Before Abraham Was, I Am (John 8:48-59)

In this passage, Jesus engages in a heated dialogue with the Jewish leaders. The Jews accuse Jesus of being a Samaritan and possessed by a demon, to which Jesus responds that he honors his Father, while they dishonor him. He further states that anyone who keeps his word will never see death. The Jews, misunderstanding him, claim that even Abraham and the prophets died, questioning how Jesus could make such a claim. Jesus responds by emphasizing his unique relationship with the Father and declares, "Before Abraham was, I am," invoking the divine name (ἐγώ εἰμί [ego eimi]). This declaration leads the Jews to attempt to stone him for blasphemy, but Jesus slips away unharmed.

Probably the most striking term in the passage is the statement "before Abraham Was, I Am (πρὶν Ἀβραὰμ γενέσθαι ἐγὼ εἰμί [prin Abraam genesthai ego eimi])". The use of ego eimi echoes the divine name revealed to Moses in the burning bush "אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה [ehyeh asher ehyeh])" in Exodus 3:14, asserting Jesus’ pre-existence and divinity, identifying himself with the eternal, self-existent God who spoke to Moses. This is a direct claim to divinity. Jesus is identifying himself with Yahweh, the God of Israel. This would have been understood by his Jewish audience as a claim to be God Himself. The phrase ἐγὼ εἰμί [ego eimi] appears multiple times in John’s Gospel, often in contexts where Jesus reveals his divine nature and mission (e.g., John 6:20; 8:24, 28; 13:19; 18:5-6). Each usage reinforces the idea that Jesus is identifying himself with the God of Israel.

In John 8:49, Jesus responds to the accusation of being demon-possessed by saying, "I honor my Father, and you dishonor me (τιμῶ τὸν πατέρα μου, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀτιμάζετέ με [timō ton patera mou, kai hymeis atimazete me])." In the Greek culture and language, honor (τιμή [timē]) was a significant social value. It referred to the respect and esteem given to individuals based on their status, achievements, or character. The terms "honor" (τιμάω [timao]) and "dishonor" (ἀτιμάζω [atimazo]) are key to understanding the dialogue in John 8:48-59. Jesus emphasizes his commitment to honoring the Father, while the Jewish leaders’ actions are depicted as dishonoring him. This contrast highlights the spiritual and theological implications of recognizing and accepting Jesus' divine authority. Honoring Jesus is equated with honoring God, and it is central to the promise of eternal life.

In John 8:51, Jesus makes a profound statement: "whoever keeps my word will never see death (ἐάν τις τὸν ἐμὸν λόγον τηρήσῃ, θάνατον οὐ μὴ θεωρήσῃ [ean tis ton emon logon tērēsē, thanaton ou mē theōrēsē])." This promise is central to the theological message of the passage and is rooted in the Greek term θάνατον [thanaton]. Jesus promises that those who keep his word will experience eternal life, transcending physical death. This promise is rooted in the belief that Jesus' words impart life and that through faith in him, believers overcome death. The Jewish leaders’ misunderstanding of this promise highlights the deeper spiritual truths that Jesus is revealing about life, death, and eternal relationship with God.