Why are the I AM sayings so controversial? Exodus 3: 14 says God said to Moses, "I am who I am.

        Marsh explains the “I am the light of the world” saying when he said, “Jesus rather than the candlesticks of Judaism, is the light and the light of the world”. In Hellenistic tradition light is often associated with God; God created the light in Genesis, and God guided the Israelites through the Desert as a pillar of light. Light also gives sight, and what comes from sight is truth. These things are associated with God, and so it is often the case that God is described as the light. By Jesus saying that he is “the light of the world”, not only is he referring as himself to God, which is blasphemy, but also puts across a point that he gives the real truth. Jesus is showing that he has the real truth about God, which is that “the only way to the father is through me”, John 14 :6. Just as light illuminates but also casts shadows, so too does Jesus’ truth to the world. Where for some who accept it, it illuminates and saves, for others who do not accept it casts shadows of condemnation. Although Jesus does say that he has come “not to condemn but to save”, it is inevitable that some will not accept and remain in condemnation. For the Jews this was very controversial as many studied the Torah closely and believed that they knew everything, and knew the truth. To challenge their view on the truth of God was very controversial.

        The “I am the door of the sheep”, and “I am the good shepherd”, give similar signs to who Jesus is. King David, the only King to bring the Israelites freedom, lived as a shepherd boy and used his skill to defend his flock from bears and lions. He used these skills when ruling Israel, and so a good leader was expected to be able to have these types of leadership, caring and defending skills. This meant that in both of these “I am” sayings Jesus is calling himself, a shepherd, and therefore also a leader of the people. This was controversial to the Jews as, like before, it was seen as blasphemy. In “I am the door of the sheep”, he is also explaining how he has come to offer salvation to everyone, not just the Jews. This was controversial as the Jews thought that as the people of God, it was them and them only who would gain eternal life with God. In “I am the good shepherd”, Jesus is explaining how he, like a good shepherd, will give his life for his flock, which is everyone, as a self-sacrifice to save them. By being a self-offering, dying for his sheep, shows Jesus to be the Saviour. This again was contentious.

        “I am the resurrection and the life”, is about realised eschatology and the opportunity to accept the eternal life offered. Just as Lazarus accepted the offer of salvation and was resurrected physically and spiritually, Jesus offers this same opportunity to everyone. Once someone has realised salvation and understood, they have realised eschatology and have an opportunity to accept salvation. “A faith relationship with Christ is resurrection, not some vague hope for something that will happen out there in the shadowy future. It is a present experience when Christ is present.” Because Jesus is offering the same offer of salvation to Sinners and Gentiles, as to Jews, this is going against the Conventional Jewish belief that it is only they who will have eternal life with God. By Jesus offering eternal life, as God had done previously, he is showing himself to be God too, which was also controversial.

        “I am the way the truth and the life” helps Jesus to explain how it is only through him that anyone can get to God. Through his life, death and resurrection, everyone has the opportunity to accept the eternal life offered to them. Jews believed that eternal life and righteousness was achieved through the law, but Jesus came to challenge this. He explained that the law was condemning them, and it was only through him that they could be righteous with God and have eternal life. This is explained in John 3: 16-17 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him”. This of course was controversial to the Jews as the law to them was the most important thing, and they solidly believed that it was only through following this that eternal life could be earnt.

        The Jews associated wine, and the vine with the Passover meal. The Passover meal in itself was very important to Jews and the Jewish tradition. By Jesus saying that he was “The true vine”, he is disregarding Jewish traditions, and explaining that he is the new Judaism, the new Israel, and the Embryonic Church. To the Jews this was very controversial as it suggested that Judaism was now no use to the people, and just as heard in the other sayings, it is only through Jesus that anyone can come to God.