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Is JESUS SAYING HE HIMSELF Is ALMIGHTY GOD, the GREAT I AM THAT I AM?
In John 8:58, is Jesus saying that he is Yahweh Himself by saying “Before Abraham was I am”? Does John 8:58 prove the doctrine of the Trinity, which states that Jesus is God the Son of God who is CO- ETERNAL and CO-EQUAL with Almighty God? Does John 8:58 prove the doctrine of the Deity of Jesus as himself being ALMIGHTY God the great I AM THAT I AM? Does John 8:58 prove the doctrine of Oneness which states that Yahweh manifested Himself to become the Son?
The reason that I ask these questions is because BOTH the Trinitarian AND the Oneness Pentecostal Christian us John 8:58 to try and prove that Jesus is saying that he is Yahweh Himself the great I AM that I AM that we read about in Exodus 3:14. They INTERPRET John 8:58 as Jesus saying the NAME of Yahweh.
Please read Exodus 3:14.
“And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shall you say unto the children of Israel, I AM has sent me unto you.”
In other words, is Jesus saying that he is fully Almighty God and fully a human being at the same time having two natures, one divine, and one human which is what the doctrine of the deity of Jesus teaches?
First let us ASSUME that Jesus is indeed quoting Exodus 3:14. Then let us ASSUME that the words “I AM” are indeed the NAME of Yahweh. With these two assumptions in mind let us read John 8:58 with Jesus quoting the name Yahweh because we know without a doubt that the creators NAME in Yahweh.
John 8:50 with Jesus quoting the name YAHWEH.
“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, YAHWEH.”
Would that mean that Jesus is saying that he himself IS Yahweh? Or does it simply mean that Yahweh the creator of Abraham existed before father Abraham? The Jews are kind of like Christians who put ALL their faith in their church denomination. The Jew put all their faith in that they were the children of Abraham just like some Christian put their faith in being a Baptist or a Roman Catholic or a Jehovah’s Witness or what ever church denomination they trust as being the only true church in their eyes. In the eyes of the Jews, if you were a descendant of father Abraham then you were home free so to speak. And thus, to the Jews, no one is GREATER than Abraham.
In truth, the words “I AM” are NOT God’s NAME. Please watch the first 4 minutes and 10 seconds of this short 6 1/2-minute video before continuing with this study in God's word. You can watch the whole video if you like. The second person in the video is just making some more comments to point out that God’s actual NAME is in verse 15 which is Yahweh or Jehovah as he like to pronounce YHWH.
After you watch the video, then please come back and study the CONTEXT of John 8:58 which proves beyond any shadow of a doubt that Jesus never claimed to be Almighty God Yahweh Himself anywhere in the entire Bible. Here is a link to the video.
And here is a written explanation of Exodus 3:14,15 if you do not care to watch the video. Here is Exodus 3:14 in the Greek Septuagint. Now you do not need to read Greek to follow what I am saying. Simply know and understand that the two Greek words highlighted in yellow mean “I am”. These two Greek words convey the meaning I am SOMETHING. So the SOMETHING that God is saying that he is I will highlight in orange. Please notice that ὁ ὢν, which is the SOMETHING that God is saying that he is, appears TWICE. But the two Greeks words ἐγώ εἰμι meaning “I am” only appears ONE TIME. The English translation is below to help follow along.
Exodus 3:14 in the Greek.
“14, καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων· ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν. καὶ εἶπεν· οὕτως ἐρεῖς τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραήλ· ὁ ὢν ἀπέσταλκέ με πρὸς ὑμᾶς.”
Exodus 3:14 in English.
“14. And God spoke to Moses, saying, I am THE BEING; and he said, Thus shall ye say to the children of Israel, THE BEING has sent me to you.”
In other words, if Jesus would have said, “Before Abraham was, ὁ ὢν” instead of saying, “Before Abraham was, ἐγώ εἰμι,” then the Trinitarian and Oneness Pentecostal INTERPRETATION of John 8:58 might have some validity. But Jesus did NOT say, “Before Abraham was, ὁ ὢν”. Or “Before Abraham was, THE BEING. Rather Jesus said. Before Abraham was ἐγώ εἰμι” which again should have been translated as “Before Abraham was, I am [he]” with the IMPLIED or UNDERSTOOD pronoun [he] added for clarity. And if it was correctly translated in this way then the meaning of these words of Jesus would mean that Jesus is saying, I am he, [the MESSIAH] because that is what the CONTEXT teaches us
And another possible translation of John 8:58, seeing that there were no commas in the Greek text, would be as follows.
“Before Abraham I was to be”
The order of Greek words in a sentence is not as important as the order of the words in an ENGLISH sentence. And this translation would agree with interpretation #1 where Jesus was PROPHESIED to be before Abraham ever came into existence.
The truth of the matter is that the translators should have added the English implied pronoun “he” to say, “Before Abraham was, I am [he].” And if they would have done so, then there would not have been any confusion as to the TRUE meaning of these words of Jesus. The words, “I am [he]” would have never been connected with the English TRANSLATION of Exodus 3:14 in the King James Version.
The true meaning of John 8:58 means that Jesus was saying, “Before Abraham was, I am [he]. And this means that Jesus was saying that he is the Messiah as the CONTEXT clearly teaches us.
In John 8:58, Jesus says, Verily verily, BEFORE Abraham was, I AM. So again, the question has been asked, “Is Jesus saying he IS THE I AM, as in, when Jesus says the words “I AM” is Jesus saying that he is THE ONE TRUE and ONLY ALMIGHTY God Yahweh Himself ?”
To me, the answer is NO! Why would Jesus contradict himself saying that he could do NOTHING OF himself and that it was the FATHER dwelling IN him who did the works if so be that Jesus intended his word in John 8:58 to mean that he was saying he IS Yahweh Himself? The trinitarian and oneness Pentecostal INTERPRETATION of John 8:58 makes Jesus to be a LIAR because how can Yahweh do NOTHING OF Himself?
Then another question is asked, “Does Jesus saying the words “I AM” mean that Jesus pre-existed for all eternity like Almighty God, the Father? In other words, was Jesus ALWAYS in existence as the SON of Almighty God, who was WITH Almighty God the Father at his side, in that, Jesus the Son of God had NO BEGINNING and the Son always existed as a separate eternal divine person with the Father at his side?
To me, the answer is again NO! Please read the three-part study WHEN DID JESUS BECOME GOD’S ETERNAL SON?
Other Christians such as myself sincerely believe that God's Son did indeed HAVE a BEGINNING because he was BEGOTTEN by God. And the word begotten means that Jesus was generated into existents. So to us, God’s Son was either born or created.
The question is WHEN was God’s Son born or created? Was God’s Son born or created in eternity past? Or did God’s Son come into existence at his virgin birth?
Let us begin this study in God's word by reading John 8:58 in the CONTEXT of where it is found. First, we will deal with the FIRST question of whether or not Jesus is saying that he is the great I AM THAT I AM, the ONE TRUE and ONLY ALMIGHTY God whose actual NAME is Yahweh and NOT “I AM”.
Then further on in this study is God's word we will address the SECOND question of whether or not Jesus is co-eternal and co-equal with Almighty God the great I AM THAT I AM. And lastly, we we learn WHEN Jesus actually came into existence, according to the WHOLE word of Almighty God
Please read John 8:12-59 keeping in mind that Jesus and the Father are TWO different and SEPARATE individual persons or beings. I will address the Oneness Pentecostal believers later, but if you are a Oneness Christian, please pay close attention as you read the New Testament to see that Jesus is NOT the Father.
Now, to my Trinity brothers and sisters in the Lord, remember that the doctrine of the Trinity states that Jesus is NOT the Father and the Father is NOT the SON, Jesus. Also, I want you to see that there are only TWO are being spoken of rather than THREE.
Also, I realize that this is a long passage of Scripture but CONTEXT is vital if you truly desire the TRUTH. So, do you TRULY desire to know the TRUTH? If you do then please continue reading.
John 8:12-59.
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 8:13. The Pharisees, therefore, said unto him, You bear record of yourself; your record is not true. (Right from the very start the Jews are MISUNDERSTANDING the words of Jesus. They are not understanding that Jesus is telling them that he is the Messiah who was PROPHESIED to come. Follow me your Messiah)
John 8:14. Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but you cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. (Or I know who I am and where I came and where I will go because the Scriptures testify of ME. But you do not understand who I am, how I came and where I am going)
John 8:15. You judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
John 8:16. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am NOT ALONE, but I AND the Father that SENT me (The Greek word translated as sent here LITERALLY reads SENDING in the present tense)
John 8:17. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of TWO men is true. (Jesus plainly states that there are TWO that bear witness all the way through this entire passage of Scripture which teaches us that Jesus is NOT saying that he himself is ALMIGHTY God the great I AM THAT I AM who alone is the FATHER. And to my Oneness brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus is NOT saying that he IS the FATHER.
Jesus is not ALONE. Jesus is saying that the Father is WITH him by dwelling IN him. In other words, IF Jesus was truly saying that he himself is Yahweh Himself, then Jesus would be saying that he is the FATHER Himself. So then, how could the Father be dwelling in Jesus if so be Jesus is the Father? There are TWO separate distinctly DIFFERENT persons being spoken of here in this passage of Scripture and the entire New Testament. God has a LITERAL SON)
John 8:18. I am ONE that bears witness of myself, AND the Father that SENT (Or the Father the one SENDING) me bears witness of me. (In other words, Almighty God the Father is ONE witness and Jesus the SON of God is witness number TWO which teaches us that Jesus and the Father are NOT ONE and the SAME being. But rather, they are TWO separate individual persons or beings that AGREE or have the same WITNESS)
John 8:19. Then said they unto him, Where is your Father? Jesus answered, You neither know me, NOR my Father: if you had known me, you should have known my Father ALSO. (Here again, we see Jesus speaking of TWO separate persons. Jesus came to show us or to reveal to us the FATHER. Jesus did NOT come to reveal to us that he is the Father who ALONE is the only true God Yahweh.
Rather, Jesus came to show us the GOOD character of Yahweh the Father by the WORKS that Yahweh the Father Himself did the same as the Holy Spirit dwelling in us does the healing)
John 8:20. These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come. (Jesus came into existence for the hour of suffering and dying on the cross. And for his reward Yahweh HIGHLY EXALTED him and GAVE him a NAME above every name to be crown with glory and honor to sit on the throne at Yahweh’s side to for FOR the Father in the world yet to come)
John 8:21. Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and you shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, you cannot come. (Jesus is telling the Jews that they will die in their sins because they are not BELIEVING that Jesus is the Messiah who was prophesied to come)
John 8:22. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he said, Whither I go, you cannot come. (Again, the Jews misunderstood the words of Jesus over and over again.
And Yet both Trinitarain and Oneness Christians dogmatically demand that the Jews knew PERFECTLY well what Jesus said in John 8:58 and that is WHY the wanted to stone him.
The truth of the matter is that the Jews wanted to stone Jesus for any reason that they could find)
John 8:23. And he said unto them, You are from beneath; I am FROM above: you are of this world; I am NOT of this world. (Meaning that you and I have an earthly father but Jesus has a heavenly Father. Also, Jesus was born-again spiritually at his baptism. When a person believes in Jesus as being the Son of God, then that BELIEVER in Jesus, as the Christ, the SON OF the living God is no longer OF this world.
We become a new creation of God being born-again from ABOVE by the WORD of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Please see John 17:14-16 which clearly teaches us that WE are NOT of the world even as Jesus is NOT of the world. “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. John 17:16, they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”
So then, to INTERPRET verse 23 as Jesus saying that he came down from heaven would be to say that WE came down from heaven as well.)
John 8:24. I said, THEREFORE, unto you, that you shall die in your sins (Or that is WHY I said you shall die in your sins); FOR (Or BECAUSE) if you believe NOT that I am HE, you shall die in your sins. (This verse as well is used by those who teach the doctrine of the Trinity and the doctrine of Oneness to say that if you do not believe that Jesus is saying that he is the great I AM that I AM or Yahweh Himself then you shall die in your sins.
Yes, the word “he” is not in the original Greek. But the UNDERSTOOD pronoun “he” is in the text much like the understood pronoun “you” is often left out of a particular sentence. However, it is the context of our whole conversation that clearly reveals to us that the subject under discussion is the UNDERSTOOD YOU.
So, in the same way, the pronoun “HE” here in this verse and in verse 58 which was left out is the UNDERSTOOD subject being discussed through this whole passage of Scripture.
This is why the translators added the word “he” in verse 24 and why they SHOULD have also added the pronoun “he” in verse 58. Those who understand the original Greek text clearly UNDERSTAND that the pronoun “he” is clearly UNDERSTOOD. However, the TRUTH of the matter is that Jesus is saying that he is the CHRIST, the ANOINTED of Almighty God, which was PROPHESIED to come. Please read the study JOHN 8:24-IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE THAT I AM HE?)
25. Then said they unto him, WHO ARE YOU? (In other words, the Jews were asking Jesus the question who are you by saying, he WHO? WHAT do you MEAN when you say I AM he? WHO are you saying that you are when you say I AM HE) And Jesus said unto them, Even the SAME that I said unto you from the BEGINNING (And when we go back to the BEGINNING of the ministry of Jesus, we find in the Gospel of Luke chapter 4, that Jesus said that he was the ANOINTED ONE of Almighty God, the Father, that was SENT or commissioned by the Father the preach the gospel of salvation.
Jesus is saying that I have already told you WHO I am at the very beginning of my ministry when I read out of the book of Isaiah and told you that this Scripture is FULFILLED in your ears.
Please see Luke 4:18-21 which is right after Jesus was ANOINTED with the Holy Spirit and he BEGAN his ministry. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, Luke 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Luke 4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. Luke 4:21 And he BEGAN to say unto them, This day is this SCRIPTURE is FULFILLED in your ears.”
So then, it was at the very BEGINNING of the ministry of Jesus that he BEGAN to tell them that he is the MESSIAH that was prophesied to come. Again, for all the Scriptures please read the study JOHN 8:24-IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE THAT I AM HE?)
26. I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that SENT (Or but the one sending) me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of HIM. (In other words, all that Jesus speaks or teaches is from Yahweh his Father. So, if you do not believe the words of Jesus, then you do not believe Yahweh the Father. Please read Deuteronomy 18:18,19. “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto you, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. Deuteronomy 18:19. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.” Again, Jesus is saying that he is the one PROPHESIED to come all the way through this passage of scripture in John chapter 8)
John 8:27. They understood not that he (Jesus) spoke to them of the FATHER.
John 8:28. Then said Jesus unto them, When you have lifted up the Son of MAN, then shall you know that I am he, (Now, if so be that Jesus was saying that he himself is Yahweh, the great I AM THAT I AM, in John 8:58 then why does Jesus say that he is the SON OF MAN here in the SAME CONTEXT?
Jesus is saying I am HE, meaning I am the Christ, the one prophesied to come. I am he, the prophet like unto Moses, whom God promised that he would raise up from among the people) and that I do NOTHING OF MYSELF; but as MY Father has taught me, I speak these things. (Now again, if so be that Jesus was saying in John 8:58 that he was one and the self-same being as Almighty God the I AM THAT I AM, then Jesus would be able to do anything that he desired to do.
But yet the word of TRUTH clearly teaches us that Jesus could do NOTHING in and OF HIMSELF. This truth alone should prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that Jesus was NOT saying that he was the great I AM THAT I AM when he said the word in John 8:58, “Before Abraham was, I am”. Jesus is saying that he is the MESSIAH, the one prophesied to come.
It was in God’s plan of salvation for Jesus to speak in parables to the children of Israel. They asked him to tell them plainly if he is the Christ and Jesus answered saying, “I told you and you believed NOT.” See John 10;24,25. “Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long do you make us to doubt? If you be the Christ, tell us plainly. John 10:25 Jesus answered them, I told you, (At the very beginning of my ministry that Isaiah 61:1-3 is FULFILLED in your ears) and you believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.” And I told you again several times in John 8:12-58 but you took up stones to stone me)
John 8:29. And he that SENT (Or the one sending) me is WITH me: the Father has NOT left me ALONE; for I do always those things that please Him. (Again, we see TWO separate persons. We see the Father and the SON and not just the I AM THAT I AM who alone is the FATHER. In other words, we see that Yahweh was WITH his SON Jesus by DWELLING IN the Son of man)
John 8:30. As he spoke these words, many believed on him. (Many Jews could believe that Jesus was a prophet with whom God was WITH. But many other Jews were still undecided if Jesus was the Christ.
You see, the Jew knew that the Scripture prophesied of an ANOINTED MAN who would come and when Jesus made it clear to them that God was WITH him then many believed on him)
John 8:31. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word (Which again, are not his OWN words, but rather they are the words of Yahweh that commanded or instructed Jesus what to speak), then are you my disciples (Or learners of me) indeed;
John 8:32. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:33. They answered him, We are Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how say you, You shall be made free? (Free from what? Read the context)
John 8:34. Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin. (Remember the CONTEXT. Jesus is saying that if they do not believe who Jesus says that he is truly saying that he is then they shall die in their sins. Jesus is saying that they are in BONDAGE to SIN)
John 8:35. And the servant abides not in the house for ever: but the SON abides ever.
John 8:36. If the SON, therefore, shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.
John 8:37. I know that you are Abraham's seed; but you seek to kill me because my word has no place in you.
John 8:38. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and you do that which you have seen with your father. (Jesus is saying that he is hearing and obeying the voice of Yahweh the Father. And that they, the Jews, are obeying the voice of their father the devil. Jesus is saying that whom you obey his servant you are.
And in order to be set free from the bondage of sin, then you need a MESSIAH who will give you the power to become a son or child of God. Please read the study WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE BORN AGAIN?)
John 8:39. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said unto them, If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham.
John 8:40. But now you seek to kill me, a man that has told you the TRUTH, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. (Again, we see TWO. We see Jesus who is hearing from Almighty God the Father, the one speaking to the Son of man, Jesus.)
John 8:41. You do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. (So the Jews called God their Father as well. But they were NOT obeying the words of Almighty God spoken through the prophets who prophesied of a CHILD being BORN of a VIRGIN.
And THEN a SON who would be GIVEN to die on the cross as a ransom for the sins of the people. The Jews to whom Jesus was speaking to here did not understand the prophecies of the suffering Messiah who would die on the cross for their sins.
They were seeking a mighty warrior Messiah instead. They did not believe that they needed a Messiah to cleanse them from their sins. They trusted their eternal life as being children of Abraham and following Moses)
John 8:42. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, you would love me: for I proceeded FORTH and came FROM God; neither came I OF MYSELF, but HE SENT me. (So again, we see that Jesus is NOT identifying himself as BEING the one who is sending himself. Jesus is clearly teaching us that he is being sent BY Yahweh the great I AM THAT I AM who is Almighty God, the Father, ALONE.
How many times have you heard preachers say that Jesus volunteered to come down from heaven to become flesh? But this verse says that he did not come of himself. I see Jesus saying that he had to subdue his OWN WILL to become obedient to do his God and Father's will.
We will cover the words of Jesus saying, I preceded FORTH and came FROM God further on in this study of whether or not Jesus pre-existed as a co-eternal and co-equal person who was a separate eternal divine person that was with Yahweh at His side)
John 8:43. Why do you not UNDERSTAND my speech? Even because you cannot hear my word. (Go back to verse 24, and verse 25 when they asked Jesus the question, WHO are YOU? And Jesus said EVEN the SAME that I have already told you at the beginning of my ministry.
I am the CHRIST, the ANOINTED one of God who was PROPHESIED to come! Why do you not understand my speech? Again, they were not looking for a suffering Messiah that would die on the cross for their sins. They did not believe that they needed saving from their sins)
John 8:44. You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar and the father of it. (Jesus was telling them straight to their face that they were SINNERS and if they did not believe that he was the Messiah, then they would die in their sins)
John 8:45. And because I tell you the truth, you believe me not.
John 8:46. Which of you convinces me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do you not believe me?
John 8:47. He that is of God hears God's words: you, therefore, hear them not, because you are not of God.
John 8:48. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that you are a Samaritan, and have a devil?
John 8:49. Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honor MY Father, and you do dishonor me.
John 8:50. And I seek not mine OWN glory: there is one that seeks and judges. (Here we see that Jesus does not honor himself, but rather Jesus honors his Father. So again we see two separate persons.
We see Almighty God, the Father, the great I AM THAT I AM and we see his SON Jesus, the CHRIST, the anointed one of Almighty God, who was prophesied to come.
The Scriptures testify of the coming of the Messiah. That is WHO the Jews were waiting for to come)
John 8:51. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keeps my saying, he shall never see DEATH. (This is the CONTEXT of John 8:58. In fact, this is the context of the entire Bible. Jesus is speaking of HIS DAY being the day of HIS resurrection to become the FIRSTFRUIT or the FIRST human being to be resurrected and given eternal life. This is when Jesus became the Messiah. Jesus said that Abraham rejoices to see MY DAY. The day the Messiah would come and conquer death.
Remember verse 28 that they would know who the Son of man was when the Son of man is crucified. They would know that Jesus was truly the Messiah, the Son of the living God because God would raise him from the dead and not leave his soul in hell.
This is what got the Jews hot under the collar, so to speak. They did not comprehend that Jesus was saying that he is the Messiah who would suffer and DIE for their sins)
John 8:52. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that you have a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and you say, If a man keeps my saying, he shall never taste of death. (Here we see that the Jews saw Abraham as the greatest of all men and all the prophets. And here this man from Galilee was telling them that his teaching was greater than what Abraham and the prophets spoke. And clearly, this angered the Jews.)
John 8:53. Are you greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? And the prophets are dead: who do you make yourself? (They thought that Jesus was exalting himself as someone greater than their father Abraham. But Jesus was exalting the message of the NEW Covenant that he would establish in his shed blood as being greater than the Old Covenant of Moses.
The New Covenant has the words that will lead to eternal life. And the Old Testament testified of the coming Messiah who would establish the New Covenant)
John 8:54. Jesus answered, If I honor MYSELF, my honor is nothing: it is MY Father that honors me (Again, please notice again that Jesus is speaking of his Father, the great I AM THAT I AM as being a SEPARATE person from himself); of whom you say, that he is your God:
John 8:55. Yet you have not known HIM, but I know HIM: and if I should say, I know HIM not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know HIM, and keep HIS saying.
John 8:56. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see MY DAY: and he saw it, and was glad. (HOW did Abraham see the DAY of the Messiah when the Messiah had NOT YET COME?
Abraham understood the words of the prophets and the coming DAY of the MESSIAH. Abraham saw the DAY of the RESURRECTION from reading the Scriptures.
John 8:57. Then said the Jews unto him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham? (The Jews misunderstood the words of Jesus all the way through this passage of Scripture. And here they thought Jesus was saying that he saw Abraham rather than Abraham desiring or rejoicing to see the day of the Messiah.
They did not understand that Abraham would literally see the Messiah when Jesus descended into the belly of the earth to preach the Gospel to the Saints of the Old Testament of which Abraham was one of those saints.
They did not understand that the Son of MAN, Jesus would be glorified with a new immortal glorified body BEFORE Abraham)
John 8:58. Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, (Or Truly) I say unto you, BEFORE Abraham was, I am. (The LITERAL translation reads, [“Truly, truly I am saying to you before Abraham to be coming into being I am [coming into being]” In other words, Before Abraham was born I am to be coming into being, as in, I was in God's plan long before Abraham was born.
To say this another way, Jesus was PROPHESIED to come into being before Abraham was born. Before Abraham was born MY DAY was prophesied to be.
ALSO, before Abraham is resurrected and given eternal life to never see death I am going to be resurrected from the dead and be given eternal life never to die again as the firstborn from the dead to become the firstborn of every creature. Please read the study WHAT DOES FIRSTBORN OF EVERY CREATURE MEAN?
And as well, Jesus is saying YES, I am before Abraham, as in, I am GREATER than Abraham because the Scriptures testify of ME as being the Christ, the one prophesied to come to save the people from their sins. The root word translated as before also means above or superior to Abraham)
John 8:59. Then took they up stones to cast at him: (Not because Jesus was saying that he was ALMIGHTY God the Father, who alone is the great I AM THAT I AM. But rather, because they did NOT believe that Jesus was the Messiah, who would suffer and die on the cross and be resurrected from the dead. They simply thought that Jesus was exalting HIMSELF to be better than Abraham. They were jealous of Jesus having many followers.
They saw Jesus as being a self-appointed prophet of God. They said Jesus had a devil. You see the context of the previous chapters teaches us that the Jew wanted to kill Jesus for breaking the Sabbath day by healing the sick on the Sabbath.
The truth of the matter is that these Jewish leaders did not want to lose any of their followers to become a follower of Jesus so they picked up stones to stone him for whatever reason they could find), but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”
When some Christians read the English word “SENT” they assume that Jesus is saying that Almighty God sent down his Son from heaven. But the literal meanings of all the Greek words translated as sent in THIS passage of Scripture are in the present tense meaning that God was sending the Son of MAN out into the world to preach the kingdom. And the context in chapter 7, verse 29 supports this meaning as well. The Greek word translated in those verses as SENT means TO COMMISSION.
And according to the American Heritage Dictionary, the word COMMISSION means the act of committing or giving the authority to carry out a task. Or granting certain powers or entrusting. In other words, the Son of man was ANOINTED with POWER and authority from on high to preach the kingdom of God.
So then, the interpretation of Jesus saying that he was sent down from heaven is reading into these verses where God sent the Son. And the INTERPRETATION of John 8:58 of Jesus saying that he is Yahweh, the great I AM THAT I AM is also READING INTO THE TEXT a preconceived belief.
Now that you have noticed that Jesus was NOT ALONE but rather that the Father was always WITH the Son of MAN Jesus, then it should become clear to you that Jesus was NOT saying that he is the great I AM THAT I AM. Rather, Jesus was simply saying that BEFORE Abraham was ever born Almighty God thought to have a SON, and I am that Son of the living God whom God prophesied to come into being by being born of a Virgin without an “earthly” father.
Jesus was saying that I am “he” that the Scriptures have prophesied should come. Jesus was saying I am the CHRIST, the ANOINTED ONE, the MESSIAH, the SON OF the living God and NOT the living God Himself.
Remember in John 5:33-47 that Jesus said to the Jews that they search the scriptures to find eternal life, and then Jesus said the SCRIPTURES they testify of ME. Jesus was basically saying to the Jews at that time the same thing that he was the PROPHESIED one that was to come.
Here is John 5:33-47, which AGAIN clearly shows us that Almighty God was WITH his Son Jesus performing his word with SIGNS and WONDERS bearing WITNESS that Almighty God was IN his Son Jesus and that Jesus was a true man of God, who was obeying the voice of his God and Father, the great I AM THAT I AM. Jesus was NOT saying that he was Almighty God Himself but rather that Almighty God through His Holy Spirit DWELT IN him. Jesus could do NOTHING OF himself. It was Yahweh the Father dwelling in the Son of MAN, Jesus who was the one who did the mighty works through the human hands of His HUMAN Son. Jesus was saying that he was the ANOINTED ONE sent by Almighty God.
John 5:33-47.
You sent unto John, and he bares witness unto the truth.
John 5:34. But I receive NOT testimony from man: but these things I say, that you might be saved.
John 5:35. He was a burning and a shining light: and you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
John 5:36. But I have greater witness than that of John: ( Now Jesus said that John was the greatest of all the prophets. So then, if Jesus had a greater witness than John, then he was also saying that he had a greater witness than Abraham and all the prophets) for the works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me. (Remember that Jesus also said that he could do NOTHING OF HIMSELF and that the works were done by the Father that DWELT IN him by the Holy Spirit OF Almighty God.
Also, remember that Almighty God, the Father, IS SPIRIT. In other words, the Holy Spirit OF Almighty God and Almighty God himself, the great I AM, are ONE and the SELF-SAME one Spirit being. But Jesus is the SON OF Almighty God, the great I AM. And thus, Jesus is a SEPARATE being or person from Almighty God the Father, the great I AM THAT I AM)
John 5:37. And the Father himself, which has SENT me, has borne WITNESS of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape.
John 5:38. And you have not his word abiding in you: for whom he has sent, him you believe not.
John 5:39. Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and THEY are THEY which TESTIFY of ME. (This is HOW Abraham SAW the DAY of Jesus the COMING Messiah. Also keep in mind that the New Testament is NOT a LIVE broadcast so to speak, but rather it was written after the fact and the writer sometimes INCLUDED things that happened after the resurrection of Jesus is some of these narratives.
What I mean by this is that Abraham rose from the grave WITH Jesus and this was another way that Abraham SAW the DAY of Jesus. Please read the study WHAT AND WHERE IS PARADISE? for a deeper understanding of how Jesus PREACHED the gospel of SALVATION to the spirits of the Old Testament saints when Jesus first descended into the lower parts of the earth for three full days and three full nights.)
John 5:40. And you will not come to me, that you might have life.
John 5:41. I receive not honor from men.
John 5:42. But I know you, that you have not the love of God in you.
John 5:43. I am come in my Father's NAME, (Remember that the NAME of Jesus means Yahweh SAVES or the SALVATION of Yahweh, Blessed is he who comes in the NAME of the Lord.) and you receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive (Just as a side note, but an extremely important side note, I believe that this verse may be prophesying the coming of Muhammad, which the seed of Abraham in the lineage of Ishmael received. Please read the study COULD ISLAM BE THE MARK OF THE BEAST?)
John 5:44. How can you believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that comes from God only?
John 5:45. Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuses you, even Moses, in whom you trust.
John 5:46. For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me: for he wrote OF ME.
John 5:47. But if you believe not his writings, how shall you believe my words?”
Now plain and simple, any verse that we interpret MUST AGREE with the rest of God’s word. My interpretation of John 8:58 is that Jesus is saying that he is the MESSIAH, the one prophesied to come.
And that interpretation AGREES with the word of Jesus in John 5:39 where Jesus says that the Scripture TESTIFY of HIM. My interpretation agrees with Almighty God revealing to Peter than Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. My interpretation agrees with every member of Jesus being formed when they were NOT YET.
Please read Psalm 139:13-17.
“For You have possessed my reins: You have covered me in my mother's womb.
Psalm 139:14. I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Your works; and that my soul knows right well.
Psalm 139:15. My substance was not hidden from You, when I was made in SECRET, and curiously wrought in the LOWEST parts of the earth.
Psalm 139:16. Your eyes did see my substance, YET being UNPERFECT; and in Your book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, WHEN AS YET was NONE OF THEM.
Psalm 139:17. How precious also are Your THOUGHTS unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!”
Let us read the last three verses again so you can see that the TRUE Jesus did NOT LITERALLY pre-exist in eternity past as God the Son who was literally with Yahweh as a literally separate person at God’s side.
Psalm 139:15-18.
“My substance (Or my BODY, as in, my whole BEING of spirit, soul, and body as well as my END PURPOSE) was not hidden from You, (Or my body, as in, my whole BEING of spirit, soul, and body as well as my END PURPOSE, was not SECRET from YOU) WHEN (Or my body, as in, my whole BEING of spirit, soul, and body as well as my END PURPOSE, was not a secret from you as to when, where, and how) I was made (Or my body, as in, my whole BEING of spirit, soul, and body as well as my END PURPOSE, was not a secret for YOU as to when, where, and how I would be brought to pass or PROCURED) in SECRET, (Speaking of Yahweh’s HIDDEN prophecy kept secret from God’s enemy, Satan) and curiously wrought (Or my body, as in, my whole BEING of spirit, soul, and body as well as my END PURPOSE, was not a secret for YOU as to when, where, and how I would be brought to pass or PROCURED by you who fabricated me in an unusual way) IN the LOWEST parts of the earth. (Or my body, as in, my whole BEING of spirit, soul, and body as well as my END PURPOSE, was not a secret for YOU as to when, where, and how I would be brought to pass or PROCURED by You who fabricated me in an unusual way by Your spoken word of PROPHECY being FULFILLED or performed by You in the WOMB of the earth.
Now, I see two meanings to the phrase “IN the LOWEST PARTS of the earth. Before Jesus ascended out of the grave he DESCENDED FIRST into the heart of the earth or into the LOWEST parts of the earth. But God did not leave his SOUL in Hell as was prophesied.
And after God resurrected the Son of MAN, Jesus, God highly exalted him and gave Jesus eternal life to become God’s, ETERNAL Son. That is one meaning. The other meaning is that Jesus had his beginning in the womb of a human woman without an earthly Father)
Psalm 139:16. Your eyes did see my substance, (Or Your eyes looking into the future did see my BODY, as in, my whole BEING of spirit, soul, and body as well as my END PURPOSE) YET being UNPERFECT; (Or yet being an embryo or an unformed mass) and IN Your book all my members were written, (Or every detail about where I would be born to the END PURPOSE of why I was born are written in Your word of PROPHECY) which in continuance were fashioned, (Or You formed and molded like a potter) WHEN AS YET was NONE OF THEM. (Or when YET NONE of my being existed in eternity past You kept forming Your thoughts within yourself as to how You desired my end to be like)
Psalm 139:17. How precious also are Your THOUGHTS unto me, O God! How great is the sum (Or how great is the END) of them!”
Jesus said that the Scriptures TESTIFIED of him.
John 5:39.
“Search the Scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which TESTIFY of me.”
Jesus is the “word” that was with God, and “[a] God was the “word” of PROPHECY.
Now read Luke 24:44-49.
“And he (Jesus) said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Luke 24:45. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures,
Luke 24:46. And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
Luke 24:47. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luke 24:48. And you are witnesses of these things.
Luke 24:49. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until you be endued with power from on high.”
Psalm 56:8.
“You (Yahweh) tell my wanderings: put You my tears into Your bottle: are they not in Your book?
I myself do NOT see ANY PROPHECIES in the Old Testament Scriptures that prophesy of a God the Son being sent down from heaven to be incarnated in the flesh but yet remain the fully Almighty God at the same time having two natures, one divine, and one human during the days of his FLESH.
But I do see prophecies of a HUMAN Messiah coming INTO existence through the SPOKEN word coming OUT FROM the mouth of Yahweh. I see the New Testament writers saying that this was a FULFILLMENT of the Scriptures. I do not know why it is so hard for some Christians to see that John 1:1 is a PROPHECY of the spoken word of God BECOMING a God by becoming FLESH first. And then the human Son of MAN was highly exalted to become be CALLED by the TITLE a Mighty God as prophesied in Isaiah 9:6,7.
Clearly, every Christian’s sees that Jesus being SLAIN as an innocent Lamb before the foundation of the world was the PLAN of God. So, why is it so hard to see that the word becoming a God was also the PLAN of God? Did not the Son of MAN BECOME a God just as it was PROPHESIED? Anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear can clearly see that Yahweh is the God OF his Son Jesus. Please read the study JESUS SAID WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?
Another study that I highly suggest that you read is WHEN DID JESUS BECOME GOD’S ETERNAL SON? You may be surprised to learn the Bible ITSELF clearly teaches us that God’s Son first came into existence at the virgin birth as God’s HUMAN Son. And then it was AFTER the cross that the Son of MAN Jesus was glorified to become God’s ETERNAL Son.
Now some Christians have been taught the man-made doctrine of the Trinity for so long it is hard for them to see anything else and they argue, If Jesus was NOT saying that he was THE I AM, then WHY did the Jews pick up stones to stone him?
This is a common argument used a number of times because there were other times as well that the Jews wanted to stone Jesus. Let us take a look at one of these other places first and then we will come back to this passage of scripture where Jesus says, Before Abraham was, I am.
Please read John 5:17,18, which is one of the most common passages of scripture used by those who teach the doctrine of the Trinity to say that Jesus is EQUAL with Almighty God the Father.
John 5:17.18.
“But Jesus answered them, My Father works hitherto, and I work.
John 5:18. Therefore (Or for this reason) the Jews sought the more to KILL him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath but said also that God was his Father, making himself EQUAL with God.”
Now those that teach the doctrine of the Trinity argue that the Jews knew good well that Jesus was saying that he was EQUAL with Almighty God his Father because they wanted to KILL him. And they ALSO argue that Jesus never DENIED that he was EQUAL with Almighty God the Father.
But the TRUTH of the matter is that the Jews wanted to KILL Jesus BEFORE Jesus said that God was his Father. Please read the CONTEXT of verse 18, where you will see that the Jews wanted to KILL Jesus for supposedly breaking the Sabbath day. And you will ALSO see that Jesus did INDEED defend himself as well and was NOT making himself to be God nor equal with his God and Father the ONE TRUE and ONLY ALMIGHTY God.
Here is John 5:15-32.
“The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.
John 5:16. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to SLAY him, because he had done these things ON the Sabbath day. (Here again, we see the Jews wanted to KILL Jesus, but this time it was because to them Jesus broke the Sabbath day when he healed a man BY the Holy Spirit of Almighty God the Father)
John 5:17. But Jesus answered them, My Father works hitherto, and I work. (Further down you will understand that this means that the Father through his Holy Spirit was showing Jesus what to do and when to do it and Jesus simply OBEY the leading of the Holy Spirit. In simple words, Jesus was saying I am only doing what Almighty God told me to do.)
John 5:18. Therefore, the JEWS sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. (In other words, the JEWS incorrectly interpreted the words of Jesus and FALSELY ACCUSED Jesus of making himself EQUAL to Almighty God. But as you will plainly see as you continue to read the CONTEXT that Jesus ANSWERED in his DEFENSE the FOLLOWING. You see the truth of the matter is that these same Jews also FALSELY ACCUSED Jesus of being a SINNER and have a DEVIL and wanted to KILL Jesus, but we certainly do NOT believe these FALSE ACCUSATIONS)
John 5:19. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do NOTHING OF HIMSELF, but what he sees the Father do: for what things soever he does, these also does the Son likewise. (In other words, what ever Jesus the Son of MAN saw in a dream or a vision or in the written word of God and whatever Jesus heard the Father say to do by the inward voice of the Holy Spirit, then Jesus simply OBEYED what he knew that the Father was telling him to do.
Now to ME, this clearly teaches us that Jesus was in NO WAY claiming to be the great I AM nor was Jesus making himself to be EQUAL with Almighty God the Father.)
John 5:20. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all things that himself does: and he will shew him greater works than these, that you may marvel.
John 5:21. For as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens them; even so the Son quickens whom he will.
John 5:22. For the Father judges no man, but has COMMITTED all judgment unto the Son:
John 5:23. That all men should honor the Son, EVEN AS they honor the Father. He that honors NOT the Son honors NOT the Father which has SENT him. (In other words, the Bible teaches us that we must believe and have BOTH the Father AND the SON in order to have ETERNAL LIFE in the world to come. But yet the doctrine of the trinity wants us to believe that Jesus IS the I AM as in ONE and the SAME BEING as the I AM.
Yes, there is absolutely no doubt that Jesus came FROM the one true and only ALMIGHTY God. But this by no means that Jesus IS the one true and ONLY ALMIGHTY God. You see THE ALMIGHTY God has NO beginning, but Jesus the SON OF Almighty God was BEGOTTEN r brought into existence.
Yes Almighty God said I SHALL BECOME who I am BECOMING, which could very well mean that Almighty God literally BECAME a HUMAN BEING. But AGAIN please read “A TRINITARIAN DILEMMA-PHILIPPIANS 2:6” where the Word laid aside all the divine advantages that he had when the Word BECAME FLESH a HUMAN BEING and dwelt among us.)
John 5:24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hears my word, and believes on him that SENT me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
John 5:25. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. (because the God of Jesus GAVE his Son this authority)
John 5:26. For AS the Father has life IN himself; SO has he GIVEN to the Son to have life IN himself;
John 5:27. And has GIVEN him authority to execute judgment also, BECAUSE he is the Son of MAN.
John 5:28. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, (In other words, all that Jesus is and all that Jesus has was GIVEN to him by God. And that INCLUDES IMMORTAL LIFE and the AUTHORITY to raise the dead was GIVEN to him BY HIS God and Father the ONE TRUE and ONLY ALMIGHTY God.
It is Yahweh the Father who said I will BE what I will BE. For you see, the REASON that Jesus, the Son of MAN, was GIVEN eternal life to be having in himself was NOT because Jesus was FULLY God. Nor was it because Jesus was the SON of God.
But rather, it was BECAUSE that Jesus was the Son of MAN, a HUMAN BEING, that OVERCAME the enemy by the Holy Spirit of Almighty God the DWELT in Jesus. This is what the WHOLE word of God clearly teaches us)
John 5:29. And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
John 5:30. I can OF MY OWN SELF DO NOTHING: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek NOT my OWN will, BUT the will of the Father which has SENT me. (Now, does this sound like Jesus is saying that he himself is the great I AM or that Jesus is saying that he is EQUAL to Almighty God the Father?
Absolutely NOT! Jesus himself clearly and plainly said with absolutely NO interpretation needed that he could do NOTHING in and of himself)
John 5:31. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
John 5:32. There is another that bears witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesses of me are true.”
So, here in this passage of scripture we see that it was the Jews wanted to kill Jesus BEFORE these Jews, who incorrectly interpreted the words of Jesus and FALSELY ACCUSED Jesus of making himself EQUAL with Almighty God his God and Father.
Then in John chapter 9 right after the Jews picked of stone to KILL him for simply saying that God was his FATHER we see Jesus healing another man on the Sabbath day and the Jews once again FALSELY ACCUSE Jesus only this time they falsely ACCUSE Jesus of being a SINNER.
Please read John 9:16, where Jesus is NOW being accused of not even being a man of God and a SINNER. Wow from one extreme to the other with the FALSE ACCUSATIONS.
First, they accuse Jesus of making himself EQUAL with God and NOW they are accusing Jesus of not even being a man of God and a SINNER all because Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath day.
John 9:16.
“Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This MAN is NOT of God, because he keeps not the Sabbath day. Others said, How can a MAN that is a SINNER do such miracles? And there was a DIVISION among them.”
So then, SOME of the Jews believed that Jesus was a SINNER and others wondered HOW could a man do such mighty works if indeed he was a SINNER. Thus, in TRUTH, they did not know for sure who Jesus was, but some of the LEADERS threatened that if any Jew calls Jesus the CHRIST, then they will be thrown out of the synagogue. A little further on in John 9:30-38 we see that Jesus openly says that he IS the SON of God.
Nowhere in scripture are we clearly and plainly taught that we MUST believe that Jesus is the I AM THAT I AM the one true and only ALMIGHTY God, but we are indeed taught CLEARLY and PLAINLY to believe that Jesus is the SON of the living God and that Jesus is the CHRIST.
The disciples of Jesus understood that Jesus was a MAN who was ANOINTED with the Holy Spirit of Almighty God the Father. The disciples never called Jesus ALMIGHTY God, but rather they called Jesus the SON of God.
The disciples of Jesus CLEARLY saw Almighty God as being the FATHER and they called Jesus their Lord and their savior. The disciples of Jesus clearly understood that we MUST believe in BOTH the Father AND the SON in order to obtain ETERNAL LIFE in the world to come.
It was ONLY the JEWS who FALSE ACCUSED Jesus of making himself EQUAL to ALMIGHTY God the Father, which the Roman Catholic church INCORRECTLY believed to be the truth when the developed the doctrine of the trinity that took HUNDREDS of year under heavy opposition.
Here is John 9:30-38 where we see the JEWS falsely accusing Jesus o being a sinner for healing a man on the Sabbath day.
John 9:30-38.
“The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvelous thing, that you know not from whence he is, and yet he has opened mine eyes.
John 9:31. Now we know that God hears not sinners: but if any MAN is a worshiper of God, and does his will, him he hears.
John 9:32. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
John 9:33. If this MAN were not OF God, he could do nothing.
John 9:34. They answered and said unto him, You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us? And they cast him out.
John 9:35. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Do you believe on the SON of God?
John 9:36. He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
John 9:37. And Jesus said unto him, You have both seen him, and it is he that talks with you.
John 9:38. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshiped him.”
Please notice that Jesus said, “Do you believe in the SON of God? “ As opposed to, “Do you believe that Jesus is the I AM THAT I AM the one true and only ALMIGHTY God Himself in the flesh having two natures at the same time, one divine, and one human?
Now, some of you who are reading this study in God's word may have been cast out of a church for NOT believing the false doctrines that they teach. If this is you, be of good cheer for Jesus knows that you have held fast to his word of TRUTH.
And Jesus knows also those of you who are truly seeking to know the truth and I assure you that as you CONTINUE n God's word you will come to know the TRUTH and the truth will make you free.
The MORE that you see the TRUTH that Jesus was a MAN who was ANOINTED with the Holy Spirit of his God and Father, then the more you will walk in the steps of Jesus. For you see, you will KNOW that since Jesus, as a MAN, overcame sin BY or THROUGH the Holy Spirit of his God and Father. And you will KNOW that this SAME Holy Spirit now DWELLS in YOU! And that KNOWLEDGE of the TRUTH will increase your FAITH to do the SAME works that Jesus did.
This is the main reason of why I write so many studies exposing the ERRORS of INTERPRETATION of the scriptures that ave conclude Jesus to be FULLY ALMIGHTY God in the flesh because this false teaching misleads Christian to FALSELY conclude the ONLY Jesus can heal the sick and live without sin.
I also teach what I teach because I am thoroughly convinced that NO doctrine of the church that DRIVES people AWAY from God can possibly be the TRUE teaching of god's word of TRUTH.
Now you may have never realized this before, but there are Christians turning to ISLAM because Muslims are EXPOSING some of these SAME ERRORS that I am exposing.
Also, I have personally heard people say that they would believe in God IF it were NOT for the doctrine of three in one and one in three.
With that being said, let us go back to the verse in question and read where the Jews picked up stones to kill Jesus, which some INTERPRET as meaning that Jesus was saying that he himself is the great I AM THAT I AM.
John 8:58,59.
“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
John 8:59. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”
Now, there is absolutely nothing it the CONTEXT to lead anyone to draw the conclusion that the REASON that the Jews wanted to stone Jesus was because Jesus was saying that he himself was the ALMIGHTY God just because Jesus said “EGO EIMI”, which the translators chose to translate as “I am” and other translators chose to translate as “I AM”. The context simply says that they took up stones to cast at him.
The TRUTH of the matter is that some of these Jews who were leaders did NOT want any of their followers to follow this man for fear that they would leave off following them.
Again, in truth, some of these Jews want to kill Jesus because he broke the Sabbath day by healing the sick on the Sabbath day. Other Jews did not want anyone to say the Jesus was the CHRIST.
Now to ME, the ENEMY definitely wants to keep this TRUTH from Christians. For you see, Satan knows that when believers truly get a hold on this truth, then the mighty works done in the early church will be nothing in comparison to the latter-day rain of God's Holy Spirit.
I am convinced that once Christians truly begin to see the HUMANITY of Jesus and the truth that the Holy Spirit of Almighty God DWELT in Jesus to EMPOWER Jesus to do the works that he did. Then more and more Christians will begin to FOLLOW in the steps of Jesus and DO the very same works of healing that Jesus did through the Holy Spirit that dwelt in him.
This brings us to section 2 or part 2, where we will take a look at the second question of whether or not Jesus was CO ETERNAL with the Father as the doctrine of the trinity also teaches.
SECTION # 2
In this section, we will address the question of whether or not Jesus is CO ETERNAL with the Father. In other words, “Does Jesus saying the words “I AM” mean that Jesus preexisted for all eternity like Almighty God?
In other words, was Jesus as the SON of Almighty God ALWAYS in existence WITH Almighty God the Father in that Jesus the Son of God had NO BEGINNING?
Let us begin this section by reading John 8:47-58.
John 8:47-58.
“He that is of God hears God's words: you, therefore, hear them not, because you are not of God.
John 8:48. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that you are a Samaritan, and you have a devil?
John 8:49. Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honor my Father, and you do dishonor me.
John 8:50. And I seek not my own glory: there is one that seeks and judges.
John 8:51. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keeps my saying, he shall never see death.
John 8:52. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou have a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and you say, If a man keeps my saying, he shall never taste of death.
John 8:53. Are you greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? And the prophets are dead: who do you make yourself?
John 8:54. Jesus answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing: it is my Father that honors me; of whom you say, that He (My God and Father) is your God:
John 8:55. Yet you have not known Him (My Father); but I know Him (My God and my Father): and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
John 8:56. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see MY DAY: and he SAW it, and was glad.
John 8:57. Then said the Jews unto him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?
John 8:58. Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”
Or BEFORE Abraham was EGO EIMI, which also means WAS, HAVE BEEN, and EXISTED.
So then, if we use the meaning of “EGO EIMI” to be translated as “I WAS”, or I HAVE BEEN, or I EXISTED, then does this prove that Jesus was CO ETERNAL with the Father?
There are two schools of thought about exactly HOW Jesus preexisted with Almighty God in the beginning.
One school of thought is that Jesus existed with Almighty God in the beginning as a literal second person possessing a form, a voice, and a will. Now, this school is divided, in that some say that this SPIRIT being was Jesus as the SON of Almighty God that was by his Father's side BEFORE the creation of the world. Others say NO, this cannot be so. And they say that Jesus existed as the WORD that was a SPIRIT being as well but was NOT YET the SON of Almighty God.
The second school of thought is that Jesus existed as the WORD of God, as being the LITERAL WORD of Almighty God in His THOUGHTS. In other words, whatever Almighty God THOUGHT, He then brought forth His THOUGHTS in the FORM or the IMAGE of what He was thinking to become into existence. And then, God SPOKE forth His very own thought out from His mouth. And then, God watched over and PERFORMED the spoken WORD of the IMAGE of what God was thinking to bring to pass or to FULFILL that PROPHECY.
Now to ME, this is the ONLY way that I myself can rationalize the WORD being ONE and the SAME BEING as Almighty God, because the WORD of God would actually BE God's very own BEING and NOT a SEPARATE Spirit being named the word.
As far as the first school of thought, I USED to see TWO separate beings ALWAYS existing.
However, that Trinitarian school of thought does NOT AGREE with the WHOLE word of Almighty God. For you see, CLEARLY, ONE of these two separated beings, speaking of the SON of God, was BEGOTTEN or had a BEGINNING.
The word “BEGOTTEN” means that the SON OF God had a BEGINNING. There is simply NO WAY around this fact. And due to the FACT that Jeus had a BEGINNING proves that the doctrine of the Trinity is NOT SOUND Biblical teaching.
You can read in some Trinitarin concordances that the word “begotten” does NOT mean that Jesus had a beginning, And this argument goes all the way back to the third century. Listen to one of the writers from the early church who persecuted Arius for being a HERETIC and casts him out of the church for denying the doctrine of the Trinity.
Arius writes a letter to Eusebius about the persecution that he and his fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord are receiving from the bishop Alexander of the church of Alexandria, Egypt. Here is a quote from that letter.
“(1.) To that most beloved man of God, the faithful and orthodox Eusebius, from Arius, unjustly persecuted by father Alexander because of the all-conquering truth which you, Eusebius, also are defending!
(2.) Since my father Ammonius is going to Nicomedia, it seemed reasonable and proper to greet you through him, remembering at the same time the innate love and affection which you have for the brothers on account of God and his Christ, because the bishop [Alexander] is severely ravaging and persecuting us and moving against us with every evil.
Thus he drives us out of every city like godless men, since we will not AGREE with HIS public statements: that there was “always a God, ALWAYS a Son;” “as soon as the Father, so soon the Son [existed];” “with the Father co-exists the Son unbegotten, ever-begotten, begotten without begetting;” “God neither PRECEDES the Son in aspect or in a moment of time;” “always a God, ALWAYS a Son, the Son being from God himself.”
Did you notice that Arius and Eusebius were teaching ORTHODOX Christianity. Now to ME, this DOGMATIC demanding of the Roman Catholic church to ENFORCE this doctrine of the Trinity that demands that there be a CO-ETERNAL SON who had absolutely NO BEGINNING and who was begotten WITHOUT being begotten simply does NOT AGREE with what the WHOLE word of Almighty God clearly teaches us.
And this is what Arius was trying to get the Roman Catholic church to see. In some of the writings about Arius he is praised highly for his godly moral life, but at the same time, he and the MANY “ORTHODOX” Christians who believed what Arius and Eusebius taught were heavily persecuted by bishop Alexander of Alexandria.
And when you truly take a close look at what this Roman Catholic bishop Alexander taught, I myself have to wonder who the “real heretic” is. I mean, what kind of SOUND BIBLICAL statement is the following?
“There was “always a God, ALWAYS a Son;” “as soon as the Father, so soon the Son [existed];” “with the Father co-exists the Son unbegotten, ever-begotten, begotten without begetting;” “God neither PRECEDES the Son in aspect or in a moment of time;” “always a God, ALWAYS a Son, the Son being from God himself.”
I mean really that would truly be a MYSTERY for the Son to be UNBEGOTTEN, EVER BEGOTTEN, and to be begotten WITHOUT being BEGOTTEN.
Yet this same trying to explain away the TRUE meaning of “BEGOTTEN” still exist today in Trinitarain BIASED concordances. Here is a quote from the New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance defining the word “BEGOTTEN” Strong’s #3439 concerning Jesus Christ.
“(4) With reference to Christ, the phrase “the only begotten of the Father”, John 1:14, indicates that as the Son of God he was the sole REPRESENTATIVE of the Being and character of the ONE who sent him…
...(4d) The glory was that of a unique relationship and the word “begotten” does NOT imply a BEGINNING of his sonship.
(4c) It (speaking of the word begotten)suggest relationship indeed, but MUST be DISTINGUISHED from GENERATION as applied to MAN.
(5) We can only RIGHTLY understand the term “the only BEGOTTEN” WHEN used of the Son in the sense of UN-originated relationship.
(5a) The begetting is NOT an event in TIME however remote but a FACT irrespective of TIME.
(5b) The Christ did NOT BECOME but NECESSARILY and eternally is the Son, He is a person and he possesses every attribute of Godhood.
(5c) This NECESSITATES eternity, absolute being, in this respect he is NOT AFTER the Father…
…(8) In John 3:16 the statement “God so loved the world that He gave His only BEGOTTEN Son” MUST NOT be taken to mean that Christ BECAME the only begotten Son BY INCARNATION.”
So then, for everyone else the word BEGOTTEN means GENERATED and BROUGHT INTO existence where we never existed before except in the minds of our parents to have a child. Notice that this BIASED definition of the Greek word “monogenes” NECESSITATES eternity and absolute being for the Son. And that is because IF the Son was NOT eternal the whole doctrine of the Trinity would fall apart and be proven to be FALSE teaching.
So then, it is NECESSARY for these Trinitarian BISED concordance to TWIST the TRUE meaning of the word BEGOTTEN to make an EXCEPTION when Jesus is begotten of the Father.
Also, did you notice definition number (5a) that begetting is NOT an event in TIME however remote but a FACT irrespective of TIME? But yet the Bible ITSELF clearly teaches us that Jesus was begotten as God’s ETERNAL Son on a SPECIFIC DAY IN TIME.
Please read Acts 13:32-41 where we can clearly see in SIMPLICITY that Jesus was BEGOTTEN of God on a certain DAY in time and that certain day in time ACCORDING to the Bible ITSELF was AT the RESURRECTION of the Son of MAN.
Acts 13:32-41.
“And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the PROMISE which was made unto the fathers,
Acts 13:33. God has FULFILLED the same unto us their children (And HOW did God FULFILL the Scripture of the PROMISE of prophecy being spoken of here?), IN THAT He has RAISED UP Jesus AGAIN; AS IT is also WRITTEN in the second psalm, You are my Son, THIS DAY have I BEGOTTEN you. (Now, some Christians argue and say that this teaching or doctrine of Jesus becoming the Son of God AT his RESURRECTION is based upon ONE verse only here in Acts 13:33 and make the CLAIM that the term this day is speaking of ETERNITY for there is no time with God. But the writer of the book of Acts clearly states that the prophecy written in Psalms chapter 2 has God FULFILLED IN THAT he has RAISED UP or has BEGOTTEN Jesus from the DEAD. The CONTEXT clearly shows this fulfillment of Psalms 2 being the resurrection by the bringing out other prophecies being FULFILLED AT the RESURRECTION of Jesus)
Acts 13:34. AND AS CONCERNING that He RAISED him UP from the DEAD, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. (In other words, Almighty God GAVE the Son of MAN, Jesus, ETERNAL LIFE AFTER the CROSS never to die anymore)
Acts 13:35. Wherefore He said (Or Almighty God said through His prophet David) ALSO in another psalm, You shall not suffer your Holy One to see corruption. (So then, IF SO BE it is true that Jesus was BEGOTTEN in eternity past as some Christians claim, Then that would mean that Psalm 2 was fulfilled in eternity PAST. Therefore, those Christians must be consistent in their interpretation of verse 33 and also demand that verses 34-36 were fulfilled place in eternity past as well. I mean THINK this through for yourself my dear brothers and sister in our Lord Jesus Christ.
IF SO BE that Jesus was ALREADY begotten as God's Son in ETERNITY past with or without having a beginning then it makes NO sense for God to INSPIRE godly men of old to write down PROPHECY foretelling of a certain DAY that his Son would be BEGOTTEN at some point in time in the future. And THEN inspire the disciples of Jesus to TEACH us that the PROPHECY in Psalm 2 was FULFILLED in THAT God RAISED Jesus from the DEAD to never die again.
All I am saying is that I did not write the Bible and I am only telling you what the Bible ITSELF plainly STATES as FACT with no interpretation needed. So rather than interpret THIS verse another way to TRY and explain it away, why not go back and take a CLOSER look at those verses that SEEM to be saying that Jesus pre-existed in eternity past. For you see, those verses must be INTERPRETED as Jesus pre-existing as God's eternal divine SON who was WITH God at his SIDE for all eternity past. Those verses must be INTERPRETED that God sent down from heaven God the Son, the second person of the Trinity Godhead. But there are NO verses of Scripture that prophesy some God the Son coming down from heaven to incarnate himself in the flesh but yet REMAIN fully divine having TWO natures. I mean, I myself have never read one verse in the entire Bible that teaches us of Jesus having TWO NATURES one divine and the other human at the SAME time during the days of his FLESH.
Can you not see my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, that the Bible ITSELF does NOT teach us that Jesus had TWO natures during the days of his FLESH, but rather, it is man's THEORETICAL TRADITION that was formed over centuries by the Roman Catholic Church? The doctrine of the Deity of Jesus dogmatically demands that Jesus was Deity in eternity past and Deity DURING the days of his FLESH on the earth before the CROSS. BUT the Bible ITSELF teaches that Jesus was HIGHLY EXALTED by the Father. So how can Deity be highly exalted? Do not the doctrine of the Trinity and the doctrine of Oneness teach that Jesus IS ALMIGHTY God himself? So then, how can the HIGHEST God who is already the HIGHEST be highly exalted? Do you see what I mean about the WHOLE word of God?)
Acts 13:36. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
Acts 13:37. But he, whom God RAISED AGAIN (Or whom God has BEGOTTEN AGAIN from the DEAD and has given immortality never more to die. Remember that Jesus said that MAN must be BORN AGAIN to enter into the kingdom of God. Actually Jesus teaches a TWO stage process of being born again. First, we are born again by the word of God so that we can SEE or UNDERSTAND the things of the kingdom or the things of God and then we WILL BE born again AT the FIRST RESURRECTION at the second coming so that we can ENTER INTO the kingdom of God because this mortal body of FLESH must put on IMMORTALITY to ENTER into the kingdom of God), saw no corruption. (And Jesus was made to BECOME immortal by his God and Father GIVING him life to HAVE in himself even as the Father has always had the DIVINE NATURE OF immortality in himself)
Acts 13:38. Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this MAN is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: (Nowhere in the Scriptures is Jesus ever called the God/man. That is a man-made THEORY that CONTRADICTS many, many verses in the Bible. Please read the study 37 FACTS TO PONDER ABOUT JESUS BEING GOD!)
39. And by him, all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Acts 13:40. Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
Acts 13:41. Behold, you who despise, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in YOUR days, (Again, proving that Jesus was NOT begotten in eternity past BEFORE the creation of the world and mankind) a work which you shall in no wise believe, though a MAN declare it unto you.”
Jesus, the Son of MAN, declared that he would suffer and die on the cross and after three days would be raised from the dead, but no one, not even his disciples truly understood and believed his words until AFTER they WITNESSED his RESURRECTION by Jesus showing himself alive by many infallible proofs for forty days AFTER Jesus descended BACK down from heaven. Now no one actually witnesses the event of Jesus being raised from the dead while it was happening, but rather they became witnesses to the TRUTH that Jesus was raised from the dead when Jesus SHOWED himself alive by many infallible proofs for forty days after Jesus was BEGOTTEN from the DEAD to be GIVEN the divine nature of ETERNAL LIFE by his God and Father.
Jesus being BEGOTTEN from the DEAD is the heart of the gospel. This is what the Bible itself teaches us to believe in order to be SAVED. This is what sets Christianity apart from ALL other faiths. Many other religions believe that Jesus existed, but they do NOT believe that he was BEGOTTEN FROM THE DEAD. They do NOT believe that Jesus is DEITY or God. And had Satan KNOWN he would NOT have crucified that innocent pure Lamb of God, the Son of MAN, who offered himself without spot THROUGH the ETERNAL SPIRIT.
I teach that Jesus is DEITY, but NOT in the way that the mainstream Orthodox churches teach. Rather I teach what the Bible ITSELF teaches and that is that Jesus became deity AFTER the cross after he OVERCAME.
I teach that Jesus is the DIVINE Son of God, but NOT in the same way that the mainstream Orthodox church denominations teach. Rather, I teach what the Bible ITSELF teaches, which is that Jesus was GIVEN the divine nature of IMMORTALITY to HAVE eternal life in himself even as Yahweh the Father has always had life in Himself, AFTER the cross, after he OVERCAME sin THROUGH the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling IN him.
I teach that Jesus IS God, but NOT in the way that the mainstream Orthodox denominational churches teach. Rather, I teach what the Bible ITSELF teaches, and that is that Yahweh the Father HIGHLY EXALTED his Son Jesus to BECOME a God who is UNDER and SUBJECT to Yahweh the Father AFTER the cross after Jesus OVERCAME as the Son of MAN having been ANOINTED or EMPOWERED by the eternal Spirit dwelling IN him.
And the REASON I teach only what the Bible ITSELF teaches is so that YOU can see and understand that the SAME anointing who dwelt IN Jesus NOW dwells IN YOU dear child of God to EMPOWER YOU to live without sin and do the SAME works that the Father himself did through the human hands of his Son Jesus.
Thanks for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God.
And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus.
Once Christians, Jews, Muslims, and even atheists understand the REASON that Yahweh CREATED the Son of MAN, Jesus, was to have DOMINION over the work of Yahweh’s hands.
And after you understand that the REASON that Yahweh did that is to STILL His ENEMIES, Satan and the fallen angels.
Then you can understand that God made His human Son to become “a” Lord, “a” King, and “a” God, under and subject to his God and Father in order to JUDGE Satan and the fallen angels.
For a deeper understanding of this WAR that Lucifer and one third of the angels waged against the throne of Almighty God, please read the studies under the subject category called ** Q-0 Why Are We Here? Is God at WAR? **.
More studies are coming in this SHORTER Biblical Unitarian view of who Jesus is according to the WHOLE word of God.
If you have a PARTICULAR verse of Scripture that you would like to know the sound Biblical Unitarian meaning, then please email me at MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail.com and let me know.
For further and more in-depth studies on this subject of Jesus being created to STILL the enemies of Yahweh, please read the studies called D-25. A NEW LOOK at JOHN 1:1, In the BEGINNING!
And also read the study called D-28. The PRE-ADAMIC LUCIFERIAN FLOOD!
At the top of my homepage, there are subjects or categories which contain compiled lists of ** ALL Studies! ** I have written on that particular subject. So, if a link within a study is broken, then click on ** ALL Studies! ** to find the suggested study.
Or you can scroll down to the MORE dropdown menu list to find those studies as well.
Thanks again for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God.
And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus.
And again, for ALL of the studies on the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus, please click on the subject heading ** D-0 The BIBLICAL UNITARIAN VIEW of Jesus! **
And for the SUBJECT on the true foundation of the church, please click on the subject heading ** C-0 The TRUE FOUNDATION of the Church! **
This way you can just send ONE link to those who you want to share the TRUE sound Biblical FOUNDATIONAL teachings of the church that Jesus and his Apostles taught in the first century church.
Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Brother Mark.
My heartfelt prayer is that all Christians RETURN to the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church that is taught by the very Apostles of Jesus in the first century.
So let us all come into the UNITY of the faith and return to what Jesus and his Apostles taught us in SIMPLICITY in the New Testament.
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