I Am: Covenant Promise Fulfillment
I would have loved to tease this out even further on Sunday morning. But time didn't allow it. So, let's take some time now here to see Jesus' covenant fulfillment and His I AM statements in a bit more detail.
In John's Gospel record, Jesus' "I AM" statements teach us something about Him. They help us to see Him in light of the Gospel work He has come to accomplish, but they also help us to see how He also serves as the fulfillment of the types and shadows presented in God's previous covenantal work.
First, let's look at Jesus' claims of His divine identity. One of the clearest can be found in John 8. I'd encourage you to read the whole thing for a fuller context, but let me share a few key verses.
You'll notice in these "I AM" statements (ego eimi in Greek) He isn't adding a descriptive element to them. They are simply identifying who He is. It becomes clear that the Jews picked up on Jesus' divine claim in their response. "They picked up stones to throw at Him" (Jn 8:59). They were going to stone Him for what they deemed to be blasphemy. They would attempt it again in John 10 because of His claims to be one with the Father.
The point is that Jesus wasn't speaking in some indiscernible code that had to be cracked by great scholars. The people He was speaking to knew exactly what He was saying. He was God who was sent from God to redeem and restore His people.
In John's Gospel, we also find that Jesus says, "I AM (fill in the blank) . Each of these directly connects to the types and shadows presented in the preceding covenants and promises within those covenants that Jesus proclaims to fulfill Himself.
In the context surrounding this claim, Jesus refers to the manna God provided to the Israelites in the wilderness. He is the fulfillment of that manna. He is the "food" that actually provides life. Believing in Him is the work God has given us to do and the work that produces eternal life. (John 6:25-34)
From the opening verses of the Bible, light has been revealing the glory of God in the world. John's gospel account introduces Jesus as the Creator and light that shines in the darkness. And He is the fulfillment of God's promises through Isaiah that light would shine on His people (Is 9:2), the light to the nations (Is 42:1-7), a light to reach the end of the Earth (Is 49:6).
As the gate, the only sheep in His fold are those who come through Him. This is only a part of it but is foundational to His role as the Good Shepherd. He is the promised Shepherd, the only one to who Ezekiel could have been referring when he prophesied that God would be the Shepherd of His own sheep (Ezekiel 34:11-31). The sheep that He had gathered Himself, and at the same time, the Shepherd would be His servant David. Jesus fulfilled God's promise to David by making His throne eternal and fulfilled God's promise to His people by being the Good Shepherd. Unlike the kings and leaders of Israel that had come before Him and failed to shepherd well, Jesus was faithful in His role before His Father and His sheep.
Martha knew that Lazarus would rise in the resurrection on the last day. This was a commonly held view by the Pharisees as it was promised in Dan 12:2 and depicted in Ezekiel 37. But she didn't yet fully understand that Jesus had the power and authority to raise Lazarus now. That was about to change. Jesus had been teaching it (John 5;21, 25-29, 6:39-40), and now He was going to prove it. And it would be through Him that God's promise of resurrection going back to the prophets would be fulfilled.
Jesus is the only way to the Father; every supposed alternative is false, and we find eternal life in Him alone. He is who the covenants, prophets, and promises all pointed toward. The Old Testament scriptures didn't record one way God works until Jesus came to provide another. He always has been and always will be the only way, the only truth, the only life. Or as Thomas à Kempis once wrote, "I am the way and the truth and the life. Without the way there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living. I am the way which thou must follow; the truth which thou must believe; the life for which thou must hope. I am the inviolable way; the infallible truth, the never-ending life. I am the straightest way; the sovereign truth; life true, life blessed, life uncreated."
I mentioned this one on Sunday, so I won't say much here. But, Jesus being the true vine is His proclamation that the nation of Israel was just a copy and shadow that He fulfills. The Psalms and Prophets used the vine image repeatedly to refer to Israel in the near term these referred to Israel, especially its judgment. But, Jesus' claim here is that He is the Israel that God's promises of blessing pertained to. These passages each refer to Israel as a vine, most of which refer to their failure as a faithful covenant partner. (Ps. 80:9–16; Isa. 5:1–7; Jer. 2:21; Ezek. 15:1–8; 17:1–21; 19:10–14; Hos. 10:1–2)
In the same way that Jesus demonstrated Himself to be God the Creator and Covenant Maker, Jesus showed Himself to be the Christ (the Messiah) sent by God to fulfill His promises to His people from every age and every tribe, tongue, and nation.
In John's Gospel record, Jesus' "I AM" statements teach us something about Him. They help us to see Him in light of the Gospel work He has come to accomplish, but they also help us to see how He also serves as the fulfillment of the types and shadows presented in God's previous covenantal work.
First, let's look at Jesus' claims of His divine identity. One of the clearest can be found in John 8. I'd encourage you to read the whole thing for a fuller context, but let me share a few key verses.
- John 8:24 (ESV) — 24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I AM he you will die in your sins."
- John 8:28 (ESV) — 28 So Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.
- John 8:58 (ESV) — 58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."
You'll notice in these "I AM" statements (ego eimi in Greek) He isn't adding a descriptive element to them. They are simply identifying who He is. It becomes clear that the Jews picked up on Jesus' divine claim in their response. "They picked up stones to throw at Him" (Jn 8:59). They were going to stone Him for what they deemed to be blasphemy. They would attempt it again in John 10 because of His claims to be one with the Father.
The point is that Jesus wasn't speaking in some indiscernible code that had to be cracked by great scholars. The people He was speaking to knew exactly what He was saying. He was God who was sent from God to redeem and restore His people.
In John's Gospel, we also find that Jesus says, "I AM (fill in the blank) . Each of these directly connects to the types and shadows presented in the preceding covenants and promises within those covenants that Jesus proclaims to fulfill Himself.
- John 6:35 – I AM the bread of life
In the context surrounding this claim, Jesus refers to the manna God provided to the Israelites in the wilderness. He is the fulfillment of that manna. He is the "food" that actually provides life. Believing in Him is the work God has given us to do and the work that produces eternal life. (John 6:25-34)
- John 8:12; 9:5 – I AM the light of the world
From the opening verses of the Bible, light has been revealing the glory of God in the world. John's gospel account introduces Jesus as the Creator and light that shines in the darkness. And He is the fulfillment of God's promises through Isaiah that light would shine on His people (Is 9:2), the light to the nations (Is 42:1-7), a light to reach the end of the Earth (Is 49:6).
- John 10:7,9 – I AM the gate (door)
- John 10:11, 14 – I AM the Good Shepherd
As the gate, the only sheep in His fold are those who come through Him. This is only a part of it but is foundational to His role as the Good Shepherd. He is the promised Shepherd, the only one to who Ezekiel could have been referring when he prophesied that God would be the Shepherd of His own sheep (Ezekiel 34:11-31). The sheep that He had gathered Himself, and at the same time, the Shepherd would be His servant David. Jesus fulfilled God's promise to David by making His throne eternal and fulfilled God's promise to His people by being the Good Shepherd. Unlike the kings and leaders of Israel that had come before Him and failed to shepherd well, Jesus was faithful in His role before His Father and His sheep.
- John 11:25 – I AM the resurrection and the life
Martha knew that Lazarus would rise in the resurrection on the last day. This was a commonly held view by the Pharisees as it was promised in Dan 12:2 and depicted in Ezekiel 37. But she didn't yet fully understand that Jesus had the power and authority to raise Lazarus now. That was about to change. Jesus had been teaching it (John 5;21, 25-29, 6:39-40), and now He was going to prove it. And it would be through Him that God's promise of resurrection going back to the prophets would be fulfilled.
- John 14:6 – I AM the way, the truth, and the life
Jesus is the only way to the Father; every supposed alternative is false, and we find eternal life in Him alone. He is who the covenants, prophets, and promises all pointed toward. The Old Testament scriptures didn't record one way God works until Jesus came to provide another. He always has been and always will be the only way, the only truth, the only life. Or as Thomas à Kempis once wrote, "I am the way and the truth and the life. Without the way there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living. I am the way which thou must follow; the truth which thou must believe; the life for which thou must hope. I am the inviolable way; the infallible truth, the never-ending life. I am the straightest way; the sovereign truth; life true, life blessed, life uncreated."
- John 15:1, 5 – I AM the true vine
I mentioned this one on Sunday, so I won't say much here. But, Jesus being the true vine is His proclamation that the nation of Israel was just a copy and shadow that He fulfills. The Psalms and Prophets used the vine image repeatedly to refer to Israel in the near term these referred to Israel, especially its judgment. But, Jesus' claim here is that He is the Israel that God's promises of blessing pertained to. These passages each refer to Israel as a vine, most of which refer to their failure as a faithful covenant partner. (Ps. 80:9–16; Isa. 5:1–7; Jer. 2:21; Ezek. 15:1–8; 17:1–21; 19:10–14; Hos. 10:1–2)
In the same way that Jesus demonstrated Himself to be God the Creator and Covenant Maker, Jesus showed Himself to be the Christ (the Messiah) sent by God to fulfill His promises to His people from every age and every tribe, tongue, and nation.