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Jesus says – I AM... (10 of 11)
Jesus said to them, ‘I am he.’
John 18:1-11
Jesus’ I AM... claims confront us with the truth that He is the only solution to our most foundational need to know God and have a relationship with Him.
Genesis 1:27 (ESV) –
“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Our created purpose is to know and glorify God and there is only one way back to a right relationship with God, the relationship we were created to have but lost through sin. The only way is through Jesus Christ and the redemption He freely offers.
The early church leader Augustine described this reality, in these words – Lord, you have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in You.
John 18:4-6 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to Him, came forward and said to them, ‘Whom do you seek?’ They answered Him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am He.’ Judas, who betrayed Him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, ‘I am He,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.”
As Jesus was betrayed and arrested, He repeated the words – I am He... This phrase compels us to consider Jesus’ identity as the Son of God and the purpose of His coming, which is salvation.
John 18:1-11 (ESV) –
“When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with His disciples. So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to Him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.” Judas, who betrayed Him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. So He asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He. So, if you seek Me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill the word that He had spoken: “Of those whom you gave Me I have lost not one.” Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given Me?”
1. The background is Judas’ despicable betrayal of Jesus.
Mark 14:32 (ESV) –
“And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And He said to His disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’”
The picture is of the awful reality of Jesus being betrayed and arrested. The betrayer was one of the twelve original disciples, Judas.
John 13:21 (ESV) –
“Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”
John 13:30 (ESV) –
“So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.”
After Judas left, Jesus continued teaching His remaining eleven disciples and He gave them some of the most comforting promises in the entire Bible. He was preparing them for all that was about to happen because they had no idea what was about to hit them.
Even though the disciples didn’t understand what was happening they were troubled. Jesus was talking about leaving and dying. He was also speaking about being betrayed and denied.
John 14:1-3 (ESV) –
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
John 14:16-17 (ESV) –
“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”
Jesus comforted and prepared His disciples for the disorienting circumstances that were coming and had already begun.
John 16:33 (ESV) –
“I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
The final road to the cross was in motion. Jesus and His disciples had traveled from the upper room to the garden. This spot was known to the disciples, including Judas.
Luke 22:2-6 (ESV) –
“And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put Him to death, for they feared the people. Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of a crowd.”
Maps remind us that we’re talking about real people, real times and real places. We’re face-to-face with Judas’ wickedness, he showed up with a band of solders.
John 18:3 (ESV) –
“So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.”
2. As Jesus was arrested, He proclaimed His identity through the words: I AM... and those armed and ready to arrest Him fell to the ground.
John 18:4 (ESV) –
“Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to Him, came forward and said to them, ‘Whom do you seek?’”
Jesus knew all that was going to happen and we hear Him ask a question in verses 4 and 7 – Whom do you seek? Their response in verses 5 and 7 was – Jesus of Nazareth.
In verses 5, 6 and 8 we hear Jesus say – I am He... This phrase can mean – I am who you seek... but the Greek (Ἐγώ εἰμι) can be literary translated – I am... At the moment of His betrayal and arrest we hear echoes of Jesus’ I AM... claims.
John 8:58 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
Isaiah 43:13 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Also henceforth I am He; there is none who can deliver from My hand; I work, and who can turn it back?”
Isaiah 43:25 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”
Exodus 3:14 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am.’ And he said, Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
God identified Himself to Moses saying – I am who I am.
When Jesus said – I AM... they drew back and fell to the ground. As Jesus says – I AM... His power causes those armed with weapons and ready to seize Him to fall to the ground. The picture here makes an obvious point, they could not take Jesus as a prisoner against His will.
This compels us to see Jesus’ glorious identity and consider the purpose of His coming. Jesus is God and He came to save!
John 18:8-9 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Jesus answered, ‘I told you that I am He. So, if you seek Me, let these men go.’ This was to fulfill the word that He had spoken: ‘Of those whom you gave Me I have lost not one.’”
John 17:12 (ESV) –
“While I was with them, I kept them in Your name, which you have given Me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”
This is about our salvation. Jesus faced this so we can be saved!
John 18:9 (ESV) –
“Of those whom you gave Me I have lost not one.”
3. Jesus laid down His life for our salvation. We all need to ask and answer the question – Am I saved?
The picture shifts and Peter drew his sword – probably a short Roman sword capable of being concealed beneath his cloak.
Luke 22:50-51 (ESV) –
“And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, ‘No more of this!’ And He touched his ear and healed him.”
John 18:11 (ESV) –
“Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given Me?”
The reference to drinking the cup is a figurative way of speaking about the events leading up to the cross and the cross itself.
On the cross Jesus bore God’s wrath as our substitute. He paid the penalty for our sins.
John 10:11 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
John 10:14-15 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“I am the good shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”
John 10:9 (ESV) –
“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved...”
This calls us to ask and answer the question – Am I saved? The only solution to our sin, the only escape from the death we deserve for our sins is Christ’s death on the cross as our substitute.
Our sin is so infinitely offensive (so absolutely terrible) that Jesus had to die as our substitute to turn aside God’s just wrath.
Ask – Have I walked through the door and received forgiveness of my sins and eternal life? What’s my personal response to the person and work of Christ?
Romans 10:13 (ESV) –
“...everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
It’s only through Christ’s substitutionary death and victorious resurrection that we can be saved and freed from bondage to sin and death. At the cross of course Jesus laid down His life for us. His body was broken and His blood was shed so that we can be saved.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (ESV) –
“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when He was betrayed took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, “This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way also He took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.”