Jesus’ “I am” statements are found in the Gospel of John and in the Book of Revelation. But first, it is important to look at the background of these words in the Old Testament.

The Name of God – Exodus 3:11–15

Over the course of time, the name of God “disappeared.” One reason for this was the commandment against misusing God’s name (Exod. 20:7), together with what is sometimes called “building a fence around the Law.” By this, Jewish teachers of the Law did not prohibit only what was explicitly forbidden in the commandment, but also things surrounding it. In the same way, a tree in a park may be fenced off in order to protect it.

The Ten Commandments contain a clear prohibition against speaking God’s name in vain or misusing it (Exod. 20:7). When the teachers of the Law “built a fence” around this commandment, the result was that God’s name could never be pronounced. If you never pronounce it, you cannot pronounce it in vain either! It is sometimes said that on the Day of Atonement, when the high priest entered the Holy of Holies—the only time he did so during the entire year—he would whisper the name of God.

Over time, the name of God was forgotten. This led to two problems: what should be said when the name of God occurs in the Old Testament text, and how should one express the fact that God had done or accomplished something?

When the name of God occurred in the text (JHVH or JHWH, that is, the tetragrammaton), it was replaced in speech by “Lord,” “the Name,” “the Most High,” or “Heaven.” By far the most common of these was “Lord.” Hebrew was—and modern Hebrew still is—written using consonants only. But as the Israelites lived among other nations, their ability to read Hebrew declined. Therefore, in the third century BC, a Greek translation of the Old Testament was produced in Egypt. This was the Septuagint.

In that translation, JHWH was translated as kyrios, meaning “Lord.” Thus, it shows that already at that time the most common way of reading the name was “Lord,” or Adonai in Hebrew.
In some English Bible translations, God’s name is represented by “Lord,” but it is written in capital letters as LORD.

The reading of Hebrew was also made easier by adding vowels to the text—not as letters, but as various dots and lines. The vowels of the word Adonai were placed alongside JHVH/JHWH. This produced a combination of the two words, “Jehovah,” which is problematic even from the standpoint of Hebrew grammar. It is rather like taking the consonants from the word “dog” and the vowels from the word “cat”: the result might be “kira,” which means nothing. Unfortunately, this form has made its way into some Bible translations, including many English translations and also the Russian Bible (Iegova).

The form “Jehovah” came into use only in the thirteenth century. Until then, the Church had used almost exclusively the Latin Bible, the Vulgate. But around that time, interest in both the Greek and Hebrew original texts of the Bible began to grow.

Most probably, the name of God was “Yahweh. ”Yahweh means “He is” and comes close to the expression “I am,” ehyeh.

Doctor of Theology, pastor Risto Santala, in particular, emphasized that the emphatically spoken “I am”—ani hu in Hebrew/Aramaic and ego eimi in Greek—was understood in Judaism as referring to the name of God. Whoever said this was elevating himself to the status of God. Santala therefore says that when Jesus was arrested in Gethsemane and said, “I am he,” those who came to arrest him were horrified by such blasphemy that they fell to the ground (John 18:1–6). Compare John 8:58: Jesus said,

“Truly, truly, I say to you: before Abraham was born, I am.”

The second problem was dealt with through the “divine passive”: when the text did not say who had done something, it was understood to mean that God had done it.

Jesus’ “I Am” Statements

Jesus’ “I am” statements—which John in particular has preserved in his Gospel—express the same divine authority:

John 6:35, 48, 51: “I am the bread of life.”
John 6:41: “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”

John 8:12; 9:5: “I am the light of the world.”
John 12:46: “I am the light.”

John 10:7: “I am the gate for the sheep”
John 10:9: “I am the gate.”

John 10:11, 14: “I am the good shepherd.”

John 11:25: “I am the resurrection and the life.”

John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

John 15:1: “I am the vine.”

See also:

Matthew 14:27; Mark 6:50; John 6:20: “It is I” / “I am here” — during the storm on the Sea of Galilee, when Jesus walked on the water.

Luke 24:39: the words of the risen Jesus to his disciples on Easter evening: “It is I.”

John 4:26: “I am he” — Jesus’ words to the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well in Sychar.

John 14:10, 11, 20: “I am in the Father and the Father is in me.”

Revelation 1:8, 17; 21:6, 13: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.”

A short article does not allow us to examine all of these passages in detail, but below are some thoughts.

John 6: “I am the bread of life” (verses 35, 41, 48, and 51)

A person does not live by earthly bread alone, but needs eternal life.

John 8: “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12; also 9:5; 12:46)

People would not want to live in darkness, but without the light of God, that is unfortunately where they are. See also John 1:9–13.

John 10: “I am the gate for the sheep” (verses 7 and 9), and “I am the good shepherd” (verses 11 and 14)

The picture of the shepherd is a powerful one. Perhaps this is why, in the early Church, Jesus was so often depicted in art specifically as a shepherd.

At night, the sheep were gathered either into an inner courtyard or into a sheepfold (verse 1). A stone wall was often topped with additional protection made of thorn bushes to keep predators out. The only proper way to reach the sheep was through the gate, which was guarded either by one of the shepherds or by a guard hired for that purpose.

Often, several shepherds brought their sheep to the same sheepfold. In the morning, a shepherd would call his own sheep together, and after gathering them together, lead them out to pasture.

The door of the sheepfold could be closed in such a way that the shepherd himself would lie down in the doorway to sleep (verse 7).

The Old Testament also speaks of the gate of heaven (Gen. 28:17; see also Ps. 78:23 and Rev. 3:7–8; 4:1). Jesus used the image of the narrow gate and the narrow road in contrast to the wide gate and the broad road (Matt. 7:13–14).

Notice verse 3: the sheep were called by name. We, too, have been called by name into the Kingdom of God. We can think of our baptism, and also of the fact that every day Jesus treats us as individuals, not as a faceless mass. During the time of the early Church, an adult who was baptized would often take a new Christian name, because his or her old name might have been associated with paganism—for example, it might have been the name of a Greek god or goddess.

In the Middle East, the shepherd walks ahead of the flock (verse 4). One important task of a shepherd is to find food for the flock. It is worth remembering that the very word “leader” contains the idea of going ahead. Jesus, too, walked ahead of his group of disciples (Matt. 12:15).

Sometimes people speak of “listening with sheep’s ears.” This is an allusion to verse 5—the sheep that belong to Jesus do not listen to the voice of other callers.

Verse 8 obviously does not refer, for example, to Moses and the prophets. They did not claim to be the Messiah promised by God; on the contrary, they were the very ones who prophesied about the coming Savior. Jesus is probably referring to the religious leaders of his own time (compare John 9:35–41; 11:49–50). On the other hand, it is worth remembering that around that time there were several men who claimed to be the promised Messiah (Acts 5:36–37).

It is only through Jesus that one can enter the Kingdom of God (verse 9; John 14:6). The freedom to come in and go out (verse 9) does not mean that one can periodically leave the Kingdom of God and then return. Rather, it describes the security and certainty of salvation.

In verse 10, the word “destroy” also carries the meaning “to cause to perish” or “to lose.” Satan’s ultimate purpose and desire is to bring people to perdition.

The image of God as a shepherd is familiar:

“A psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.”
(Ps. 23:1, ESV)

The great figures of the Old Testament, Moses (Exod. 3:1) and David (1 Sam. 17:34–37; Ps. 78:70–72), had also been shepherds. Notably, they were shepherds precisely when God called them to their work. Ezekiel 37:24, in turn, prophesies that the Messiah will be the shepherd of the people. The word “pastor” comes from the Latin word meaning “shepherd.” A spiritual leader should seek food for his flock and protect it from danger (see Num. 27:17, concerning the appointment of Joshua as the leader of the people after Moses).

Verses 11, 15, and 17–18 refer to Jesus’ atoning death. A shepherd would naturally try to remain alive even when he had to fight predators. Jesus’ battle against Satan, however, meant death. But the resurrection confirmed that the death had become a victory: Satan’s power has been defeated (verse 18).

In the Old Testament, especially in Ezekiel 34, unworthy shepherds are rebuked (see also Jer. 23:1–8; 50:6). Their primary concern is not the welfare of the flock but their own interests (verses 11–13). This remains an important question today: Whom does a leader serve?

In his farewell speech to the elders of the church in Ephesus, Paul warned that savage wolves would arise from among them (verse 12), trying to destroy the congregation (Acts 20:28–31). The most difficult situation is indeed when the danger comes from within.

John 11: I am the resurrection and the life (verse 25).

These words were spoken while Lazarus lay dead in his tomb. Jesus speaks of two deaths and two lives. This earthly life comes to an end in due time, but it need not be followed by a second death (Rev 21:8). Instead, it can be followed by eternal life. Life is possible only in communion with God and Jesus—separation from God means death.

John 14:6: I am the way, the truth, and the life

The exclusiveness of Jesus’ claim does not sit well with the pluralism of our time: there is only one way to heaven; no other path leads to the destination (verse 6; Heb 10:20). And if one is on the wrong path, there is neither truth nor eternal life. The Acts of the Apostles also clearly states that there is only one way to heaven (Acts 4:12). The way and the destination cannot be separated from one another!

In the early days of Christianity, the faith was referred to as “the Way” (“any belonging to the Way” Acts 9:2; “the Way” Acts 19:9; “concerning the Way” Acts 19:23).

It is important to note that just prior to this (verse 3), Jesus says He is going to prepare a place for us in heaven. No one will miss out on heaven due to a lack of space. A place is reserved for everyone.

John 15: I am the vine (verses 1 and 5)

A highly educated Sunday school teacher was explaining the day’s text to the children. When she asked, “Do you understand the text?”, one of the children replied, “We understood it right up until the moment you explained it!” This danger exists particularly with many of the narratives in the Gospel of John: over-explanation can make the text harder to grasp.

The parable of the vine is beautiful and speaks powerfully on its own. However, if one dwells too much on certain details, the story loses its vitality and its message is lost. Therefore, one should not ask, for instance, how a branch might detach itself from the trunk; instead, one should understand that this is figurative language in which not every single detail can be fully explained.

In the Old Testament, Israel was often referred to as God’s vine or vineyard (see, for example, Ps 80:9–16, Isa 5:1–7, Jer 2:21, Ezek 19:10; Paul speaks of an olive tree in Rom 11:17–24). Yet it is important to note that many of these passages contain a rebuke: Israel is not the kind of vine God intended it to be. Jesus, however, is the “true” vine—flawless. He also fulfills these Old Testament prophecies.

A golden grapevine adorned the gate of the Jerusalem Temple. An image of it also appeared on coins minted during the revolt (AD 68–70).

Dead branches are removed in winter—representing those who have fallen away from the faith (compare John 6:60–66; 8:31–59)—and in the spring, excess shoots are pruned so that the vine yields the best possible harvest

(verse 2). A grapevine is not cultivated for its large leaves or other features, but for its fruit. It is important to remember this: the purpose of a Christian, too, is to bear fruit. However, three points must be kept in mind here: first, bearing fruit depends on the strength derived from the trunk and root (verses 4–5), not on the branches themselves.

Second, we must remember that as Christians, we bear different kinds of fruit. God has a specific task appointed for each Christian (Romans 12:3–8). Third, we often do not see the fruit ourselves. It becomes visible only later—sometimes not until this life has ended.

This reminds us that, even as Christians, we grow every day. Christ must repeatedly cleanse us and prune away excess shoots (cf. John 13:6–10). This is often not something we find pleasant (Hebrews 12:11), yet it is essential. Scattering our energy in too many directions does not increase fruitfulness; instead, it drains all our strength, ultimately resulting in no fruit at all.

Note that Jesus does not say He is the trunk of the vine, but rather that He is the vine. An old grapevine may have a small, trunk-like base, but in reality, the vine consists of "nothing but branches." The church represents Christ in this world, as does every individual Christian.

John 19: I am the King of the Jews

These words are not Jesus’s, but Pontius Pilate’s—or, more accurately, those of the Jewish religious leaders.

See also John 1:49:

'Nathanael answered him,
“Rabbi, you are the Son of God!
You are the King of Israel!”

The stated reason for Jesus’s condemnation is known specifically by the Latin abbreviation INRI (verse 19, Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum), meaning "Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews." A placard was usually carried ahead of the person being crucified. Evidently, this was done in this instance as well. Finally, the placard was nailed to Jesus’s cross.

The fact that the text was written in three languages ​​(verse 20) reminds us that the message of Jesus—of his death on the cross and the atonement achieved there—belongs to all nations and to every person.

Hebrew was the language of the people; in reality, the language used was Aramaic, a close relative of Hebrew. Greek was the common language of the eastern Mediterranean. Latin was the official, administrative language of the Roman Empire. This use of three languages ​​explains why the reason for Jesus’s crucifixion is recounted in slightly different words across the various Gospels: perhaps the original text itself used slightly different wording in each language.

Crucifixions also served to warn others against resisting Roman authorities. For this reason, crucifixions were carried out in locations where many people could see the executed (verse 20)—for example, along busy roads.

'Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”
(John 19:22, ESV)

Pilate’s response to the Jews demonstrated contempt on the one hand, while revealing who held the power in that situation on the other (verse 22). Naturally, the Jewish leaders did not want the Jews who had gathered in Jerusalem from all over the world for Passover to see that their king had been crucified. Pilate’s inscription also reflects his frustration and desire for revenge. The underlying sentiment seems to be: "Since you forced me to crucify an innocent man, I will display the reason you provided for all to see."

Just as Caiaphas had previously acted as a prophet without realizing it (John 11:50: "'Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.”), Pilate now unwittingly proclaimed a divine truth.

Revelation: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End (Rev 1:8, 17; 21:6; 22:13)

"I am the Alpha and the Omega,”
says the Lord God,
“who is and who was
and who is to come, the Almighty.”
(Rev 1:8, ESV)

"But he laid his right hand on me, saying,
“Fear not, I am the first and the last,
and the living one.
I died, and behold I am alive forevermore,
and I have the keys of Death and Hades."
(Rev 1:17-18, ESV)

"And he said to me,
“It is done!
I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the beginning and the end.
To the thirsty I will give
from the spring of the water of life
without payment."
(Rev 21:6, ESV)

In Greek, the letters Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the alphabet. The Alpha and Omega (verse 8) are explained in some translations: "beginning and end.

In the Old Testament, it is said of God that He is the First and the Last:

"Who has performed and done this,
calling the generations from the beginning?
I, the Lord, the first,
and with the last; I am he."
(Isaiah 41:4, ESV)

"Thus says the Lord,
the King of Israel and his Redeemer,
the Lord of hosts:
“I am the first and I am the last;
besides me there is no god."
(Isa 44:6)

'“Listen to me, O Jacob,
and Israel, whom I called!
I am he;
I am the first, and I am the last."
(Isa 48:12)

Likewise, Jesus is the First and the Last. He existed before all creation, and He is also the Last.

"In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God."
(John 1:1-2)

John uses this same title for God in these passages as well:

"The words of the first and the last,
who died and came to life." (=Jesus).
(Rev 2:8, ESV)

"I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the First and the Last,
the Beginning and the End." (=God).
(Rev 22:13, ESV)