Discussing The I Am Sayings Of Jesus Christ Religion Essay

Introduction.

Wordss are really powerful, particularly when they are coming from the influential personalities. This is non similar reading or being presenting the massage send by these recognized individuals. Sometimes speeches that are being delivered on behave of these personalities, and the signifiers of powers that they usually carry are non felt. But if they were to be delivered by them, people intend to take them serious. On this note, I shall discourse the “ I AM ” expressions of Jesus Christ in John`s narrative, and demo how of import it is for Christians today.

There are many Bibles that assert or affirm the deity of Jesus Christ, and John`s authorship is one of them. As we are chew overing the whole and the biblical inerrancy every bit good as infallibility of Jesus, allow us open our heads for the word to drop into our interior spirit. In this essay, I shall seek to pull my readers` attending towards the original Greek such as “ ego eimi ” –[ 1 ]which translates “ I AM ” ,

that Jesus used when proven a point of His Godhead mission.

During this research, I found out that, there was a similar use in the Old Testament that translated with emphasized signifier of the word when sing the spoken word of God. The use of I AM by Jesus, constructively, talking in the signifier of His divinity. This sort of linguistic communication, harmonizing to John`s bookmans, it is important in that it points to the fact of what he was learning about the individual of Jesus. In consequence, Jesus was bespeaking His deity.

Harmonizing to Morris ; there are two groups within the “ I AM ” stating of Jesus, nevertheless, one is predicate and other one without predicate. Predicate means “ to declare, affirm and proclaim ” .[ 2 ]Let me get down with the predicate.

“ I AM the Bread of Life ”

John`s foremost noteworthy stating of I AM by Jesus was recorded in chapter 6 ; 35, when He delivered discourse before the eating of the battalion of people. In this discourse, Jesus says “ Do non work for nutrient that spoils, but for the nutrient that endures to eternal ”[ 3 ]. As He tries to construct their religion in Him, there was a challenge to show His certificates.

They asked “ what mark do you make that we may see and believe? ”[ 4 ]. Because “ our sires ate manna in the desert, as it is written “ He gave them staff of life to eat ”[ 5 ]( v31 ) . They passed this across thought that Moses gave their sires manna, and Jesus corrected their misinterpretation stating “ I tell you the truth, it was non Moses who gave you the staff of life from Eden but it was my Father ”[ 6 ]( v32 ) . Jesus continues that “ My Father gives you the true staff of life from Eden ”[ 7 ]. This statement clearly shows that non merely God gave bread from Eden, in the past, but He still giving or making so in the individual of Jesus Christ, that is “ I AM the staff of life of God come down from Eden ”[ 8 ]( v33 ) .

Now, Jesus` response to their inquiry shows the amazing claim of “ I AM the staff of life of life, he who comes to me will ne’er travel hungry, and he who believes in me will ne’er be thirsty ”[ 9 ]( v35 ) . He is the reply to their needs- because He saw beyond the physical nutrient, and presented Himself as both physical every bit good as religious nutrient that they were missing. The staff of life is the basic nutrient universally ; hence, Jesus fulfils the perfect function of any human sort, therefore “ the Jesus of the universe ”[ 10 ]( v33 ) .

“ I AM the Light of the World ” ;

This is 2nd stating of Jesus. In the beginning of John`s narrative, he teaches that the incarnate Word was the life, and the life was the visible radiation of work forces. “ The light radiances in the darkness, but the darkness has no understood it ”[ 11 ]( vv4-5 ) . Now John so returned to this theory in which he started earlier, elaborated on it. He explains that Jesus made this claim every bit good as other similar statements on different occasions. However, he did non state us where Jesus made this claim, yet he tells that Jesus made this claim in 8 ; 12, 9 ; 5, and 12 ; 35-36,46 ) .

There was a banquet of Tabernacles which consist of two major spiritual symbolic ceremonials. The first was the out-pouring of H2O at the west side of the alter, by Levitical Priest, while the choir sings the great Hallel ( Ps.113-18 ) . And the 2nd 1 is the lighting of many big tapers in the temple precinct. Harmonizing to the author ( 7 ; 37-38, 8 ; 12 ) , Jesus seize the chance of utilizing these symbols to convey out the true image of His instructions.

The light metaphor has the Old Testament reading to them ( Israelites ) , who have been attached to it. That is the glorification of God in the signifier of cloud which led them to the promised land ( Exod.13 ; 21-22 ) , protected them from their enemies ( Ex.1419-25 ) . They besides had a vocal that says that “ the LORD is my visible radiation and my redemption ”[ 12 ]( Ps.27 ; 1 ) . God`s word, is the light to steer those who cherished His instructions. And Psalm 44 ; 3 says that “ Light Yahweh in action ”[ 13 ]pieces Isaiah 49 ; 6 Tells us that “ the LORD as a retainer was appointed as a visible radiation to the Gentiles ”[ 14 ]. Therefore with all these in head, Jesus` declaration might hold carried weight. If He is merely meant physical visible radiation, He would non hold said “ if anyone walks in the dark, he will falter, because the visible radiation is non in him ”[ 15 ]( 11 ; 9-10 ) , instead he is both religious and physical visible radiation.

“ I AM the Door ”

John recorded the 3rd expression of Jesus in chapter 9, when He had the disputed discourse with the Pharisees. It happened when the blind-man had received his sight and subsequently ex-communicated because of been suspect of Jesus Christ. On this juncture, He contrasted Himself with the spiritual leaders of His clip, in whom Jesus blinded as stealers and robbers.

This statement is a signifier of figure of address, which consist of five chief metaphors that are striking such as ; sheep pen, shepherd, watchers, door and gate. During His epoch, the Pharisees did non understand these metaphors ; nevertheless, He took upon Himself to explicate what is meant to be these. In this clip, He made reference of Himself as shepherd and I AM the Door in which the sheep enter.

To understand this, one needs to be cognizant of the fact that, in the antediluvian near East, the shepherds usually sleep in the room access which implies that they are the doors. So Jesus mentioning this to Himself, has a important impact in their history. This clearly shows how He said the stealer merely comes to steal and kill, and to destruct ; I have come that they may hold life ; and have it to the full. In all, He was stating that there is merely one agencies of having ageless life, the cognition of God every bit good as the religious nutriment ; which is through Him entirely.

“ I AM the Good Shepherd ”

This is the following expression of Jesus which is closely related to old treatment with the same figure of address, in which we could place with the I AM the Door. In John chapter 10 ; 1, Jesus speaks of Himself as the shepherd but in subsequently poetry He adds an adjective to the word shepherd, to do His claim reliable. In this context, He was separating Himself from the spiritual leader ( that is hired hand-vv12-13 ) , who did non hold much involvement in the personal businesss of the flock, instead than themselves ( v13 ) .

Now, when He describes Himself as the Good Shepherd, He is mentioning to the qualitability of His goodness, moral properties every bit good as His beauty. He identifies His place as Shepherd ; and what He does is that, He protects, leads, ushers and nourishes the sheep every bit good as puting down His life for them. Therefore, the sheep entirely depend upon the Shepherd for everything. He is non merely the good shepherd to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but He has “ another pen ”[ 16 ]( v6 ) ; the Gentles. Finally, He is the sacrificial lamb who would put His life for the sheep, to expiate for their wickednesss ( 1 ; 29,35 ) .

“ I AM the Resurrection and the Life ”

He made this statement to Mather, Lazarus` sister, when attended the decease of Lazarus, after 4th twenty-four hours. He told her that her brother will lift once more, in which she took to intend that “ the Resurrection of last twenty-four hours ”[ 17 ]( 11 ; 23-24 ) . However, it was at this point that, He made it cleared that “ I AM the Resurrection and the Life ; he who believes in me, even if he dies, he will populate, and everyone who lives, and believes in me will surely non decease ”[ 18 ]( 11 ; 25-26 ) .

This statement by Jesus was non meant that He produces Resurrection and life, but He Himself is the Resurrection and life. Harmonizing to John, Jesus is the Word and the Word ( Jesus ) was the Life, which implies that He has power over decease, and giver of the ageless life.

“ I AM the Way and the Truth ”

This is another stating of Jesus, delivered during the Eve of His crucifixion ; in which bookman believe that it was His farewell address, preceded with His immediate going from the Earth ( 13 ; 33, 36,14 ; 2-3 ) . And holding said this He adds “ you know the manner to where I am traveling ( 14 ; 4 ) , one of His adherents ( Thomas ) who was distressed in bosom asked “ Lord we do non cognize where you are traveling, so how can we cognize the manner? ”[ 19 ]. Now, Thomas wanted clear apprehension of what Jesus has merely said, without acting as if he understands every word of Jesus. This gave Jesus chance to explicate what He meant they know the manner. Furthermore, He replies “ I AM the Way and the Truth, and the Life ”[ 20 ]. And continues to state that “ No-one comes to the Father except through me ”[ 21 ]( 14 ; 6 ) .

In looking at His account, we could deduce that He was speaking about three distinctive of Himself such as ; “ the Way ” , “ the Truth ” and “ the Life ”[ 22 ]which are syntactically intertwined. First, allow us look at I AM the Way. Here He made crisp dictum that He is traveling to the Father`s house, and “ No-one comes to the Father except through me ”[ 23 ]( v6 ) . By this, Jesus was non talking of ethical or moral manner of life, but the manner of redemption. He clearly says that there are non many ways to the Father, but merely one manner, which is through believing in Him. Second, I Am the Truth. This learning refers to veracity and dependability of Jesus when He was populating on this Earth every bit good as His relationship with the adherents. By detecting what He of all time done and claimed to be, could be believed and put into bosom.

Finally, He states I AM the Life. This is the singularity of Jesus Christ in which the author of this Gospel describes as His being like the Father, who is the beginning all life and the eradicator of life. I hence, acme that these profound statements and claims of Jesus Christ, topographic point Him in an sole place, every bit good as the lone manner to the Father.

“ I AM the true Vine ”

This is last I AM stating of Jesus with predicate. He made this declaration during His upper room discourse with the adherents. In this declaration, He associated Himself with the Father which Jesus says that “ I AM the true Vine, and Father is the nurseryman ”[ 24 ]( 15 ; 1 ) . However, in another cases He besides linked Himself with the trusters, declaring that “ I AM the Vine ; you are the subdivisions ”[ 25 ]( 21 ) , which means the common indwelling of Christ and His people.

There are some bookmans who think that the use of this declaration by Jesus has the Old Testament intension. Bruce Milne in his commentary opines that this image that Jesus presented gives two thematic of His mission on Earth. For illustration, this represents a extremely symbol in Israel, which is the great aureate vine hanging over the porch of the temple, during the rebellion against Rome ( AD 68-70 ) , mintage minted. The Jews have a batch of of import belief, and the most important one is in connexion with the claim of Jesus such as “ I AM the true Vine ”[ 26 ]. In mention to Psalm 80, Israel was describes as the vine out of Egypt.

Furthermore, verse16 besides says the vine is burned with fire. And this refer to the failure to transport on God`s program to be a visible radiation for the Gentiles states ( Is.49 ; 6 ) . They were to proclaim the redemption of God to all the corner of the Earth, but conformed to the environing nations` worship. With respects to Jesus being the true Vine, John describes Him as the Son who obeyed His Father through His sacrificial decease. This set His effect of mission, of which the Israel was to carry through but failed.

The vine besides has another theological significance such as mission in the sense that vine has being described to be utile in bearing fruit. Therefore, Jesus` life, decease attracted many to the land of God. And it is bestowed on both adherents and Christians to transport on distributing the good intelligence.

I AM Stating WITHOUT PREDICATE

Finally, holding examined the I AM stating with predicate, I shall now hence turn my attending to the one time without predicate. Scholars, such as Morris states that in chapter four where Jesus had a conversation with the Samaritan adult female denies messianic avowal. Because of the use of the Greek word “ ANI HUI ” “ whoever He his ”[ 27 ], but I am strongly disagree in the sense that John`s purpose and intent of authorship was to show that Jesus` Messiahship every bit good as His Deity ( 20 ; 30-31 ) .

The other two transitions are in chapter 8 and 13, where He says that “ unless you believe that I AM you will decease in your wickednesss ”[ 28 ]( v24 ) . Whiles in the 13 ; 19, He declares “ I tell you before it happens you may believes that “ I AM ”[ 29 ]. Morris says “ in both transitions we find the Johannine accent on the importance of believing, which linked with Jesus` ain individual ”[ 30 ]. In both Jesus is stating that it is of import that those addressed semen to swear him as the I AM which looks really much like claim to sharing in the nature of His divinity. However, as I pointed earlier, John seemed to support the genuineness of Jesus being the christ of His people, hence, I believe that it is all inclusive.

Another familiar expression of I AM without predicate can be found in chapter 8 poetry 58, which says “ Truly, genuinely, I say to you, before Abraham was I AM ”[ 31 ]. And from this context, we could deduce that He was talking of His pre-existence, which spark angry Jews to lapidate Him. Because “ He was naming God His ain Father and besides doing Himself equal with God ”[ 32 ].

In decision, the I AM stating of Jesus proof His divinity, godly nature and life-giver. Therefore, I believe with these facts Jesus Christ is the Messiah and without Him there is no redemption.