John 8:54-59, Before Abraham Was, I AM

54 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.' 55 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. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad." 57 So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" 58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

Jesus identifies in oneness with the Father, who glorifies him. If his Jewish detractors are to know the Father, then they must know him also in and through Jesus. They are not amused by Jesus' identification with God or his belief that he fulfills the ancient promises God made to Abraham. In saying that Abraham rejoiced to see his day, he means Abraham embraced in faith that God would do what he promised. When Jesus says that Abraham "saw it and was glad", he most likely refers to the birth of Isaac, who initially fulfills God's promise. In Jesus, however, the promise is finally and completely fulfilled.

Then comes the response that arouses them to a murderous rage: "Before Abraham was, I AM." Jesus uses the divine I AM God spoke to Moses in Exodus 3:14 for himself. He places himself in and out of human time and history--even before time and history exist. His words clarify his divine self-identity, which is what his hearers  understood him to say, for they picked up stones to kill him, following the command in Deuteronomy 13 to stone to death any prophet who would lead the people of God to another god. There is no clearer claim to divinity that Jesus makes than this one.

Consider if Jesus were not divine: What are the implications for your faith? For Christianity itself? Would Jesus not be just another person who might seem better than most? Jesus is the God-man, the Word made flesh. Take time to worship I AM today.