Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  2024   Day 279

October 4;      John 8:58;       76/260(III);      ‘I AM’

John 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." 

The Gospel of John is completely different from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Matthew, Mark and Luke are called the synoptic Gospels and deal primarily with what the Lord Jesus did.  Much of their information is the same.  The Gospel of John was written to show us who Jesus is, the Son of God.  Approximately 90% of the information in the Gospel of John is different from the other Gospels.  In the Old Testament, anytime the Lord would manifest Himself to someone, it was Jesus.  It is called a theophany.  When Moses was drawn to the Burning Bush, it was the Lord Jesus who spoke to him.  During that dialogue, Moses asked the Lord when the children of Israel ask Your name, what shall I tell them?  The Lord said tell them I AM sent you.  Jesus continued and said I AM who I AM.  In the Gospel of John Jesus ‘pulls no punches,’ but clearly tells the religious leaders that He is the Messiah.  In John’s Gospel the I AM names of the Lord are revealed.  I AM the Good Shepherd, I AM the Light of the World, I AM the Way and the Truth and the Life.  Several other I AM names are taught in the Gospel of John as well.  Several times in this Gospel Jesus says ‘it has been said’ or ‘the prophets say’ then Jesus adds, ‘but I say.’  In verse 58 Jesus tells the religious leaders that He shared truths with Abraham.  They were furious and told Jesus, He wasn’t even fifty, how could He have spoken to Abraham (by a theophany).  Jesus calmly tells the religious hypocrites, ‘before Abraham was I AM.’  Bless the Lord.