“Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.’” (John 8:58)
It seems that every time that Jesus spoke with the religious leaders of the Jews, He antagonized them. One of the reasons was that He was never afraid to tell them the truth about their own sinfulness. He chided them for their legalism which ignored the loving-kindness of God the Father. Although they claimed to know God and to be His followers, they did not walk in obedience to Him. They had no love or compassion for the poor or sinners. Jesus words of authority and truth which ran contrary to the rules of the bureaucratic Jewish religious system. The leaders of the Jews could not accept these truths because they felt that Jesus challenged their authority and power. He was someone to be eliminated.
Yet the same words Jesus spoke that angered them fill us with peace, hope and comfort. The most wonderful thing He said which the Jews felt was blasphemous was “Before Abraham was, I am.” The Jews got really angry because they knew He was equating Himself with God, saying that He was Yahweh. If they had been familiar with the wisdom of God this would not have angered them, but would have caused them to wonder. This man who performed all these mighty signs, wonders and miracles and who spoke the words of God was obviously a righteous servant of the Lord. For such a one to utter blasphemy would be completely out of character. Then it would have dawned on them that He had to be who He said He was.
Many today reject this truth. Jesus to them is just another wise man on a par with Moses, Buddha, Mohammed or L. Ron Hubbard. None of these men, in fact no person who has ever lived is equal to Jesus. The words of Jesus stating His equality with God do not give us another option, for He is infinitely superior to all men: He is God incarnate and faith in Him is the only true faith there is. And such truth still aggravates people who want to control their world according to their own desires, not the Lord’s will. True wisdom to know and live by this glorious conviction comes only by faith in Jesus.