Why did the Pharisees pick up stones to throw at Jesus when He said....?

Question

"Before Abraham was, I AM"?

Answer 1

Because they knew he was saying he was equal to God who told Abraham to tell the people "I Am sent you"

Answer 2

The Pharisees saw Jesus as a threat to their control of the Jewish people. When Jesus made statements about being the Son or in anyway indicating that He was directly related to God, they feared His influence of the people. He was saying, essentially, that His connection to God was greater than that of Abraham. The Pharisees ruled by intimidating interpretation of Moses law and had convinced the people that only they were the most directly favored of Abraham. Incidentally, Jesus was before Abraham. Read Genesis 1:2. Jesus is the light while Satan is the dark. And God said it is good. He also appears to speak with Abraham when Sodom and Gomorrah are to be destroyed... Abraham bowed to Jesus and served Him, indicating that he recognized Jesus as his elder and revered Him as such.

Answer 3

I really doubt they were Fair, you see

I think there was a lot of editing because in Acts the Pharisees were portrayed in ch. 5 as 'good' just like John 3 with Nicodemus

rather since Saul worked with Romans and High Priest hitmen, the Sadducees, I think that the people really who opposed Jesus or the figure of Jesus was the Republican G.od O.ligarch P.oliticians of the day

check out the Nazareens, the Essenes, the Ebionites and other sects of the day that Jesus was more likely to be a part of. the Pharisees were closer to liberals and not that orthodox and would have supported Jesus not opposed him. The sad you see guys however were like the GOP today who were put into power by the Roman Empire gov't and plotted and killed Jesus and others who would remove thier authority, they were, after all, the Sad You See the minority but supported by military

Answer 4

Because they felt that Jesus was placing himself over Moses and his teachings. Abraham was supposed to be the great Patriarch of the Pharisees, and Jesus was saying that He was more important than Abraham.

Answer 5

God said, in the book of Exodus, that his name is "Yaweh," or "I Am." God said this to Moses, many generations after his promise to Abraham to make Abraham's ancestors a great nation. Jesus was publically making the claim that he was, in fact God. The Pharisees didn't believe him.

So, if Jesus claimed to be God, but was not, that would be blasphemy. In that time, it was customary to be stoned to death for blaspheming the name of God. In fact, even speaking his name probably carried serious consequences.

Answer 6

it's a burning question, no?

because... at the burning bush... Moses asked God His name.. and God said three different ways his name was I AM

The Jews picked up stones because they thought Jesus was dissing God... of course if I said I AM I really would be disrespecting God... in Jesus case the issue is whether Jesus is somehow God made man and whether it is true or not
and for God to say it three ways in a row... you know its important.. the God who is and existance itself and anything else tha tit rests on his existance. The self existant one, who was and is and is to come!!

Interesting in the gospel of John, John uses a special greek construction of two verbs together ego eimi I AM I AM reserved for the name of God from the burning bush and John uses it all over the place I AM I AM the bread of life I AM I AM the light of the world I AM I AM the resurection and the life... so what's Jesus trying to say here?

He is claiming to be as Thomas said My LORD and (the) God (ho theos -the God)

Answer 7

I am was their name for God '' I am '' what I am he said to mosses and Jesus was saying is is God and he was around before Abraham not hard to understand the phrases would have said it was blasphemy

Answer 8

Reading the context is a wonderful way for the bible to interpet itself.

John 8:27They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father.

28So Jesus said, "When you (AN)lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that (AO)I am He, and (AP)I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.

29"And He who sent Me is with Me; (AQ)He has not left Me alone, for (AR)I always do the things that are pleasing to Him."

30As He spoke these things, (AS)many came to believe in Him.


(First, Jesus does nothing of his own initiative, and he was sent by God. This statement alone was enough to make the Jews what to stone him)



40"But as it is, (BH)you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has (BI)told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do.

42Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, (BL)you would love Me, (BM)for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have (BN)not even come on My own initiative, but (BO)He sent Me.

52(CH)The Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You (CI)have a demon Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, 'If anyone (CJ)keeps My word, he will never (CK)taste of death.'

53"Surely You (CL)are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?"

54Jesus answered, "(CM)If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; (CN)it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, 'He is our God';


(Notice in the eyes of the Jews Jesus was making himself greater than Abraham, not equal to God)

(Next the Jews ask Jesus how old he is not Who he is. He had already explained that he could do nothing of his own initiative)

(In answer )



57 Therefore the Jews said to him: “You are not yet fifty years old, and still you have seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them: “Most truly I say to YOU, Before Abraham came into existence, I have been.”



(to translate the greek into english as "I am" is to break the rules of english grammar. You can not mix tenses in the same sentence in english, where as you can in Greek.)

This is the correct translation, based on

Jason BeDuhn
Associate Professor of Religious Studies, and Chair
Department of Humanities, Arts, and Religion
Northern Arizona University

Answer 9

because the hebrew word for I AM is also the name of the hebrew god. when jesus said this, he was acknowleging himself as their god - and all that that entailed - i.e. he was worthy of their worship, and was in fact their creator. it was the cultural equivalent of bob the janitor suddenly saying " i am your god and creator - worship me!".

Answer 10

maybe they thought he was committing blasphemy and the penalty was to be stoned.