The I AM argument continued, Part II
The overall context of Jesus’ claim to be the I AM was His “identity.” In verses 25 and 53 the Jews ask Jesus outright “Who are you,” and “Whom do you make yourself?” And at verse 48 they accuse him of being a Samaritan. John 8:12-59 chronicles a heated debate between Jesus, the Pharisees and other Jews, the central issue being the true identity of Christ, but it should be noted that identity involves more than a name or label. Personal characteristics such as origin, destination, occupation or purpose, associations and age, among other things, combine to identify who a person is, and it was these kinds of attributes the Pharisees and other Jews were prying into and how Jesus responded.
Then the Jews answered and said to Him, Do we not say well that you are a Samaritan, and have a demon? Jesus answered, I do not have a demon, but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. “But I do not seek my glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Truly, truly, I say to you, If anyone keeps my word, he will never ever see death.
Then the Jews said to Him, Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets, and you say, If anyone keeps My word, he will never ever taste of death. Are you greater than our father Abraham who died? And the prophets died! Whom do you make yourself? Jesus answered, If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies me, whom you say is your God. And you have not known Him; but I know Him, and if I say I do not know Him, I shall be like you, a liar. But I know Him, and I keep His word. Your father Abraham leaped for joy that he should see My day, and he saw, and rejoiced. Then the Jews said to Him, You do not yet have fifty years, and have you seen Abraham?
Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, Before Abraham came into being, I AM. Then they took up stones that they might throw them on Him. But Jesus was hidden, and went forth out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. (John 8:48-59. Green’s Literal Translation)
Previously at verse 19 Jesus stated that the Jews did not know Him. At verse 12 he identifies himself metaphorically as “the Light of the world.” He tried to explain his origin, having come from heaven above to where he was returning (verse 23) and he stated as one of his purposes conveying to the world what he had heard from the Father (verse 26). He also alluded to his age, that he was preexistent (verse 56). It seems evident, then, that the controversy centered around who Jesus was, and it was in response to that series of inquires that he told them that he was the I AM, understood by the Jews as Yahweh’s own self-designation (NAB notes 8, 24-28).
The Jehovah's Witnesses take an extremely narrow view and seem to think that Jesus was only referring to his preexistence at John 8:58, and not his identity, going so far as to change the Bible to read “Before Abraham came into existence, I have been” (NWT). But the problem there, of course, is that the Bible doesn’t say that or come remotely close. Jesus said “I AM,” nothing more (Green‘