“I am what I am, and that’s all that I am”

There are seven times in the Gospel of John when Jesus describes himself to people with a statement that begins “I am” … something.

The bread of life (John 6:35), the light of the world (8:12), the gate for the sheepfold (10:7), the good shepherd (10:11, 14), the resurrection and the life (11:25), the way the truth and the life (14:6) and the true vine (15:1).

I just want to be absolutely clear that I know there’s seven because I may have recently said six by mistake in a sermon, ironically leaving out “the resurrection and the life.” For some reason I blanked on that one. Just not an image that stuck in my head for some reason, perhaps because it’s so all encompassing of the story of Jesus that I didn’t set it apart. Whatever the reason, I confess it. Sorry.

Still, it does raise an important point about those “I am” statements. Do they all connect with you? Wouldn’t that be the point? Connection, I mean.

Biblical scholars, generally, place the Gospel of John much later than Matthew, Mark and Luke. It’s certainly different. While the other gospels each have themes unique to their narratives, they are still narratives, and it feels like the narrative is less important to the author of John than the meaning of who Jesus is. It seems to me that the author of John had time to experience those early days of the followers of Jesus, see their struggles and hear their questions and come up with a way of describing Jesus that they could connect with. I’m not saying they just made up stuff willy nilly, but rather they extrapolated from the narratives that they already knew and had Jesus express that. It would certainly explain why many biblical scholars - especially the Jesus Seminar - question whether Jesus actually said the things that are in John in those words (unless they’re corroborated in the other gospels as well).

So, John’s Jesus says these “I am” things. The very first connection point is going to be those very words, I am, reminding early listeners of how God answers Moses in Exodus 3:14. When Moses says to God that the Israelites will want to know what God is called, God answers ““I am who I am.” God said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”

Then, there are these ways that Jesus describes himself, all ways that seek to make a connection, visceral, earthy things that his audience would know and embrace. And yet, right from the start, John’s account reveals that they don’t get it right away.

Not only does Jesus say he’s the Bread of Life, but he doubles down and says you must eat my flesh and drink my blood. For real, it seems. His listeners freak out a bit at that, they’re not cannibals, after all. (Although, that was an accusation levelled at them by early non-Christians.) They just don’t seem to get it.

I wonder if that isn’t precisely why the author of John tells the story that way. They know that their listeners won’t get it either. It’s not enough to tell the stories. The beginning of living into the divine spirit in us is knowing the divine spirit in Jesus is nourishment for that divine spirit in us. It nourishes, then enlightens, encourages, comforts, inspires, leads and connects. I think that’s all seven.