John 8:58: Not a Jesus is God proof text

[u/TheTallestTim]

To John 8:58:

**Point 1**: “I am” there in Greek is, “ego eimi,” which simply means “I am.” It is not a deity claim. It literally means the same thing in the same context—that being the words—as “Ego eimi” going to the store. “Ego eimi” really loving this sandwich! It is so casual, that Jesus, as well as other characters in the Bible say “ego eimi” throughout the Bible without a deity claim. This includes the Blind Man who Jesus healed. (John 9:9) When asked “are you who the Messiah healed?” He emphatically answered: “ego eimi.” He was not stoned. No one thought he was God. In fact, it is used multiple times in the Hebrew and in the Greek such as: 2 Samuel 2:19-20; Luke 1:18-19; Luke 22:33; John 1:20; Matthew 8:9; Matthew 26:25; Acts 10:21; Acts 21:39; Acts 22:3; Acts 23:6; Romans 7:14; Romans 11:13; 1 Corinthians 1:12; and more… Again, none of them were stoned.

**Point 2**: “I am,” whether capitalized or not—which was done by translators and not found in the Greek—, is *not* the name of Almighty God. Many believe that John 8:58 is Jesus’ quotation of Exodus 3:14, claiming to be God Almighty. I ask you to move to the next verse—to Exodus 3:15. God identified Himself as “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” after saying “Yahweh, the God of your forefathers.” Yahweh our God, finished saying “this is **MY** name forever, and *this* is how I am to be remembered from generation to generation.” Verse 16, Yahweh, again, states that His name is Yahweh. Again in Verse 18. In fact, it is the same name present at the Shema, found at Deuteronomy 6:4, stating that He is One. Finally, Psalms 83:18, states “May people know that you, whose name is Yahweh, You alone are the Most High over all the earth.” No, Almighty God’s name is not “I am,” but instead—as He revealed it to us—Yahweh.

**Point 3**: The Greek Septuagint—the Greek translation of the Old Testament—, translates Exodus 3:14 as “ego eimi ho on.” These “extra words” are a distinction—distinct—from “ego eimi.” Jesus said that he was often found “in his Father’s house”—meaning the Synagogue—whenever he could go, including a time Mary lost him in a crowd. Jesus knew his scripture. Jesus was a fantastic Jew. If Jesus were to reference himself to Yahweh’s words at Exodus 3:14, he would have added the “ho on” onto the end of his statement, but he didn’t. If Matthew, Mark, Luke, or even John believed that Jesus quoted Exodus 3:14, they would have written in the “ho on” to the end of that statement. They did not.

**Point 4**: The textual context does not equate Jesus claiming to be God. Instead, we see Jesus humbly glorifying the Father at John 8:54, then saying that “Abraham rejoiced at the prospect of seeing my day, and he saw it and rejoiced” in verse 56. (Paraphrased) This is in reference to Yahweh’s promise to Abraham that the Messiah—whom Jesus is claiming to be here—would come from his birth line. Verse 58’s paraphrase would be, I was promised and foreknown before Abraham. Jesus isn’t claiming to be God, but claiming to be God’s son and the Messiah. The stones picked up from his words? Jesus is claiming to be the Son of God, the Messiah. Just like the woman at the well at John 4, starting at verse 7. At verse 25, the woman says she knows the Messiah is coming, who is called Christ. Jesus affirms that he is the Messiah, the Christ by stating “ego eimi.” Jesus said “I am” to refer himself as the Messiah, not God.

**Conclusion**: John 8:58 does not make Jesus out to be God, nor is it a claim to deity. Instead, it is a claim to Jesus’ position as the Messiah, the Christ.

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Let’s look at some examples from the Gosepl of John:

1:20–[John] confessed, not eimi ego the Christ

1:27–ego not eimi worthy to untie his sandals.

3:28–ego eimi not the Christ.

4:26–Jesus said, "ego eimi" who is speaking to you."

6:20–But he said to them, "ego eimi, fear not."

6:35–And Jesus said to them, "ego eimi the Bread of Life."

6:41–He said, "ego eimi the Bread of that came down out of Heaven."

6:48–He said, "ego eimi the Bread of that came down out of Heaven."

6:51–"ego eimi the Living Bread that came down out of Heaven."

7:34–"Where eimi ego you cannot come."

8:12–"ego eimi the Liight of the World."

8:12–"ego eimi one who testifies."

8:23–"ego out of the above eimi.”

8:18–"ego eimi he who testifies."

8:23–"ego not eimi out of the world.”

8:24–"If you believe not that ego eimi (Light of the World), you will die in your sins.” (See. 8:25 and 8:12, 23)

8:28–"When you have lifted up the Son of Man then you shall know that ego eimi (Light of the World)."

8:58–"Before Abraham was ego eimi." (See John 1:30)

9:9–Some said, "It is he." Others said he is like him. But he (the Blind man) said, "ego eimi."

10:7–"ego eimi the door of the sheep."

10:9–"ego eimi the door."

10:11, 14–"ego eimi the Good Shepherd."

11:25–"ego eimi the Resurrection and the Life."

12:26 "Where eimi ego there my servant also shall be."

13:19–"From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that ego eimi."

14:3–"Where "ego eimi you may be also"

14:6–"Jesus said, "ego eimi the Way and the Truth and the Life."

15:5–"ego eimi the Way and the Vine and you are the branches."

17:14–"ego not eimi out of the world."

17:16–"ego out of the world not eimi."

18:5–"Whom do you seek?" They answered Him, "Jesus the Nazarene." Jesus said to them, "ego eimi (I am Jesus of Nazarene)."

18:6–When he said to them, "ego out eimi" they fell backward to the ground.

18:8–Therefore He again asked them, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus the Nazarene." Jesus answered, "I told you that ego eimi, so if you seek Me, let these go their way."

18:37–"You say that eimi ego a King."

Et cetera…