“Before Abraham Was, I AM” — The Most Explosive Statement in History

In John 8:58, Jesus makes a staggering claim: “Before Abraham was, I AM.” To modern ears, it may sound poetic or mysterious. But to His original audience, it was blasphemy—or undeniable truth. They immediately picked up stones to kill Him. Why?

Because Jesus wasn’t just claiming to pre-date Abraham. He was quoting Exodus 3:14, where God speaks to Moses from the burning bush and declares, “I AM WHO I AM.” This is the sacred name of God—the self-existent, eternal one. By using those same words, Jesus was declaring: “I am that God who spoke to Moses.”

This wasn’t allegory. It wasn’t metaphor. It was identity. Jesus didn’t come merely as a teacher, healer, or prophet. He came as the God of the burning bush, stepping into human history in flesh and blood.

For Jewish leaders, this was either the ultimate blasphemy or the most radical truth. For 500 years, “Christ”ianity became Christ-followers. And grew like “Florida”ians are from Florida.

Islam and the Prophet Mohammad in 600AD then acknowledges the Prophet Isa (or Jesus in Arabic) and was well aware of the miracles. The Quran is filled with Isa — the most spoken about Prophet in the book.

For young minds, it’s a call to wonder. For intellectuals, it’s a theological mic drop.

Either way, John 8:58 and Exodus 3:14 come thousands of years apart. And the question still stands: Who do you say that He is?