")Here they ask in wonder, not unmixed with scorn, if He was coeval with Abraham. “Abraham was overjoyed that he would see My day; he saw it and rejoiced.” The Jews replied, “You aren’t 50 years old yet, and You’ve seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Before Abraham was, I am.” — John 8:56-58 (HCSB) Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation? If Jesus had merely wanted to say He existed before Abraham’s time, He would have said, “Before Abraham, I was.” The Greek words translated “was,” in the case of Abraham, and “am,” in the case of Jesus, are quite different.
However, closer investigation reveals the opposite to be true: 1. Greek Scholar notes: Kenneth Mckay, says that John 8:58 "would be most naturally translated 'I have been in existence since before Abraham was born', if it were not for the obsession with the simple words 'I am'" (K. L. McKay, 'I am' in John's Gospel, Expository Times 1996: 302-303). If Jesus had merely wanted to say He existed before Abraham’s time, He would have said, “Before Abraham, I was.” The Greek words translated “was,” in the case of Abraham, and “am,” in the case of Jesus, are quite different. The sections of this article are: 1- The text of John 8:58. (Comp. Trinitarians argue that the Greek words ego eimi ("I am"), allegedly spoken by Jesus (John 8:58), indicate that Jesus is God (see also John 8:24, 28). See the proofs from the Greek language below! 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. The sections of this article are: 1- The text of John 8:58. as in Exodus 3:4. The Jews therefore said to him: 'You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?'
By using the Greek word “prin” meaning “before”, Jesus places what He states next in the past tense, “before Abraham” came to be existing, and He then relates His own existence “before” Abraham's existence.
The answer is that Abraham, like all men, came into being. The ancient Jews not only believed that the Messiah was superior to and Lord of all the patriarchs, and even of angels, but that his celestial nature existed with God from whom it emanated, before the creation, and that the creation was effected by his ministry. John 8:1-11 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. He rather said " I HAVE (seen Abraham before he was even born)". Exodus 3:14 And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shall you … This is the question we will explore in this article. Jesus was openly claiming to be Yahweh. 57 The Jews therefore said to Him, 'You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?' "'Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.'
Note on John 1:6; and see another striking instance in Luke 6:36, "Become ye merciful as your Father also is merciful. Jesus does not say 'Before Abraham was, I was". Young's Literal Translation Jesus said to them, 'Verily, verily, I say to you, Before Abraham's coming -- I am;' He did not say that “before Abraham existed, I existed.” Or, “Before Abraham was, I was.” Rather, He declared that before Abraham was even born, “I am.” Before Abraham was (past tense), Jesus is (present tense). John 8:58's deliberate mistranslation of Jesus saying "I AM" with new evidence from the Greek language! This is itself shows that John 8:58 doesn’t mean what people want it to mean. Ambrose (ca. The first point is that if Jesus had intended to claim to preexist Abraham then the last thing he should have said was “before Abraham was, I am”; he should have said “before Abraham was, I was” (Greek: ego en). . Before Abraham was, I Am. “Before Abraham Was Born, I Am” Understanding John 8:58 . See the proofs from the Greek language below! But Jesus saved the best for last: “Before Abraham was, I am” (v.58). John 8:1-11 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Jesus was claiming pre-existence. Below, we will see how Jesus in John 8:58 didn't say "I AM". Jesus said to them: 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham came into being, I am.'" This is itself shows that John 8:58 doesn’t mean what people want it to mean.
59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. Others say that the Jews wanted to kill Jesus for saying "Before Abraham was, I am," because "I am" is close to God saying "I am that I am" in Exodus 3:14. 340-400) took "I am" not as merely related to Abraham, but a statement including from before Adam. They arrive at their contention by connecting the phrase "I am" with the words spoken by God in Exodus 3:14 and often translated: "I AM THAT I AM . The location is the Temple as rebuilt during the time of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah after… 2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to him; and he sat down and began to teach them. They were said to a group of Pharisees and scribes in the Treasury inside the Temple at Jerusalem.