It’s a bit technical, but I don’t want us to miss the significance of what Jesus said when he was arrested in the garden:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, \u201cWhom do you seek?\u201d They answered him, \u201cJesus of Nazareth.\u201d Jesus said to them, \u201cI am he.\u201d Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, \u201cI am he,\u201d they drew back and fell to the ground. (John 18.1 – 6, ESV)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Why did all those people (a band of soldiers along with officers from the chief priests) fall down when Jesus said, “I am he.”? The reason is that “I am he” isn’t what he said. If you look closely at those translations which italicize words not in the original (e.g., NKJV, NAS, LSB), you’ll see that “he” isn’t there. So what Jesus said was, “I AM.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s the same construction that appears in John 8 and answers the question, why did they pick up stones to throw at him?<\/p>\n\n\n\n So the Jews said to Him, \u201cYou are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?\u201d Jesus said to them, \u201cTruly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am<\/strong>.\u201d Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple. (John 8.57 – 59, LSB, emphasis mine)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Passion Translation makes it clear in the text and the footnote:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus said to them, \u201cI give you this eternal truth: I have existed long before Abraham was born, for I AM!\u201d (John 8.58, TPT)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Proper English grammar would be, \u201cBefore Abraham was born, I Was.\u201d However, Jesus identified himself with the \u201cI AM that I AM\u201d of Exodus 3.14, when Yahweh appeared to Moses in the flames of the sacred shrub<\/em>. – The Passion Translation note on John 8.58<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the very beginning of the crucifixion narrative, Jesus reveals his identity and his power, then lays them aside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2.5 – 8, ESV)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It’s a bit technical, but I don’t want us to miss the significance of what Jesus said when he was arrested in the garden: When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed … Continue reading The Great I AM<\/span>