Jesus’ “I Am” statements are symbolic, not literal, and they all point to redemption. They show us who God is, aspects of his character, and reveal how God wants to relate to his people. Some of these claims are backed up by miracles, and some relate to specific Jewish festivals.
In Exodus 3, God revealed his name to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’”. So in Judaism, “I AM” is unquestionably understood as a name for God. Whenever Jesus made an “I am” statement in which he claimed attributes of deity, he was identifying himself unmistakably as God.
1. “I am the Bread of Life” (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51)
The day after Jesus had fed 5000 people with five barley loaves and two small fish, he stated that he is the bread of life. He was talking to many of the same people who had been present and witnessed that miracle. Now they came asking Jesus to repeat Moses’ miracle of feeding all the Israelites manna for 40 years in the desert.
Jesus used the occasion to tell them that the manna was only earthly bread, and remind them that all of those people eventually died. But the bread Jesus offered was spiritual bread, and whoever ate it would live forever.
2. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12; 9:5)
This second “I am” statement is sandwiched between two related events. It takes place just after the Feast of Tabernacles, and just before Jesus heals a man born blind. Jesus didn’t just say he is the light; he proved it.
The Feast of Tabernacles is called Sukkoth in Hebrew. During the festival the people lived in tabernacles, or tents, for the week. It was meant to remind them of their 40-year period living in the wilderness, and how grateful they were when God finally brought them into the promised land. During that time God had used light to lead them.
After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.
Exodus 13:20-21 NIV
On the first, and probably succeeding nights during the eight-day festival, two large lamps were lit in the temple courtyard. They were large enough to give light to every part of the temple. The Bible tells us that Jesus was standing in that courtyard when he proclaimed himself “The Light of the World”. The symbolic connection is that Jesus is “God with us”, the one who lighted their way through the desert, and can light our way through a dark world.
In the very next chapter, Jesus and his disciples saw a man who had been blind since his birth, and the disciples asked him if blindness was the result of the man’s own sin, or sins of his parents. Jesus replied:
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
John 9:3-5 NIV
The contrast between light and darkness in John’s gospel symbolizes the struggle between good and evil. His point is that Jesus lights our way in a dark world. John had already described Jesus as light, in the gospel’s prologue:
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:4-5 NIV
Then in Chapter 3, he continues the thought:
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed
John 3:19-20 NIV
3. “I am the Gate” (John 10:7)
In Jesus’ time, shepherds kept their flocks outside at night during the warm, summer months. They gathered all their sheep into a sheepfold, surrounded by a rock wall, with a single opening. Then the shepherd stationed himself in that doorway for the night, protecting his sheep. The next morning the sheep followed their shepherd to fresh pastures.
“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
John 10:1-2 NLT
Jesus finishes with the statement that “He is the Gate”.
Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.
John 10:6-9 NLT
Jesus is the doorkeeper to God’s kingdom and will permit anyone he knows to enter. And one day he will lead his own sheep into fresh pastures.
4. “I am the Good Shepherd” (John 10:11-12, 14-15)
The Old Testament uses the picture of shepherds, especially a good shepherd, to illustrate the relationship God wants with his people. We see it particularly in Psalm 23. Jesus uses the title twice in succession, first to say that the Good Shepherd is willing to lay down his life to protect his sheep, and second, to say that the Good Shepherd knows his sheep, and leads them properly.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock.”
John 10:11-12 NLT
Sin and Satan have attacked and scattered Jesus’ flock; Jesus has come to search for and gather his flock, and to restore it to what it should be.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.”
John 10:14-15 NLT
When Jesus used the title of Good Shepherd, he was confirming his deity and that he would lead us safely into God’s kingdom.
5. “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25)
Jesus made this “I am” statement immediately before raising Lazarus from the dead. He often illustrated the essential purposes of his mission by acting out “living parables”. In this case, he tied his actions to one of his most significant titles; Jesus is “the Resurrection and the Life”.
Mary and Martha’s brother Lazarus had been dead and in his tomb for four days when Jesus returned to Bethany. Both women were in mourning for their brother. They encountered Jesus individually, but each of them greeted him with “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Both women knew of Jesus’ miracles, and had probably witnessed some firsthand, so they were certain that if Jesus had been in Bethany, he could have healed their brother. They were about to have their understanding and faith enlarged.
Jesus told Martha that her brother would rise again. Martha replied that she knew he would “rise again in the resurrection at the last day”.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26 NIV
A short time later, with both Martha and Mary present, Jesus asked them to show him the tomb. Jesus called Lazarus by name, and he rose and came out to them. Jesus demonstrated that he has the authority to give eternal life to anyone who believes him.
6. “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6)
Jesus is the way to God, the truth about God, and the life of God. Truth is hard to find and therefore it’s valuable. Our Creator is the only completely reliable source of truth in an untruthful world. Jesus promises he will lead us to the true and authentic life God intended here, and then to the eternal life God has planned for us when we die.
7. “I am the true vine” (John 15:1, 5)
This final “I am” statement reminds us we can’t hope to live authentic lives without sustenance from our Creator. We don’t have those resources within ourselves.
We are the metaphorical branches that can produce fruit, but only when we’re attached to the root and vine, the source of nutrients and life. A branch apart from the vine simply withers and dies.
There are two more “I am” statements in the Gospel of John. These aren’t metaphorical but straightforward statements of truth through which Jesus identified himself as God in flesh.
The first comes in John 8:58 when Jesus responds to the Pharisees.
Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
John 8:56-59 NIV
Immediately picking up stones confirms that the Pharisees understood this statement to be Jesus’ declaration that he is God. The second came when Jewish leaders and soldiers came to the Garden of Gethsemane with torches and weapons to arrest Jesus. He asked them who they were looking for, and they replied “Jesus of Nazareth”. When Jesus said, “I am He”, they all fell to the ground. This makes more sense in the original where Jesus simply said, “I am”. The “he” has been added by translators. When Jesus applied God’s name to himself, it had an immediate and powerful effect on the crowd.
Thoughts
Jesus’ ministry gave us many pictures of God’s coming kingdom. He didn’t come as a conqueror, to impose his own kingdom on mankind. Instead, he came to lead us into God’s new creation and the kingdom of God. When that happens, it will turn our upside-down world right-side up.