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NASB | John 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 8:58 Jesus replied, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, before Abraham was born, I Am." [Ex 3:14] |
Bible Question: I am having a difficult time determining who the historical Jesus really was. was he an interpreter/reformer of the Law and/ or Temple rites, a political king fighting against Rome's oppression, an apocalyptic figure, a prophet or divine man, or was he a teacher of (secret) knowledge. If someone can give scripture to back up any of these points that would be great. I am leaning towards Jesus as being a teacher of secret knowledge... any thoughts? |
Bible Answer: Hello softballqt, Your question seems to presuppose that the Biblical portrayal of Jesus is somehow at odds with the "historical" one. The Biblical Jesus is proclaimed as both very God and very man. Jesus Himself said in John 14:6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." When questioned by the Jews as to His identity, He replied in John 8:58, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." In John 10:30 He said, "I and the Father are one." The apostle Paul writes in Col. 2:9, "For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form," C.S Lewis wisely observed in his classic work, "Mere Christianity", that "A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic- on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make that choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But, let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to." Nowhere did Jesus claim or otherwise state that he was any type of "teacher of secret knowledge." This would most likely stem from Gnostic teachings. The Biblical Jesus is the One we preach and believe upon. He alone is worthy of all glory and honor! Speaking the Truth in Love, BradK |
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Questions and/or Subjects for John 8:58 | Author | ||
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Morant61 | ||
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bigspazzz | ||
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softballqt | ||
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BradK | ||
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humbledbyhisgrace | ||
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morton-lindiema | ||
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humility |