‘I am,’ Says Jesus 7 Times By Babatunde Olugboji
In the Old Testament, God told Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). In Judaism, the phrase “I AM” is unequivocally recognized as a designation for God. When Jesus made statements beginning with “I am,” asserting divine attributes, He was identifying Himself as God. The Gospel of John contains 7 significant metaphorical “I am” declarations made by Jesus. The first, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51), illustrates a recurring theme throughout John’s narrative, where Jesus articulates His identity and substantiates it through His actions.
This particular statement follows the miraculous feeding of the 5,000, wherein Jesus contrasts His divine provision with the manna that sustained the Israelites in the wilderness, emphasizing that while their ancestors consumed manna and ultimately perished, the bread He offers leads to eternal life (v 49–50). 
The second declaration, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12; 9:5), occurs just prior to Jesus healing a man who was blind from birth. Here, Jesus not only proclaims His identity as the light but also demonstrates it through His miraculous works, echoing the creation narrative in Genesis 1:3, where God commands, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
“I am the door” (John 10:7 and 9, ESV) signifies that access to the kingdom of heaven is exclusively through Christ. This declaration is framed within the context of a sheepfold, illustrating that He is the sole pathway into this sacred space. Jesus emphasizes the importance of entering through Him, stating, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber” (v1,), thereby underscoring His role as the legitimate entrance. “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11, 14) reflects Jesus’ profound love and commitment to His followers. He embodies the protector who is willing to sacrifice His life for the safety of His flock
By identifying Himself as the good Shepherd, Jesus aligns Himself with a title attributed to God in the Old Testament, as seen in “The Lord is my shepherd” (Psalm 23:1), thereby reinforcing his divine authority and care. “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25) was proclaimed by Jesus just before he raised Lazarus from the dead. This statement shows that His teachings are not mere rhetoric. He holds “the keys of death and the grave” (Rev 1:18 NLT)
“I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6) encapsulates a profound truth about Christ’s unique role in salvation. He is not just one of many paths to God; He is the singular way. The Scriptures affirm that “The very essence of God’s words is truth” (Psalm 119:160), and here, Jesus asserts His identity as the embodiment of truth, confirming His role as the Word of God (John 1:1, 14). Furthermore, He is the origin and sustainer of all life, offering eternal life to those who believe in Him. 
The declaration “I am the true vine” (John 15:1; 5) serves as the culminating metaphorical assertion within the Gospel of John, highlighting the essential and sustaining relationship between Christ and his followers. Here, believers are likened to branches that derive their vitality and ability to bear fruit solely from their connection to the vine, which represents Christ. This imagery underscores the theological principle that spiritual fruitfulness in the Christian life is contingent upon an intimate and life-giving union with Jesus, emphasizing that apart from Him, one cannot achieve true spiritual productivity.
In John 8:58, Jesus asserts, “before Abraham was born, I am,” contrasting his eternal existence with that of Abraham, the father of faith. This bold proclamation was clearly understood by the Jewish audience as a claim to divinity, prompting them to attempt to stone Him for what they perceived as blasphemy. And in the Garden of Gethsemane (18:4-5), Jesus states, “I am He.” The reaction of the crowd, who fell back upon hearing His declaration, illustrates the profound authority and power inherent in His self-identification with the divine name, reinforcing the notion that His submission to arrest was a conscious and voluntary act, as further elaborated in John 10:17-18 and 19:11.
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