“I AM”

We frequently use the phrase “I am” to describe ourselves to someone we recently met. In a brief sentence we sum up something that is most important to us or to our identity. We may say, “I am Jake’s mother” or “I am Lizzy’s father”. Or “I am married” or “single”. We may say we are what we do for a living. “I am a sales rep”, “a teacher” or “an engineer”. Sometimes we say something more profound or essential about us. “I am a Christian”, “agnostic”, “an atheist”. “I am” is used to capture some essential part of who we are. It is no less true that when Jesus made several “I am” statements he was attempting to communicate something essential about who he was and his purpose as he saw it.

            Whatever we say about ourselves, whether we say we are Christians, Jews, atheists or hold some other belief, it is hard to dismiss the significance the life and death of Jesus has had worldwide  over the past 20 centuries. If we are to understand the person of Jesus Christ, the best place to begin is in his very own words regarding himself. In understanding his statements, his declarations of who he is, we must look not only with the eyes and ears of our personal understanding and frame of reference, but also in context of his culture and time.

            Jesus was a Jew, living in a Roman conquered and occupied Israel 2000 years ago. For the Jewish people, “I am” has a very significant meaning beyond the common use of the phrase. “I AM” is the name of Yahweh. It is the name God has given himself as passed down through Moses and recorded in the book of Exodus.

But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?”

God replied to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.

This is my eternal name,my name to remember for all generations. Exodus 3:13-15

            Jesus makes several analogies and statements of his character using the expression “I am” to create images that would convey some essential part of his identity. Some expressions are rather direct conveying his heart’s attitude.

“Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29

While other teachings were so confusing that they literally drove his followers away. Jesus said that he is the bread of life. While elaborating on his statement he continued by saying:

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”

Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked. John 6:51-52

We now recognize this teaching as a foreshadowing of communion. However, at the time many disciples turned away and deserted him after these confusing statements. Some in the crowd of followers believed that he was talking about some kind of cannibalism – frightening and appalling to be sure! It is easy to dismiss their thinking as absurd since we have the benefit of hindsight.

Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”

Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:67-69

The faith that the disciples show at this point in time is significant. It is a faith that says, “we believe, but we don’t understand”.  Or like the father asking Jesus to heal his deathly ill daughter: I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief! Sometimes our faith is tenuous. Our knowledge may get in the way of our belief. How can a handful of loaves and fishes feed thousands? How can a virgin have a child? “How” sometimes has the detrimental effect of preceding the “who”. These next posts are all about WHO Jesus is. When we begin to fully understand who he is, the rest can be contemplated in that light.

In the next few weeks, I want to explore who Jesus said he was using his own words – “Rabbi”, “bread of life”, “light of the world”, “the gate”, “the good shepherd”, “the resurrection and the life”, “the way, the truth and the life”, “the true vine”, “the King” and, ultimately, “I Am” the Lord.

I don’t claim to fully grasp these mysteries. I am only a fellow sojourner walking with my Jesus, desiring to know him better. I invite you to walk with me – to ask your questions, to seek, to trust. I hope that these chapters are a springboard into scripture. I pray that we each would be blessed with a deeper  understanding of who Jesus is.