Before Abraham was, I AM

S: John 8:54-58

⁵⁴ Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. ⁵⁵ 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. ⁵⁶ Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”

⁵⁷ “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”

⁵⁸ “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” ⁵⁹ At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

O: Many claim Jesus never explicitly said He was God. But in this passage, Jesus’ words are unmistakable for His Jewish listeners.

When Jesus speaks of “My Father, whom you claim as your God”, He identifies a unique relationship with God, setting Himself apart from the audience.

The climactic phrase, “before Abraham was born, I am!”, echoes the divine name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14–15, where God says, “I AM WHO I AM.” This name conveyed God’s eternal, self-existent nature.

Jesus isn’t just saying “I was” or “I existed before Abraham,” but using the present tense “I AM,” claiming divine identity.

This caused outrage among His listeners—they understood the claim as blasphemy, worthy of stoning.

“I am” was the name God gave for Himself to Moses back in Exodus 3:14-15:

¹⁴ God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM,” and he said, “You shall tell the children of Israel this: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” ¹⁵ God said moreover to Moses, “You shall tell the children of Israel this, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations.

“I AM” – Elyeh – was the first person version – God referring to Himself. “Yahweh” is the 3^rd person version – “He is” – i.e. other people referring to God.

A: Jesus is God. The New Testament makes it very clear. He is God the Son who came to die to save us, and in His resurrection, we have eternal life. Therefore, whoever has the Son has life and whoever does not have the Son does not have life. Those who believe in the name of the Son of God have eternal life. (c/f 1 John 5:12-13).

Therefore, believe in His Name – Hashem as the Hebrews called it – Believing in His name is symbolic of believing in Him, trusting in Him, Christ the Redeemer. In the Bible, a person’s name often represents their identity, character, authority, and mission — much more than just a label. So believing in His Name is not just talking about saying a name like a magic incantation. It means putting your trust in the person, mission, and saving power of Jesus.

The story of the 7 sons of Sceva in Acts 19:13–16 show that Jesus’ name is not a magic incantation.

P: Father, thank You for revealing Yourself through Jesus, Your Son, who is truly God. Help me to trust in Him with all my heart and live faithfully in the power of His name. May my life glorify You as I follow Jesus. In His name, Amen.