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I AM 

‘Say this to the people of Israel, “I am has sent me to you.”’

(Exodus 3:14)

In the Septuagint (the translation of the Torah and the other Hebrew scriptures into Greek) ‘I am’ is ὁ ὤν (ho on) which can be read (the one) ‘who is’; but probably would have been better understood in terms arising from Greek philosophy as more like ‘the Being’, the ‘Existing One’.  Translation inevitably risks misperception, especially when reduced to a cypher of concept.  Without the syntax of a sentence, let alone a broader context, it behoves all to not treat this translation entirely literally. 

When Moses asks God to identify himself the first response is translated: ‘I am who I am’ translating ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν (ego eimi ho on) literally ‘I am “who is”’.

God’s name then is ‘who is’, conveying the sense of a being independent of all others, pre-existent, transcendent and eternal.

While it of course true that Moses is given a name ‘I AM’, it is important when relating this to all ‘I am’ statements of Jesus being powerful statements of his divinity.  That said, there are three that are good candidates, not least because of the reaction they cause.  

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 ONESIMUS

I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus… 

(Philemon 10)

The apostle Paul writes while imprisoned; it is not certain whether in Caesarea or Rome. With him, as a companion for a time, was a slave belonging to Philemon, to whom the letter is written.  The letter is to be carried by the slave, Onesimus, along with another (the epistle known as Colossians) as Philemon is a overseer of the church Paul founded in Colossae.  In the personal note, Paul is asking that Philemon receive his slave with forgiveness:

… no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother – especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. (Ibid 19)

But to be clear, Paul does not ask for his freedom.  Onesimus is a slave and as Paul writes elsewhere, on becoming a Christian you should keep your worldly station.

Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise, he who was free when called is a slave of Christ.  (1 Corinthians 7:20-22)

Onesimus (Ὀνήσιμος) is a slave-name, oninemi means use or profit, in other words, Onesimus is a slave who is ‘useful’.  

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SIGNS (for pagans)

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.  (John 20:30-31)

John concludes the reason for presenting a new account of Jesus, it is to provide signs that might convince that he was divine.  A sign, the Greek is σημεῖον (semeion) points the way, and is an indicator but in the New Testament, sign synonymous with the performance of a miracle, a reversal of or prevalence over natural laws. John provides seven signs to authenticate Jesus: turning water into wine (2:1-11); healing a nobleman’s son (4:46-54) and a paralytic man (5:1-15); feeding a multitude (6:1-15); walking on water (6:16-21); healing a man born blind (9:1-7) and lastly, the raising Lazarus from the tomb (11:1-44).  It could be argued that the greatest sign of all was Jesus own resurrection, but that was a work of the Father, while the previous were those performed by the Son.

But why these, and why only seven?  As John says, and the synoptic gospels attest, Jesus did many, many others.  There must be an underlying reason for their selection.   

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COMMAND

‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ (Matthew 28:18-20)

This known as the Great Commission, is Jesus’ final instructions before he ascends heavenwards.  Here ‘command’ translates the Greek verb, ἐντέλλομαι entellomai, to charge or enjoin, to issue injunctions or instructions.  The aorist tense, conveying a single and discreet action, is in the first-person singular, ἐνετειλάμην eneteilamen.

In the companion post to ‘Obedience’, it is seen that Jesus expects discipleship to be based on obedience to his commands.  On other words, obeying to his commandments is the foundation of the relationship.  It is non-negotiable.

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Gaza

Samson did not know that the Lord had departed from him.  Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza.  (Judges 16:20c-21)

Biblically, Gaza is probably best associated with Samson, whom God turned over to his enemies as a result of his inveterate disobedience.

Gaza, עַזָּה or Ghazza, was one of the five city states of Philistia, the ancient kingdom of the Philistines.  And were a thorn in the side of Israel, as seen by God’s reprove of Joshua:

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SABBATH REST

there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his… (Hebrews 4:9)

The focus of New Testament book known as ‘Hebrews’ is apostasy; specifically of those Jews who had previously made a profession that Jesus was the Messiah.  Under Roman rule, Jews and their strict observance of the Law of Moses was more than tolerated, it was facilitated.  There was no greater example of this than special dispensation to have day of rest – the concept of having a day off each week being anathema to the commercially minded Roman.

‘Rest’ translates the noun κατάπαυσις katapausis, derived from the verb katapauó, the combination of the preposition kata ‘down from’ and pauó ‘to make to cease’ or ‘hinder’.  Classically, katapausis could mean a lull, or the state of being becalmed, but in New Testament Greek it stands for repose and was used to represent the ‘inactivity’ of the Sabbath.

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ANCHOR

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.  (Hebrews 6:19-20)

Anchor is the transliteration of the Latin ancora, itself from the Greek ἄγκυρα agkura.  While the word is familiar enough, the usage in Hebrews is less obvious.

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WEAKNESS

In order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’  

(2 Corinthians 12:7-9) 

What Jesus tells Paul appears contradictory, and indeed it is baffling.  Yet scripture is not given by God to obscure, rather it is revelatory.

How can ‘any power be made perfect in weakness?’  This is not in self-handbooks, let alone the leadership playbook beloved of chief executives, politicians; those with presidential aspiration or any the would-be despots seek power and hold through strength and domination.

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SUFFICIENCY

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.  (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Paul is exhorting the faithful Achaians to respond as the Macedonians and give generously to brethren in Jerusalem.   He illustrates this by quoting from the psalter:

He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
    his righteousness endures for ever.  (Psalms 112:9)

Thus, the apostle asserts the concept of God’s sufficiency is an essential Biblical truth, not just for the doubting Corinthian.

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Subject (to governing authorities)

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.  Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgement.  (Romans 13:1-2)

The word translated ‘subject’ is ὑποτάσσω hypotassó from hypo, ‘under’ and tasso ‘arrange; thus, under (God’s) arrangements.  Paul is unequivocally saying that God institutes earthly governance and all governments must be respected by God’s people.  Within ten years after this letter to the Roman church was written, the Emperor Nero unjustly blamed Christians for having starting a fire that devastated some two thirds of Rome.  One of the emperor’s capricious punishments was to position Christians on poles and set them alight, as so called ‘Nero’s torches’.  

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