Question of the Week: Where did Jesus literally say the words, “I am God?”
Verses: John 8:58, Exodus 3:13-15,
Asking for exact words in any argument is absurd. Firstly, Jesus didn’t speak English. He spoke Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew. Secondly, He wasn’t a 21st century American. He was a 1st Century Jew living in Roman occupied Judea. If He had said the words, “I am God” as we do today, it would have been confused as comparing himself to a local figure of authority or one of the many generic pagan gods. That’s why when Jesus made claims to deity, He did so through actions as much as through the implications of His claims. If Jesus said the sort of things about Himself that only the True and Living God of Israel specifically could say and not be lying/insane, then He was claiming to be God. None were so significant and well understood by His audience than claiming the same name for Himself that the God of Israel introduced Himself to Moses as. The I Am. Jesus made this claim multiple times to hostile and friendly audiences as the greatest affirmations of His deity. For more examples, please watch the video below.
