Jesus’ Audacity in Saying, “Before Abraham, I Am”

This meditation is based on a passage for September 1, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).

Text: John 8:47-59

Reflection and Question: Here John completes this section in Jesus’ final discourses that we touched upon Saturday (Aug. 28). Jesus blatantly identifies Himself with God when He concludes, “Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” With this, Jesus unmistakably claims to have existed with God before God called Abraham to be the ancestor of God’s people. In the Wisdom literature, the One who exists with God all along is the feminine, Chokmah in Hebrew, or Sophia in Greek. Some suggest that the Prologue of John is meant to identify Jesus, the Word, with Sophia, which means “wisdom” in Greek. How is Jesus like Wisdom as personified in Proverbs 8?

Prayer: Jesus, Son of the living God, You tell us that Abraham rejoiced that he would see your day, that he saw it and was glad. We believe it. May we be glad, as well, that You glorify Your Father and may we follow in Your way to do the same. Amen.