Eternal Existence,

Religious Art by Colin McCahon

      In the eighth chapter of John, a chapter filled with discourse between Jesus and the Pharisees, Jesus makes a bold statement. He says flatly "before Abraham was born I was"(v 58). One of the verbs used here is ginomai meaning "to be born". John uses it in reference to the birth of all the mortal realm.
       The other verb used in contrast here is ei∆mi√, meaning "to be". This verb is often used to describe God's existence. These two verbs are used by John to set up a contrast. This contrast is seen clearly in the prologue to John's gospel. It is between mortal birth and heavenly existence (John 1:1-3). The Word was, but everything else came into being (Brown, Anchor Bible, p.360).  John is not the only writer who makes this distinction.  Biblical writers often use the verb to be to express the existence of God. God Himself used it.  The classic case was God introducing Himself to Moses on Sinai (Exodus 3:15). Moses asked what is your name? God answered using this to be verb,  h¡RyVh`Ra r∞RvSa h™RyVh`Ra "I am who I am." (This is of course the Hebrew).This is a name that some Jews called "no name." It is simple, straight forward, eternal and well, undefensive.  It is similar in tone to Jesus' response to the Jews, "Before Abraham was born, I am". Wow. Did that smack them in the face!  There is a variant reading here from some of the Western evidences that states it even more emphatically, "Before Abraham was, I am".
   John is famous for his "ego eimi" responses from Jesus. I am the vine, I am the bread, at this feast I am the light and I am. This use in comparison to Abraham's existence ends the discourse with distinctive meaning. This discourse, since verse 30, has been about Abraham. Jesus puts a bottom line on the arguement with this statement of existence and authority, "I am".
     The next verse lets us see that the Jews got the comparsion. "They picked up rocks". This was an instinctive response. Right there on the temple mount, where according to tradition Abraham sacrificed Issac. "How dare he!"  But Jesus encryted  (e∆kruvbh) Himself and escaped.

Great I Am by Colin McCahon

     Finally we see the Psalmist use this great eternal verb in chapter 92:2, "before the mountains came into being ... from age to age You are." This again is simple, direct and undefined. But God who may have wanted to stay undefined and eternal,  rethought His position. Instead of telling the Jews that "I am " sent Moses, God came Himself. The Great undefined became defined. Since we could not handle that concept we picked up stones. I guess in the last analysis God is easier to deal with if He stays "out there", in the eternal ether, massless, matterless, is-less. When He becomes the "I am" in front of us, we have to face our unbelief. "He is" became one of me. Can I become an "I am" like Him? Is that right?   Can I become eternal? Can the Great  "I am" become the Great(er) "We are?"