Explaining Jesus to Muslims
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13. Jesus, the I AM

Who is Jesus?
Is Jesus just an apostle of God, or is he God himself? In this paper we will be looking at this complex question, laying stress on Jesus’ own teaching about himself.

The Quran says: "In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ the Son of Mary." (Sura 5:19)

However there is a difference between saying that God is Jesus and in saying that Jesus is God. In saying "Allah is Christ" or "God is Jesus", one implies that the totality of God's being is found in Jesus Christ. Christians do not believe this. Jesus often talked about God, usually calling him his Father. In looking at this question "Who is Jesus?", we touch on a Christian doctrine of the Trinity which will be explained below.

God reveals himself to Moses as the "I AM" (Exodus 3:1-15)
The Israelites had been in Egypt for 400 years enslaved to Pharaoh. The time had come for God to take his people out of Egypt and take them to the land he had promised their forefather Abraham. God chose Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt.

One day while Moses was watching sheep, God spoke to him from a burning bush. The bush was burning, but was not destroyed. Moses approached the burning bush to see why it was not being destroyed. Then God called out to him: "Moses! Moses! Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." When Moses asked God what his name was, God said: "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you."

From that time on the Israelites called God by the name "I AM". In Hebrew this was pronounced Yahweh (Jehovah in English). The name became so holy to the Israelites that they would not pronounce it. When the Hebrew Scriptures were translated into Greek and then into English, Yahweh was translated as "the LORD". The meaning of "I AM" is the One who is existing absolute or the self existing One.

Jesus used the name "I AM" for himself
In the Gospel according to John, Jesus uses the name "I AM" for himself many times.

I AM the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35)

I AM the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (8:12)

I AM the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. (10:9)

I AM the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (10:11)

I AM the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. (11:25)

I AM the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (14:6)

I AM the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit. (15:5)

In each of the above expressions Jesus uses the holy name of God, "I AM" for himself. This is not the ordinary way of saying "I am" in Greek, it is the emphatic form echoing God's name in Exodus 3:14. Note the following passages where Jesus also called himself "I AM".

I AM, don't be afraid. (6:20)

If you do not believe that I AM, you will indeed die in your sins.(8:24)

When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. (8:28)

I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I AM. (13:19)

Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked the, "Who is it you want?" "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I AM" Jesus said. When Jesus said "I AM" they drew back and fell to the ground. (18:4-6)

Jesus claimed to do what only God does
It is not only that Jesus uses the name "I AM" that is evidence of his deity, but also what he claimed to do in the above expressions.

I AM the bread of life - I satisfy. What Jesus meant when he said he was the "bread of life" is explained in John 6:33 "For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." Jesus came down from heaven and he gives life to the world.

I AM the light of the world - I enlighten, I am the source of all light and truth.

I AM the good shepherd - I care for you and provide your every need

I AM the resurrection and the life - I give eternal life. Who is responsible for raising the dead and giving them life but God himself?

I AM the way and the truth and the life - I am the way to heaven, because I am the source of truth and the source of life. I am not a way, but the way.

I AM the vine, you are the branches. - I am the source of all life, blessing and fruitfulness. Jesus is the source of God's life which is eternal life. If we are not united to him, we cannot experience God's life which is eternal life.

The relationship between the Father and the Son
In the Injil the "Father", the "Son" and the "Holy Spirit" are all spoken of as "God." At the same time it is made very clear that there is only one God, not two or three or more. It is not a question of plurality of gods, it is a question of complexity in the godhead. God is God and not man, we should expect his Being to be more complex than ours. So Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all God, and they are all one in power, wisdom and honour. They have existed from eternity and live in complete harmony. At creation God said: "Let us make man in our image."

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." (John 1:1-2)

The following words spoken by Jesus exhibit this oneness he had with the Father.

"Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father. I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." (John 5:21-24)

"I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge, because he is the Son of Man" (John 5:25-27)

"Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father." (John 6:45-46)

"You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also." (John 8:19)

"I and the Father are one." (John 10:30)

Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us. Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say: "Show us the Father. Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves." (John 14:8-11)

"I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father." (John 16:28)

"And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began." (John 17:5)