Abraham Rejoiced; Before Abraham Was, I Am

The conflict reaches a climax when Jesus claims that keeping his word overcomes death and then says Abraham rejoiced to see his day. Exactly what Abrahamic episode is in view is debated; Genesis 22 is often proposed, but John does not name it. Jesus’ final saying is clearer in force than in precise Old Testament source: “Before Abraham was, I am.” Exodus 3:14 belongs to the background, but the Greek wording is not a verbatim quotation; Isaiah’s repeated divine “I am he” language is also important. The audience’s attempt to stone Jesus shows that they hear the statement as far more than a claim to ordinary seniority.