58: Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am."
59: So they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple. -The Holy Bible (John Chapter 8)
2006-06-11 16:40:05 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
That he always was.
Eternal!
2006-06-11 16:43:01 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
God has been called many things, but what He calls Himself is "I Am", starting with his introducing Himself to Moses in the burning bush. In John 18:5-7 when people were looking for Jesus to kill him, He said I Am. Well, in the king James Version it says "I am he", but the "he" is in italics, meaning it was added and is not really part of the text. Did they understand He was declaring Himself God? Well, they fell flat on the ground when He said it!
Before Abraham was, I Am means He is God, He created Abraham. Don't worship the patriarchs but the I Am Himself. The Jews had a problem with that.
2006-06-12 00:50:26 · answer #2 · answered by Singlemomof10 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think Jesus meant, that Abraham was someone, who's life was limited, but his life is lasting forever. It says somewhere "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever", so that even before the time of Abraham, he lived already (probably on the side of God his father!).
That the people threw stones at him just shows how ignorant people are. As it is said in Romans 1:21 or so "...they knew God, but they praised him not..." you find that several times in the bible!
2006-06-11 23:46:11 · answer #3 · answered by Robin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This suggests that Jesus is saying that He is God - He is a apart of the Trinity... God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost... Read this...
Christ and all that are his, depend upon God for honour. Men may be able to dispute about God, yet may not know him. Such as know not God, and obey not the gospel of Christ, are put 2 thessalonians earnestly desire to know more of him. Those who discern the dawn of the light of the Sun of Righteousness, wish to see his rising. "Before Abraham was, I AM." This speaks Abraham a creature, and our Lord the Creator; well, therefore, might he make himself greater than Abraham. I AM, is the name of God, Ex 3:14; it speaks his self-existence; he is the First and the Last, ever the same, revelation 1:8 . Thus he was not only before Abraham, but before all worlds, 1:1 . As Mediator, he was the appointed Messiah, long before Abraham; the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, revelation 13:8 . The Lord Jesus was made of God Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption, to Adam, and Abel, and all that lived and died by faith in him, before Abraham. The Jews were about to stone Jesus for blasphemy, but he withdrew; by his miraculous power he passed through them unhurt. Let us stedfastly profess what we know and believe concerning God; and if heirs of Abraham's faith, we shall rejoice in looking forward to that day when the Saviour shall appear in glory, to the confusion of his enemies, and to complete the salvation of all who believe in him.
2006-06-11 23:46:08 · answer #4 · answered by Drewy-D 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He used the same name "I AM" that was spoken to Moses on the back side of the wilderness,at the Burning Bush. When Moses asked who should I say sent Me, The Lord replied to tell them "I AM"....! That's why they wanted to stone Jesus, because he called himself by the same Holy name that was reveled to them thur Moses. Which meant He was calling himself God! Not just a prophet, not just a man but God! I believe He was saying I was, I am and I will always be!
2006-06-12 01:30:39 · answer #5 · answered by micky89ss 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus is saying to the crowd that he is God who is eternal, and He existed long before Abraham ever did.
The people who didn't believe Jesus thought he was a liar and tried to stone Him.
2006-06-11 23:48:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That He is God. I AM is the name God told Moses to give when the Israelites asked in Whose authority he came.
Jesus is also stating that He existed before Abraham, which of course is another way of saying that He is God.
2006-06-12 00:39:30 · answer #7 · answered by Contemplative Chanteuse IDK TIRH 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He meant He's the God of the here and now. So he's meaning don't look back or into the future. Just concentrate on the now or we'll miss the whole point ya know?
2006-06-13 19:23:37 · answer #8 · answered by Anakin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well you would have to read before and beyond that passage to understand what was going on.The Jews didn't believe he was God. They could not understand that he was before Abraham be cause he was God in the flesh. WHen He explain to them that He was God, they were about to stone Him. I
2006-06-11 23:53:42 · answer #9 · answered by dqchild 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it is saying, jesus and god are very true and very real. If you understand this you dont need a book full of stories to prove this, believing in him is a choice, and if you have choosen to hopefully there is more reason behind this choice besides a book.
2006-06-11 23:49:04 · answer #10 · answered by Chas 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
obviously they understood him, or they would not have taken up stones to throw at him, which was the appropriate response if they believed him to be blasphemous (and equating yourself with the eternal, unless you are God, is just that.) Notice, too, that he did not say, "I was", but he said, "I am". In the realm of eternity, there is no past, present or future tense.
2006-06-11 23:47:15 · answer #11 · answered by Parsleycat 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋