John 8:58
is commonly quoted by RC Trinitarians and Oneness proponents to support their
erroneous belief that Jesus is God Almighty. However, this is easily cleared up
if they bothered reading the context rather than picking out verses in
isolation.The meaning of John 8:24 is not that Jesus is claiming that he is the
‘I AM’, but that he is in fact claiming to be the Christ, the Son of God.
John 8:24
KJV
24 I said
therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that
I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
25 Then
said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that
I said unto you from the beginning.
Now, in
v25, who is this ‘even the same that I said unto from the beginning?
Let’s
read on to the next three verses, to find the context:
John
8:26-28 KJV
26 I have
many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I
speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.
27 They
understood not that he spake to them of the Father.
28 Then
said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall
ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father
hath taught me, I speak these things.
In v28,
Jesus says he is the Son of Man. The fact that in v26 and v27 he says he was
sent by his Father, who is God, immediately implies that Jesus is the Son of
God. However, let’s go a little further back in the book of John to confirm
that this is what Jesus meant in v25.
Note also
that in v28 where Jesus says ‘I am he’ he is referring back to the words ‘Son
of Man’ in the same sentence in v28.
We hear
the term Son of Man used by Jesus again:
John 6:62-69 KJV
62 What
and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63 It is
the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak
unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
64 But
there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who
they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65 And he
said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were
given unto him of my Father.
66 From
that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 Then
said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68 Then
Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of
eternal life.
69 And we
believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
These
things were said to the Jews in the synagogue at Capernaum:
John 6:59 KJV
59 These
things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
But did
Jesus say anything else confirming this?
Let’s
move a little forward again on to John chapter 7:
John 7:14-17 KJV
14 Now
about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
15 And
the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
16 Jesus
answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
John 7:27-31 KJV
27
Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth
whence he is.
28 Then
cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know
whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye
know not.
29 But I
know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
30 Then
they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not
yet come.
31 And
many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do
more miracles than these which this man hath done?
FURTHER
PROOF:
John 9:35-38 KJV
35 Jesus
heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him,
Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
36 He
answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
37 And
Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with
thee.
38 And he
said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
Mark 13:6 KJV
6 For
many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Mark 14:61-62 KJV
61 But he
held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said
unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
62 And
Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right
hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Please
note the use of ‘I AM’ above in v62, and that it refers to the question asked
by the high priest in v61.
John 8:58
merely testifies to Jesus' pre-existence in the mind of God, that before Abraham was, Jesus was already planned.
already existing.
Remember:
the only charges the Jews could bring against Jesus was that he claimed that he
could raise the temple in three days and that he claimed to be the SON OF
GOD – NOT GOD HIMSELF! (Mark 14:58-59 KJV)
What else
did Jesus say?
Matt.
16:16-17 KJV:
16 And
Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living
God.
17 And
Jesus answered and said unto him,Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and
blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
John
10:33-36 KJV:
33 The
Jews answered him, saying , For a good work we stone thee not; but for
blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
34 Jesus answered
them, Is it not written in your law, I said , Ye are gods?
35 If he called them
gods, unto whom the word of God came , and the scripture cannot be broken
;
36Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified , and sent into the world ,
Thou blasphemest ; because I said , I am the Son of God?
JESUS NEVER SAID HE WAS GOD
ALMIGHTY
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