I am (biblical term)

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A series of articles on
Christology

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The Greek term Ego eimi (Ἐγώ εἰμι, Latin Ego sum), which translates to I am, is used by Jesus in the Gospel of John on several occasions to refer to himself, seven times with specific titles. These usages have been the subject of significant Christological analysis.[1][2]

It is used in the Gospel of John both with or without a predicate.[2] The seven uses with a predicate that have resulted in titles for Jesus are:[1]

  • I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35)
  • I am the Light of the World (John 8:12)
  • I am the Door (John 10:9)
  • I am the Good Shepherd(John 10:11,14)
  • I am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25)
  • I am the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)
  • I am the Vine (John 15:1,5)

It is also used without a predicate, which is very unusual in Greek and Christologists usually interpret it as God’s own self-declaration.[2] In John 8:24 Jesus states: “Unless you believe that I am you will die in your sins”, and in John 8:59 the crowd attempts to stone Jesus in response to his statement: “Before Abraham was, I am”.[2]

The use of “I am” without a predicate was considered a name for Jesus by St. Thomas Aquinas who considered it the most proper of all divine names, for Aquinas believed it to refer to the “being of all things”.[3]

See also

Further reading

References

  1. ^ a b Encyclopedia of theology: a concise Sacramentum mundi by Karl Rahner 2004 ISBN 0-86012-006-6 page 1082
  2. ^ a b c d Hurtado, Larry W. (June 2003). Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans. ISBN 0-8028-6070-2 pages 370-371
  3. ^ Christ the 'name' of God: Thomas Aquinas on naming Christ by Henk J. M. Schoot 1993 ISBN 90-6831-511-0 page 157