“EGO EIMI”

6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

John 18:6-7

Yesterday, we learned that God is able to keep us safe from the enemy's schemes and forces.

Let’s pick up from where we left off.

In this passage, John notes that Judas was right there, standing. The writer does not mention Judas’ kiss which the Synoptic gospel writers indicate. But what is the significance of this kiss? In Jewish culture during Jesus’ time, a kiss wasn’t always an expression of love, but it was a common greeting, a sign of deep respect, and brotherly love. For this reason, Judas’ betrayal becomes even more horrendous. It was the epitome of hypocrisy. The kiss was a sign of deep respect and yet through it, Judas betrayed Jesus to be killed.

Verse 6 is very interesting. When Jesus answered the men’s question with “I am,” they all drew back and fell to the ground. The original Greek term is “ego eimi,” which can mean two things. First, it may simply have been Jesus’ way of identifying Himself, or second, It may refer to His deity (see 8:58). But if we consider the men’s response to Jesus’ statement, it’s not that hard to conclude that it is His self-identification as God. The men falling to the ground is reminiscent of the OT accounts, such as Daniel 10:9 and Ezekiel 1:28. The men fell down because of the majesty of Jesus’ name.

When was the last time that you said, “I am he” and people fell on their knees? Jesus, in human form, chose to limit some of His divine powers and prerogatives. His human body shielded people from His awesome glory unapproachable light.

Sadly, people misunderstand His humanity as a weakness and inferiority. They think that since Jesus is a man, He can’t be God at the same time. But if we are looking for shreds of evidence of Jesus’ deity, we can’t overlook this passage. The hundreds of trained soldiers falling on their knees at the sound of Jesus’ voice is too prominent to leave out of consideration.

Pursue the Savior today!