The koine greek term ego eimi, literally i am or it is i, is an emphatic form of the copulative verb. The eight i am statements in the gospel of john kindle. In the book of john we find jesus demanding that we believe he is the christ, the divine son of god that was sent from heaven. I am the good shepherd, i am the door, i am the bread of life, i am the way. Below is a list of jesus seven i am statements in the book of john. So it is in john s gospel and john s gospel alone that you find the i am statements of jesus. The gospel of john contains 14 occurrences of the word feet. The most recent such portrayal is the 2014 film the gospel of john, directed by david batty and narrated by david harewood and brian cox, with selva rasalingam as jesus. In john s book, are paired together 7 signs from jesus, and also 7 i am sayings that john links together. Jun, 2019 these are exactly the tools sach brought to the i am statements in john in our discussion, helping us as teachers to go deeper into what jesus was communicating about himself through vivid images such as bread, light, shepherd, door, and vine.
All the ot and gods redemptive acts were pointing to the coming of jesus as the godinflesh, the true and better israel, and the fulfillment of all the ot types and shadows. John s gospel is a mystical reflection on the word made flesh, jesus christ. The seven occurrences with a predicate nominative that have resulted in some of. John doesnt follow their outline and his style differs in being deeply poetic, contemplative, and.
An emphatic i am statement is one in which the subject i is strongly emphasized in the greek text by stating it explicitly using in addition to. This is a tool for people outside of the christian faith to understand who jesus said he is and also for those who. The eight i am statements in the gospel of john kindle edition by lee jr, james thomas. They are called the i ams because each one of them starts with the same 2 words, i am. In seven of these passages, john joins this phrase to tremendous metaphors which are expressive of jesus saving relationship toward the world. It contains a variety of statements and information about jesus not contained in the synoptic gospels. John 1, new american standard bible nasb the bible app. Emphatic i am statements of jesus in the gospel of john. Gary manning jr september 21, 2015 it is commonly claimed that when jesus used the phrase i am. The i am statements of johns gospel twentythree times in all we find our lords meaningful i am ego eimi, gk. Then, jesus follows the words i am with a phrase to describe himself to those who are listening.
This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true john 21. These are exactly the tools sach brought to the i am statements in john in our discussion, helping us as teachers to go deeper into what jesus was communicating about himself through vivid images such as bread, light, shepherd, door, and vine. Just like his dad god was in christ reconciling the world to himself ii corinthians 5. He was a leader in the early church, and he probably wrote his documents after most of the other new testament books were already written.
Jun 06, 2018 why theres doubt on the jesus i am statements in the gospel of john. And judas, his betrayer, was standing there with them. They are so stunned by what they see as blasphemy that they fall backwards. Jan 25, 2012 this is the new king james version of the new testament book of john. This quiz is part of the free vine university bible college program. In this repetition we see the fullness of his character. The gospel coalition exists to equip the next generation of believers, pastors, and church leaders to shape life and ministry around the gospel. Ubs, 1980, page 124, in those passages in john s gospel where jesus uses i am in an absolute sense, he is identifying himself with god. A multimedia devotional series on the i am statements of jesus in the gospel of john curated by esteban shedd in partnership with streetlights bible. Ap 28 this all happened at bethany on the other side of the jordan, aq where john was baptizing. The i ams are only found in one of the gospels so straight away you know it has to be the gospel that is unique. The gospel of john contains 14 occurrences of the sohami am that statement greek words. In addition to these seven miracles, johns gospel contains seven i am statements.
The bestloved but least understood of the gospels, john presents a uniquely. Jesus says i am several times in johns gospel, in a play on words that has jesus claim to be god. The i ams are statements that jesus made in the gospel of john. The gospel has been depicted in live narrations and dramatized in productions, skits, plays, and passion plays, as well as in film. In the gospel of john, jesus makes seven statements beginning with the words i am. The gospel of john reveals that jesus is god in human form. Johns gospel includes a number of passages that include two greek words together, ego eimi, i am.
Many are familiar with the famous i am statements of jesus recorded in john s gospel. So lets explore these two aspects in relation to the i am statements of jesus. This summary of the gospel of john provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the gospel of john. I am sayings in the fourth gospel catholic resources.
The importance of the gospel of john can scarcely be overestimated. Here jesus makes two improbable claims that rocked the world of the jews to whom he was speaking, and should give us pause. The eight i am statements in the gospel of john lee jr, mr james thomas on. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Twentythree times in all we find our lords meaningful i am ego eimi, gk. This is an 8 week study on the i am statements made by jesus in the book of john. It varies from the other three gospels of matthew, mark and luke also known as the synoptic gospels, by focusing more on spiritual.
The eighth i am statement in johns gospel david bahn. New testament scholars would here discuss whether these are the exact words of jesus or john s style of structuring the teaching of jesus. An introduction to the gospel of john the bart ehrman blog. After brief background from john s gospel this piece will concentrate on these examples from revelation. John is the only gospel that uses the i am statements of jesus as a framework for presenting his gospel. There are many nonjohannine features in the language, and there are also many doubtful readings within the passage. Signs in the gospel of john confirm the i am sayings.
The idea of undertaking an i am series of carvings came to me some years ago, when i was studying and teaching the gospel of john to a group of bible students. Does i am always refer to god in the gospel of john. You can call them part 2 of john s underlying message to the church. The seven i am statements in john might best be understood as falling under and echoing this initial, ultimate claim of jesus. I am the good shepherd, i am the door, i am the bread of life, i am the way, the truth and the life, i am the light of the world, i am the vine, i am the resurection and the life. The gospel of johns portrayal of jesus as the god of the old testament is seen most emphatically in the seven i am statements of jesus. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the eight i am statements in the gospel of john. The author is the apostle john, the disciple whom jesus loved. Their focus is on what happens after we become believers. Jun 21, 2014 the gospel of john 2003 full movie hd. The other three gospels matthew, mark, and luke read like very much like historical narratives.
The seven i am sayings help us better understand the divinity of jesus christ. There are certain words or phrases that create a recurring theme in the gospel of john. For example, one does not observe jesus making his i am statements in the synoptics that are so prominent in john, such as before abraham was, i am john 8. The gospel of john is a delightful book, full of theological insight and spiritual life. The extraordinary view of jesus found in the gospel of john. John does this to show that not only did jesus perform the miracles of elisha, and better, but he also affirmed himself as god, and as the i am of the old testament ex. After they had further proclaimed the word of the lord and testified about jesus, peter and john returned to jerusalem, preaching the gospel in. Each i am is a description jesus gave of himself and is recorded in john s gospel. The koine greek term ego eimi literally i am or it is i, is an emphatic form of the copulative verb. The gospel of john is a unique perspective of the life of jesus christ. Jesus echoes the i am statements of jehovah in the gospel. In addition to this gospel, the church traditionally associates john with three new testament letters first, second, and third john and the prophetic book of revelation. The gospel of john is the fourth of the four gospels of the new testament matthew, mark, luke, and john. John was also the writer of the book of revelation where there are some more i am statements of jesus that are less well known.
Its an idea that took some time to find an space in my carving scedule. The seven i am statements of jesus in johns gospel find this and more great catholic infographics and quotes. The 7 times that the lord jesus said i am in johns gospel, eg. A western texttype insertion, attested mainly in old latin translations, it is found in different places in different manuscripts. The purpose of johns gospel jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. Nancy guthrie interviews andrew sach on how to teach jesuss i am statements and how knowing the old testament is essential to.
In the king james version of the gospel of john he said, i am about fifty times. The genius of the gospel lies in the way in which john conceives of the relationship between the human and the divine. Harner, the i am of the fourth gospel, p 715, as summarized by mark ball, i am in john s gospel, p 202 discussion of jesus i am statements in john. The seven i am sayings of jesus from the gospel of john. Mar 21, 2010 what are the seven signs and seven i am statements in the gospel of john.
The gospel of john is the fourth gospel in the new testament. Jesus himself says i am greek eimi fortyfive times in john s gospel including when other characters quote jesus words. How to teach the i am statements in john the gospel coalition. John s gospel is followed by the acts of the apostles in the new testament of the bible.
We have spent the past 5 weeks discussing these passages. The title i am is the divine name revealed to moses by the lord in exodus 3. In the gospel of john i am is used by jesus in three different ways. So jesus said to them again, truly, truly, i say to you, i am the door of the sheep. The i am s are statements that jesus made in the gospel of john. Twentyfour of these are emphatic, explicitly including the pronoun i greek ego eimi bold references, which would not be necessary in greek grammar. I am the door of the sheep learn more about the door 7. Since the statement is not before abraham was i was, it is easy for some moderns reading through certain metaphysical assumptions to conclude that this is a statement of the atemporality of god, or about the nature of time in general. In the gospel of john, an allimportant phrase, spoken by jesus, is repeated seven times. John s gospel is followed by the acts of the apostles in the new testament of the bible st. Here are the seven metaphorical i am statements found in john s gospel. Gospel of john bible study i ams of jesus short and easy. If youd like to enroll and track your progress toward a bibl. Stay connected amidst social distancing receive weekly bible studies to share with family and friends.
In this chapter, jesus establishes a pattern that continues through john s gospeljesus makes a statement about who he is, and he backs it up with something he does. Jesus himself says i am greek eimi fortyfive times in johns gospel including when other characters quote jesus words. They are called the i am s because each one of them starts with the same 2 words, i am. Because of their similarity in structure and content scholars group them together as the synoptics.
The seven i am sayings of jesus from the gospel of john jesus said i am on seven occasions. John 1 niv the word became flesh in the bible gateway. Jesus reveals throughout the gospel of john that he is the messiah and gods son in human form as he performs miracles and calls people to believe in his name. The gospels, the first four books of the new testament, tell the story of the life of jesus. Jesus christs seven unique i am metaphorical statements about himself in the gospel of john have corresponding details in the circumstances of his birth, and corresponding signs miracles. Why theres doubt on the jesus i am statements in the. Jun 24, 2012 the 7 times that the lord jesus said i am in john s gospel, eg. As an eyewitness to the love and power displayed in the miracles of jesus, john gives us an upclose and personal look at christs identity. Sep 28, 2016 there are seven or eight i am statements in johns gospel depending on how you count them. While john s content may be unique, he presents a different side of jesus that is complimentary to the other three gospels and helps provide its readers with a. As barclay newman and eugene nida describe it in a translators handbook on the gospel of john ny.
Jan 18, 2019 the gospel of john was written to prove that jesus christ is the son of god. Emphatic i am statements of jesus in the gospel of john what is an emphatic i am statement. Then jesus spoke to them again, saying, i am the light of the world. The seven i am sayings of jesus christ recorded in john. Yet only onethe gospel of johnclaims to be an eyewitness account, the testimony of the unnamed disciple whom jesus loved.
The seven i ams of jesus what christians want to know. He said that he existed before abraham who had died perhaps 2000 years prior to jesus of nazareth. In part 1, the seven miracles in john, i showed how john selected these seven miracles specifically for their ability to help us believe that jesus is who he claimed to be, and that by believing we might have eternal life. Clements church manchester, the i am sayings of jesus in scholarship the i am sayings of jesus found in the gospel of john are quite controversial. What are the seven i am statements in the gospel of john. While intense scholarly debate surrounds the book, christians can benefit immensely from a prayerful. The guru s feet are the two elements in the mantra soham which means i am that. And then we have the multiple i am sayings scattered throughout john s gospel. It is used in the gospel of john both with and without a predicate nominative. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst john 6.
Throughout christian history, it has been read and cherished far more than any of the other preserved accounts of jesus life. When the jewish authorities came asking for jesus, he answered i am, using the absolute form. They actually prove that jesus is god and was the god of the old testament. Each i am is a description jesus gave of himself and is recorded in johns gospel. An introduction to the gospel of john i have started to discuss jesus views of the afterlife, and it has occurred to me, based on some readers comments, that it may not be clear why i am not appealing to what jesus says about such things in the gospel of john. The gospel of john shares much about the approaching ministry of the holy spirit after jesus ascension. These usages have been the subject of significant christological analysis. Though the first occurrence of ego eimi is strangely phrased, the reader may not see any hidden meaning in jesus words. The gospel of john there is another i am statement in the book of revelation, but these i am statements in the gospel of john point back to the old testament and also into the kingdom.
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