Digging Deeper: Before Abraham Was, I AM

The people, and especially the Pharisees, recognized that Jesus taught with great authority, but his words of truth were offensive to them, because he was calling them out on their own shortcomings and sinful choices. Jesus, being the true Light, has exposed the darkness in their hearts. And this makes them mad. In this light, we can see the truth. The truth is that they were not truly obedient to God the Father as Jesus was. And Jesus tells them that they have been listening to another father – the father of lies.

And they say, “Abraham is our father!”

And Jesus responds: “If you were Abraham’s children, then you would do what Abraham did. As it is, you’re looking for a way to kill me... Abraham didn’t do stuff like that. No. You act like your true father.”

But this they find even more offensive and so they start shouting, “How dare you call us bastards! The only Father we have is God himself!” 

Then Jesus says to them: “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. Do you not get what I’m saying? You belong to your father, the devil, and all you want to do his to please him. He was a murderer from the very start. He couldn’t stand the truth because there wasn’t a shred of truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth… you don’t believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? But if I’m telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? …The reason you can’t hear God is because you don’t belong to him.” 

They then call Jesus a demon-possessed Samaritan. See, because their hearts were hard they couldn’t respond well to these hard teachings that Jesus was offering to them. Instead, they show the true nature of their hearts, by responding to the truth of Jesus with lies and slander and insults.

And Jesus says: “I’m not possessed by a demon. I simply honor my Father… and you dishonor me. I’m not seeking glory for myself… but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. I tell you the absolute truth, whoever obeys my word will never see death!” 

At this they exclaimed: “Now we know that you’re demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death! Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”

Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” 

And they said to him, “You’re not even fifty years old… and you claim to have seen Abraham!” 

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 

That did it—pushed them over the edge. They picked up rocks to throw at him. But Jesus slipped away, getting out of the Temple.

It is at this point in the conversation – more of an argument really – that Jesus makes one of his seven famous “I am” declarations that appear in John’s Gospel. Since the expression "I am" recalls the name of God, who is the "I AM Who I AM" (see Exodus 3:14), these seven “I am” declarations emphasize that Jesus is God's Word in the flesh. Also, the fact that John uses seven of them (John likes the number seven a lot; e.g. the seven signs of Jesus, the seven titles/names of Jesus, etc.) further emphasizes that Jesus is the Son of God, as the number seven was associated in that culture as being tied to God and his perfection, holiness, and his absolute and complete nature.

Jesus, in short, is God in the flesh, and the true light of life. But the people, especially the Pharisees, refuse to accept Jesus because they “can’t handle the truth.”

They believe in God… but they don’t love God. If they did, they would have loved Jesus… because Jesus is God.