies this by saying, “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? Moreover, if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me so that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3)  

The Way:

Jesus is the only way to God. Those who claim to know God but reject Jesus do not know God Christ is the only way to heaven. In the (OT), when Moses was on Mount Sinia, Exodus chapter (3), the Messenger of the Lord spoke to him; this was not merely a created angel, but the Messenger of Jehovah, Christ Himself, as is evident from the following context. “Moreover, he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.” (Exodus 3:6)

The unconsumed but burning bush was the angel of verse 2 is identified as God (Heb Elohim). God appeared in human form to people in the (OT) numerous times; this was one way God chose to reveal Himself. Likewise, in the (NT) Jesus affirms, “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known” (1:18)—this is John’s bedrock conviction. If John’s testimony is true, then the question becomes, what will you and I do with this final, definitive revelation of God in Jesus Christ?” (Köstenberger, 190) 

The Truth:

Jesus Christ embodies all truth as He spoke with the Jews who believed in Him. He said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:31-32) In verse 31, “Hold” translates the same Greek word as “remain” in (15:4-7,9-10). A genuine believer perseveres in Jesus’ teaching by obeying it and seeking to understand it better. Persevering has two results: (1) it establishes genuine faith (“you are my disciples”). It separates spurious faith from true faith, fickle disciples from committed disciples. (2) It is a way to know the liberating “truth” process, including intellectual assessment and moral commitment. “The more we know about God’s truth, the easier it will be for us to spot untruth.” (Gangel 2000) Abiding in His Word gives more excellent knowledge of the truth and sets one free from sin.         

The Life:

No man can approach the Father unless he does so through Christ; when Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, He said, “I am the resurrection and the life” the one who believes in me will live, even though they die;” (John 11:25). Under the Father’s sanction, He insisted that He alone will raise the dead on the last day. Furthermore, Jesus asks Martha if she trusts Him for the resurrection and life. At Lazarus’ funeral, the Jewish custom dictated at least two flute players and a professional wailing woman, even for a needy family. Jesus was deeply moved, not merely emotionally upset because of empathy, grief, or pain, but angry at (1) the sin, sickness, and death in this fallen world. (2) For people, unbelief grieved like the pagans “like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.” Christians are to praise God for a living hope that has come to us through Christ. “Christ himself is the Christian hope (1 Tim. 1:1); by his resurrection, the specifically Christian virtue of hope is bestowed on the regenerate, who abound in hope through the Spirit (Rom. 15:13).” (Treier and Elwell 2017, 401)           

Conclusion:

The I am statement from God is first penned in the (OT) when God made a covenant with Abram. It reads, “After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” (Genesis 15:1) And then “I am the Lord” in (vs. 7). This is a statement of His faithfulness in the past and a revelation of what He will do in the future. The practice of translating (YHWH) as “Lord” in (vs.15) derives from the earliest pre-Christian Greek translation of the (OT) the Septuagint in the third century BC. This significantly influenced the (NT) not only in its use of Kyrios (“Lord”) in (OT) quotations but also in the use of terms for Jesus, thus identifying Him with the God of the (OT). The divine name is also alluded to in the “I am” sayings of Jesus, correctly interpreted by the Jews as a claim to deity. 

Moreover, the “I am sayings are throughout the Bible, even in the Book of Revelation. Jesus states, “I am the root and offspring of David and the bright Morning Star.” (Rev 22:16) The message is for the churches; the root connects Christ with Israel and David. The bright and morning star links Him with the church. The (OT) ends with Christ as the “Sun of righteousness” (Mal 4:2), and the (NT) closes with Him as the bright morning star.   

 Bibliography 

Edward G. Dodson, Ed Hindson, Charles L. Feinberg, Michael Kroll Woodrow, Harold L. Wilmington. The KJV Parallel Bible Commentary. Published by Thomas Nelson, 1994.

Gangel, Kenneth. Holman New Testament Commentary – John, edited by Max Anders, B&H Publishing Group, 2000. 

Köstenberger, Andreas. Encountering John. Nashville: Lifeway, 2013.

Morris, Leon. Jesus Is the Christ: Studies in the Theology of John. Nashville: Lifeway, 1989.

Treier, Daniel J., and Walter A. Elwell, Editors. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Third Edition. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2017.