Scripture
Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
62Jesus said, “I AM. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Observation
Jesus has been arrested and his trial before the priests (not Pilot) has begun. Mark describes may false witnesses who came forward yet because their stories contradicted each other they were not able to convict Jesus. Finally, the high priest asks Jesus directly if he is the Messiah and Son of God. Jesus replies, I AM.
Application
This pinged me today because I remember listening to J. Warner Wallace's podcast about the question, did Jesus every directly say he was God. What I found interesting is that yes, Jesus certainly did, but using words which we wouldn't immediately recognize today.
"I AM" was deeply meaningful to the Jewish faith because that is how God identified himself to Moses at the burning bush. "I AM" is basically the name of God for a people whose God had no name. Claiming "I AM" is exactly the same as saying in the strongest and most loudly way you can say it, I am God.
We always need to remember the context the Bible was written in. This includes not only the people who wrote it, but the time, culture, and language.
References
Wallace, J. (2016, November 7). Jesus Specifically Said, "I am God" [Web log post]. Retrieved from Jesus Specifically Said, "I am God" | Cold Case Christianity
Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
62Jesus said, “I AM. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Observation
Jesus has been arrested and his trial before the priests (not Pilot) has begun. Mark describes may false witnesses who came forward yet because their stories contradicted each other they were not able to convict Jesus. Finally, the high priest asks Jesus directly if he is the Messiah and Son of God. Jesus replies, I AM.
Application
This pinged me today because I remember listening to J. Warner Wallace's podcast about the question, did Jesus every directly say he was God. What I found interesting is that yes, Jesus certainly did, but using words which we wouldn't immediately recognize today.
"I AM" was deeply meaningful to the Jewish faith because that is how God identified himself to Moses at the burning bush. "I AM" is basically the name of God for a people whose God had no name. Claiming "I AM" is exactly the same as saying in the strongest and most loudly way you can say it, I am God.
We always need to remember the context the Bible was written in. This includes not only the people who wrote it, but the time, culture, and language.
References
Wallace, J. (2016, November 7). Jesus Specifically Said, "I am God" [Web log post]. Retrieved from Jesus Specifically Said, "I am God" | Cold Case Christianity
