Yeshua Making a Statement We Missed
Language in Scripture is never by mistake and always divinely on purpose. This brief essay will focus on the statement, “I am He” which is repeated in Isaiah several times over, but uniquely found in the New Testament and often overlooked.
Why Isaiah?
Isaiah has varying contextual layouts but it is clear that Isaiah prophecies of the coming Messiah multiple times (Chapters, 7-9 and so forth). Therefore, we should not be shocked to find yet another profound connection made by Yeshua to the book of Isaiah and YHWH.
Yeshua’s claim
Yeshua claims to be YHWH multiple times vary subtly, but none more clearly and aggressively than when we find Him in Luke 22:70 answering the question “You, then, are you the Son of God?” where Yeshua responds “It is as you say, I am He.”
Why does this matter? What am I trying to point out? What is the big deal about ‘I am He’?
Yeshua could have stopped at “It is as you say” or said a more common phraseology like “Yes, I am who you say I am” like he does elsewhere. He says “I am He” because He knows the tie to Isaiah and how that would render to a Jewish ear around Him. As we read in Isaiah
Who has accomplished and done this, calling the generations from the ⌊beginning⌋? I, Yahweh, am first; and I am last, I am He.
הוּא is clearly translated into English as He, even though some translations remove this, seemingly missing the theological significance. It can also mean “the same” which is again, theologically significant. Because when Yeshua says “I am He” it’s not just answering a simple question; Yeshua is making a profound statement. That He and YHWH are the same.
Now again in Isaiah 43:10 we read this:
“You are my witnesses,” ⌊declares⌋ Yahweh, “and my servant whom I have chosen so that you may know and believe ⌊in⌋ me and understand that I am He. No god was formed before ⌊me⌋, and none shall be after me. I myself am Yahweh, and there is no savior besides me!
The phrase “I am He” can also be translated “I am the One” which in itself is profound wordsmanship, but relate that forward to Christ saying “I am He” what does that tell you and what would that tell the Jewish listeners of that time? That He is unequivocally making the statement that He is the One, the God of Jacob, YHWH.
There are a dozen more “I am He” references made by YHWH in Isaiah. Christ doesn’t only make this hint known once or twice, but rather a dozen or more times like when we read John 13:19:
From now on I am telling you before it happens, in order that when it happens you may believe that I am He
Christ is stating, “I am who you are looking for and I am YHWH” essentially doubling down on the notion that He is the Messiah with simple phrasing relating back to the book of prophecies that mention Him (Isaiah).
This small but important theological thought is why translation is so vital to going deeper into the Word of God as western minded readers. We must not assert our own context lest we miss His context and meaning. Truly powerful moments can come from diligent study of God’s language and words. Christ be magnified.