YAHWEH: I AM

The most frequent name for God in the Old Testament is Yahweh (I AM). The Hebrew name יהוה‎ (YHWH) is often called the tetragrammaton, meaning “four letters.” Because this name was so sacred to God’s people of old, they feared misusing it and therefore never uttered it out loud.

The name Yahweh comes from God Himself. When Moses, at the burning bush, asked God by what name He desired to be called, He answered: “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). This name first occurs in Genesis 2:4 and is used more than 6,800 times in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament Scriptures. Many English Bibles translate this sacred title as LORD, using all capital letters.

The people of Jesus’ day knew how God had revealed His sacred name I AM in the burning bush and how Moses preached in the name of HE IS. Though they never uttered this name, Jesus did. In fact, He repeatedly described Himself using the phrase I AM. Here are the instances in which Jesus uses the designation I AM in Saint John’s Gospel:

• “I AM, the one speaking to you” [4:26]
• “I AM; do not be afraid” [6:20]
• “I AM the bread of life” [6:35, 41, 48, 51]
• “I AM the light of the world” [8:12]
• “unless you believe that I AM” [8:24]
• “when you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM” [8:28]
• “before Abraham was, I AM” [8:58]
• “I AM the door of the sheep” [10:7, 9]
• “I AM the good shepherd” [10:11, 14]
• “I AM the resurrection and the life” [11:25]
• “that you might believe ... that I AM” [13:19]
• “I AM the way and the truth and the life” [14:6]
• “I AM the true vine” [15:1, 5]
• “I AM” [18:5-6, 8]

Christians believe Jesus is Yahweh, the great I AM. Jesus says so. Saint John’s Gospel emphasizes this truth. Jesus is Yahweh in human flesh and blood, born to save His people from their sins!

See The Lutheran Study Bible, pp. 1784-1785, to learn more about the seven major I AM statements of Jesus.