Connection
Before Abraham was, I am
At the burning bush God named Himself I AM. In Jerusalem Jesus said that before Abraham was born, I am, and the crowd reached for stones.
Strong allusion or echoHigh confidence
A substantial textual relationship supported by cited evidence.
Strong allusion or echo
New TestamentJohn 8:58Open this recordRead the earlier witness
God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ” Read the later witness
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” Why FaithGraph draws this line
John 8:58 alludes to Exodus 3:14.
Jesus' statement that before Abraham was born, I am, uses the absolute I am of God's self-naming at the burning bush, and His hearers respond by picking up stones.
Evidence
Other responsible views
- A claim of pre-existence only. Some interpreters read the saying primarily as a claim to exist before Abraham without a direct echo of Exodus 3:14, though the reaction of the crowd suggests they heard more.
The explanation above is FaithGraph editorial content, not Scripture.