Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM – John 8:58
Everything has a beginning in this world – earth has a beginning, every human has a beginning, and every material we see has a beginning. Does Jesus have a beginning? In today’s verse, we can find the answer. Here Jesus is claiming His deity and eternal preexistence, which has no beginning.
In John 8, we can observe the conversation and argument between Jesus and Jews. Jesus made two critical statements – if anyone abides in His word, he shall know the truth, and the truth shall make him free (8:32), and he shall never see death (8:51). The “truth” here refers to Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God.
When Jesus said about death, He referred to the eternal death, whereas Jews took a literal and earthly meaning of “death.” They told Abraham was dead, and so are prophets and Is Jesus greater than Abraham and prophets? Jesus brought a wonderful truth that He knew and saw Abraham and said, before Abraham was (past tense), I am (present tense).
Abraham had a beginning, and prophets had a beginning, but Jesus is eternal. Let us all accept this “truth” so that not only the “truth” shall set us free from sin, but also we shall never see eternal death!