Explanation of the 7 affirmations of Jesus I Am (and the profound truth they reveal) (2023)

Throughout the Gospel of John we find 7 I am statements made by Jesus. These are statements that Jesus made about himself that reveal who he really is. And what Jesus reveals about himself is surprising and encouraging at the same time.

Jesus' "I am" statements reveal to us who He is and what He came to do. They show us his nature and his heart for his people. These are powerful statements that every follower of Jesus should know.

In this blog post, we will look at Jesus' 7 “I am” statements and see what they mean. We'll talk about a broad overview, but I plan to write a blog post for each statement, which will be linked below as it's written.

let's dive in

what do i mean

Let's start by looking at why Jesus chose to reveal himself with "I am" statements. These descriptive statements are not the only way he describes his nature, but they are unique and certainly stand out.

The Gospel of John is not the first place where we find "I Am" in the Bible; To find the first time we must go back to the Old Testament, Exodus 3:14.

In this passage, God tells Moses to go to Pharaoh to free the nation of Israel from captivity. Moses is a little nervous about facing the most powerful person on earth, so God told him to tell Pharaoh that "I Am" sent him.

Before that, the Israelites called God "Elohim." This was more of a title than a personal name. Here God gives his people a name to call upon. But not just any name, a name that expresses his power over all things. He is a powerful, self-sufficient God who created and will always be in everything and above everything.

This is God's name for himself and it is used over 300 times in the Old and New Testaments.

For more information, see:Why does God call himself "I am that I am"?

What are I am statements?

Now that we know the meaning of "I Am", let's look at Jesus' 7 "I Am" statements. We begin by looking at the statements as they appear in the Bible. Then we'll go through them all again and see what they mean to us today.

1. I am the bread of life (John 6:35)
2. I am the light of the world (John 8:12)
3. I am the gate of the sheep (John 10:7)
4. I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)
5. I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25)
6. I am the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6)
7. I am the true vine (John 15:1)

marcus mooresays the following about these I am statements: “Each represents a special relationship of Jesus to man's spiritual needs...He desired men not only for what he could give them, but also for what he could do for them. . , you must assume. ”

Simply put, Jesus' 7 I AM statements are an incredible glimpse of who He really is.

jesus i am statements explained

The I am statements of Jesus were not simply adjectives randomly plucked out of a hat. These were elaborate statements that had significant meaning to their listeners 2,000 years ago. And when we understand these statements in context, they can be just as powerful today.

We'll look at each of these statements briefly, but I plan to write a blog post for each statement that explores each of the "I am" statements in John in more detail.

I am the bread of life

Then Jesus declared: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." John 6:35

It's not wrong for Jesus to compare himself to bread here. Shortly before, Jesus had fed 5,000 people with a few loaves of bread and a fish. Even today that would be an incredible miracle, but in Jesus' day food was scarce, so it was even more incredible. And as a result, the crowd follows Jesus because he wants more free food.

But Jesus had more for them. He knows that physical food would only satiate her temporarily, but what he has for her is enteral.

In the Old Testament, God sent manna (bread) from heaven to help the Israelites walk through the desert. But this manna filled only a passing need; eventually all who ate it died. Jesus is better than this manna. He is the bread of life and whoever believes in him will have eternal life.

You can find more information about the Bread of Life here:The Amazing Importance of John 6:35 (I am the Bread of Life)

I am the light of the world

When Jesus spoke to the people again, he said, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12

Just as food was scarce in the first century, so was light. If we want light today, we simply flip a switch and the darkness disappears. But in the days of Jesus when it was dark, it was DARK. So when Jesus calls himself the light, that's a big deal.

What makes this statement even more significant is that Jesus said it at the Feast of Tabernacles. During this festival, the Israelites lit a large candelabrum to remember that God was leading his ancestors through the desert. Jesus shows them that he is his light, his guiding force through this world.

The reality is that the world around us is darkened by sin. We can see the brokenness all around us. But we don't have to stumble upon it blindly. Just as God was the light that guided the Israelites when they got lost in the desert, Jesus will light our way through the darkness that surrounds us.

I am the gate for the sheep

Then Jesus said again: "Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep." John 10:7

The role of a shepherd was to guide and protect the sheep. Similarly, this was to be the role of religious leaders in Jesus' day, but they failed miserably. Instead of protecting them, they exploited their herd, their people. Jesus uses this statement to point out the error in his way.

To fully understand what it means to be a gate or gate for the sheep, we need to understand what the job of a first century shepherd was like.

Mark Moore in The Chronological Life of Christsays: “Shepherds often served as the gate to the fold. When the sheep entered the pen at night, they passed the shepherd one by one. He would examine her for cuts and abrasions. If necessary, he treated them with oil to prevent infection. Then, when the whole herd was inside, he lay down in front of the opening of the corral ”.

This is the picture of what Jesus does for his followers, his flock. He cares for her and protects her. If he's at the door, they're safe.

For more information on this statement I am, see:The powerful meaning of John 10:10 (the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy)

I am the good shepherd

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." John 10:11

This statement I am comes immediately after and is based on the previous one. And if you read John 10:11-18, you will see how Jesus describes in detail how much he cares for his sheep.

This is what it does:

• He lays down his life for his sheep.
• He protects the sheep from attacks.
• He will not leave his sheep.
• He takes care of his sheep.
• He looks for sheep and brings them to his fold.
• He knows his sheep.
• He loves his sheep.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd because he shows incredible loving care for his sheep.

For more information on this statement I am, see:The powerful meaning of John 10:10 (the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy)

I am the resurrection and the life

Jesus said to him: I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, even if he dies, he will live." John 11:25

In John 11 we see Lazarus, Jesus' friend, die.. In response, Jesus tells his grieving sister Martha that he (Jesus) is the resurrection and the life. Jesus offers words of hope in the midst of despair. Not even death has the last word with him.

But these are not just words that Jesus said, he confirmed them. A few verses later he raised Lazarus from the dead to show his power over death. And then we see Jesus die and rise again, defeating death once and for all.

Jesus is the resurrection and the life and all who believe in Jesus will live with him forever.

I'm the way, the truth and the life

Jesus replied, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

In John 14, the disciples are puzzled by some of Jesus' recent teaching. Thomas speaks and in response Jesus gives them the sixth statement I am.

In essence, with this statement, Jesus shows the disciples what is really important. He reminds her not to get caught up in the fleeting things of this world, but to keep her eyes on what matters most: him.

Following Jesus is the way to find the truth and the life. Other things could promise the truth and the good life. But they always fall short. Jesus is the only way to find what each of us really longs for.

To better understand this statement I am, read:What "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life" REALLY means (3 Powerful Truths)

I am the true vine

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman." John 15:1

On the night of Jesus' arrest and imminent death, he shared this final "I am" statement with his followers. Jesus uses this illustration of tending a vine so that it can grow.

If you are a gardener and you want to grow a crop, you have to take care of it. You have to cut out the bad parts and trim the good parts. So you can produce a rich harvest. No branch can grow unless it is connected to the vine, the source of life.

What Jesus is saying is that he is the vine and we are the branches. If we want to grow, we must stay connected to it. But not only that, he also says that God is the gardener and that he will do what every good gardener does, prune and prune. Because? So that we can bear much fruit.

This last statement of John teaches us how to grow in our faith. First, by connecting with the Vine, the source of life. And second, allowing the gardener to work in our lives. It's not always easy, but it's for our own good.

What the statements of Jesus 7 “I am” teach us

The 7 I AM statements of Jesus teach us about his identity and purpose. They not only teach us about him, but also how he sees us. These are bold and powerful statements that should shape how we see it. They show us that God wants the best for us.

But these statements are not just words. They are how Jesus lived and who He is. If you look at his life you will see that the 7 I AM statements are lived out by Jesus.

If you want to expand your faith and step into the amazing life God has in store for you, learning about God through these statements would be a great place to start. Study it, pray, live it. Knowing Jesus is how you can find the truth and experience the freedom He has for you.

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Thank you for reading this blog post about the 7 I Am statements of Jesus. I hope it helps you better understand these scriptures. If so, would you share it with a friend so they can benefit too?