The “I Am” Statements

Asher Chee |

The “I am” statements are passages in the Jewish Scriptures (i.e., the “Old Testament”) where YHWH uses the Hebrew phrase ʾăniy hūwʾ (אֲנִי הוּא), commonly rendered as “I am” or “I am he”, as a unique self-declaration that he is the only true God.

These are examples of these “I am” statements:

Deuteronomy 32:39 See now that I, I am he [ʾăniy hūwʾ],
and there is no god beside me.
I kill and I make alive;
I wound and I heal;
and there is none who delivers from my hand.

Isaiah 43:10 You are my witnesses, declares Jehovah,
and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me,
and understand that I am he [ʾăniy hūwʾ];
before me no god was formed,
and after me there shall not be.

Isaiah 43:13 Even from the ancient day, I am he [ʾăniy hūwʾ],
and there is none who delivers from my hand,
and who shall reverse it.

Isaiah 46:3–4 Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
and all the remnant of the house of Israel,
the ones borne from me by the belly,
the ones carried from me by womb.
And unto old age, I am he [ʾăniy hūwʾ],
and unto grey hairs, I will bear.
I have made, and I will carry;
I will bear, and I will deliver.

Isaiah 48:12 Listen to me, O Jacob,
and Israel, my called one:
I am he [ʾăniy hūwʾ]; I am first, even as I am last.

In all these passages, the phrase ʾăniy hūwʾ, “I am”, is used in an absolute manner, meaning that there is no descriptor (i.e., “I am such-and-such”) or anything in the context which that “I am” could refer to.

In the Gospel of John

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew phrase ʾăniy hūwʾ was rendered into Greek as egō eimi (ἐγώ εἰμι). In the Gospel of John, Jesus uses egō eimi in an absolute manner as a self-declaration:

  1. “I am [egō eimi]; do not fear.” (John 6:20)
  2. “For unless you believe that I am [egō eimi], you shall die in your sins.” (John 8:24)
  3. “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you shall know that I am [egō eimi].” (John 8:28)
  4. “Before Abraham became, I am [egō eimi].” (John 8:58)
  5. “Now I tell you before it happens, so that when it happens, you shall believe that I am [egō eimi].” (John 13:19)

In all these passages, Jesus used the Greek phrase egō eimi, “I am” in an absolute manner. He was clearly echoing how YHWH used the equivalent Hebrew phrase, ʾăniy hūwʾ, in an absolute manner in the Jewish Scriptures. Jesus’ intention is unmistakable: He was claiming to be the only true God, in the same manner as YHWH in the Jewish Scriptures.

Not the 7 Metaphors in the Gospel of John

When many Christians talk about the “I am” statements in the Gospel of John, they usually refer to these seven statements made by Jesus:

  1. “I am the bread of life.” (6:35, 41, 48, 51)
  2. “I am the light of the world.” (8:12)
  3. “I am the door of the sheep.” (10:7, 9)
  4. “I am the good shepherd.” (10:11, 14)
  5. “I am the resurrection and the life.” (11:25)
  6. “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (14:6)
  7. “I am the true vine.” (15:1, 5)

However, in these passages, the “I am” statements are not absolute, since they each have a descriptor. Thus, these seven statements are simply metaphors, and they do not echo the “I am” statements that YHWH used in the Jewish Scriptures.

Not “I am who I am”

Many Christians think that the “I am” statements in the Gospel of John are references to the statement “I am who I am” by YHWH in Exodus 3:14:

Exodus 3:14 ESV God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

Again, notice that the first “I am” is not used in an absolute manner like the aforementioned examples, since it has a descriptor: “I am who I am”.

Furthermore, the Septuagint’s translation of Exodus 3:14 does not use egō eimi as a name. The Hebrew expression for “I am who I am” is rendered in the Septuagint as egō eimi ho ōn, “I am the being one.”

Therefore, it is highly unlikely that Jesus derived his use of the “I am” statements directly from Exodus 3:14.