Getting Job-ed
I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him. John 14:6-7 CSB
This concept of YAHWEH is not foreign in the New Testament either. I did not want to hold us only in the Old Testament but to see YAHWEH in the New Testament. The New Testament is written mostly in Greek and in the Gospel of John, Jesus refers to Himself as ἐγὼ εἰμί or as Ego Eimi. Ego Eimi literally means “I Am” or “I Exist.” We can see the resemblance in meaning to YAHWEH (I AM who I AM) but linguistically, there are places that are obvious that this would not be equating to the Hebrew YAHWEH. For instance, certain texts will say, “I am the good shepherd,” such as in John 10:14 in which the Greek is ἐγὼ εἰμί ὁ (“I am the…”). However, there are at least five other places in this Gospel where He refers to Himself as Ego Eimi but the Greek words ἡ and ὁ (“the”) are omitted. The English translations tend to try and add words to make the grammar more tangible, but the meaning is clear in the Greek. Let’s look at these verses:
John 4:25-26 (CSB and Greek) – Woman at the Well
The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Jesus told her, “the One speaking to you, I AM (Ego Eimi).”
Jesus is saying here that He is “I AM/I EXIST,” equating Himself to YAHWEH.
John 6:18-20 (CSB and Greek) – Walking on Water
A high wind arose, and the sea began to churn. After they rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea. He was coming near the boat, and they were afraid. But he said to them, “Do not be afraid, I AM (Ego Eimi).”
Look at how powerful this is: rather than ending with “it is I, do not be afraid” as most translations in English say, Jesus is really saying, “I AM, I create and control all things, even the high winds! Do not be afraid.”
John 8:56-59 (CSB and Greek) – Jesus vs. the Pharisees
“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” The Jews replied, “You aren’t fifty years old yet, and you’ve seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, before Abraham, I AM (Ego Eimi).” So they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple.
Here Jesus is saying not only that He was before Abraham, but also that I AM/I EXIST- meaning Jesus is the essence of YAHWEH (I AM what I AM, I AM what I WAS, I AM what I WILL BE). Interestingly enough, in this passage, most English versions keep the concept of I AM as a stand-alone statement (not adding “he” to it).
John 13:18-19 (CSB and Greek) – Jesus washing the Disciples feet
“I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen. But the Scripture must be fulfilled: The one who eats my bread has raised his heel against me. I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I AM (Ego Eimi).”
John 18:4-6 (CSB and Greek) – Jesus is Betrayed
Then Jesus, knowing everything that was about to happen to him, went out and said to them, “Who is it that you’re seeking?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “I AM” (Ego Eimi), Jesus told them. Judas, who betrayed him, was also standing with them. When Jesus told them “I AM,” (Ego Eimi) they stepped back and fell to the ground.
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Our English versions translate these and make them more palatable by adding words like “he” behind “I AM” to make the sentence flow better but this changes the intended meaning. For instance, look at the passage above from John 18:5-6. The English will read something like:
“I am he,” Jesus told them. Judas who betrayed him was also standing with them. When Jesus told them “I am he,” they stepped back and fell to the ground.
Most translations say “I am he,” but why would the soldiers fall down to Jesus if He just said this? We see the reason why they fall down to Him when we read the Greek translation. That’s a huge difference, and makes a difference for these 5 passages. This is YAHWEH that has come to live as a man.
“Jesus is a part of this YAHWEH Being (trinity), and that is good news…”
This side of the New Testament, we see the essence of YAHWEH in Jesus. Jesus deserves all of our love and affections just as YAHWEH commanded in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and as Jesus taught in Matthew 22:37 CSB when He taught to, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind…’” When we study, meditate, and see YAHWEH and His Sovereignty then we need to also equally see Jesus and His Sovereignty. Jesus is a part of the YAHWEH Being (trinity), and that is good news because when we hear that Jesus came and died for us, that that was YAHWEH who came to rescue us.
-Austin
Excerpt taken from Getting Job-ed
