LONG BEFORE POPEYE, THE LORD SAID "I AM THAT I AM!

JESUS IS THE GREAT I AM!

Exodus 3:13-15 - And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers has sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is His name?  What shall I say unto them?  And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM:  and He said, Thus shall you say unto the children of Israel, I AM has sent me unto you.  And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shall you say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me unto you:  this is My name forever, and this is My memorial unto all generations.

Note:  When you see (he)* in the following verses, the word is not in the original Greek text, and as you will see from the reaction of those to whom He said "I AM," Jesus was clearly identifying Himself as the "I AM" of the Old Testament.  In fact, the Hebrew word translated "I AM," was also translated "LORD" over 6500 times.  Jesus acknowledged that He, Himself is LORD!

Mark 14:62-64 - And Jesus said, I AM: and you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.  Then the high priest rent his clothes, and said, What need we any further witnesses?  You have heard the blasphemy:  what do you think? And they all condemned Him to be guilty of death.

Luke 22:69-71 - Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.  Then said they all, Are You then the Son of God?  And He said unto them, You say that I AM.  And they said, What need we any further witness?  For we ourselves have heard of His own mouth.

John 8:23-28, 58-59 - And He said unto them, You are from beneath; I AM from above:  you are of this world; I AM not of this world.  I said therefore unto you, that you shall die in your sins:  for if you do not believe that I AM (he),* you shall die in your sins.  Then said they unto Him, Who are You?  And Jesus said unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.  I have many things to say and to judge of you:  but He that sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard from Him.  They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.  Then said Jesus unto them, When you have lifted up the Son of man (crucified Me), then you shall know that I AM (he),* and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father has taught Me, I speak these things.  - - -  Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM.  Then took they up stones to cast at Him:  but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

John 13:13-19 - You call Me Master and Lord:  and you say well; for so I AM.  If I then, your Lord and Master, has washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another's feet.  For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.  If you know these things, happy are you if you do them.  I speak not of you all:  I know whom I have chosen:  but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He that eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.  Now I tell you before it comes, that when it is come to pass, you may believe that I AM (he).*

John 18:5-6, 37 - They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth.  Jesus said unto them, I AM (he).* And Judas also, which betrayed Him, stood with them.  As soon then as He had said unto them, I AM (he),* they went backward, and fell to the ground. - - - Pilate therefore said unto Him, Are You a king then?  Jesus answered, you say that I AM a King.  To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.  Every one that is of the truth hears My voice.

OTHER EXAMPLES OF JESUS IDENTIFYING AS "I AM."

Matthew 27:43 - He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I AM the Son of God.

John 6:48 - I AM that bread of life.

John 8:12 - Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying, I AM the light of the world . . . .

John 10:9, 11, 36 - I AM the door:  by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. - - - I AM the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. - - - Say you of Him, Whom the Father has sanctified, and sent into the world, You blaspheme, because I said, I AM the Son of God?

John 11:25 -  Jesus said unto her, I AM the resurrection, and the life:  he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

John 14:6 - Jesus said unto him, I AM the Way, (I AM) the Truth, and (I AM) the Life: no man comes unto the Father, but by Me.

John 15:5 - I AM the Vine, you are the branches:  He who abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit:  for without Me you can do nothing.

John 19:21 - Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that He said, I AM King of the Jews.

Revelation 1:8, 11, 17-18 - I AM Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, says the Lord, Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come, the Almighty. - - - Saying, I AM Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last: and, What you see, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. - - - And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I AM the First and the Last:  I AM He Who lives, and was dead; and, behold, I AM alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.  

Revelation 21:6 - And He said unto me, It is done.  I AM Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.  I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.  

Revelation 22:13, 16 - I AM Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. - - - I Jesus have sent my angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I AM the Root and the Offspring of David, and the Bright and Morning Star.

THE GREAT I AM WAS WILLING TO DIE FOR OUR SINS!

HIS FATHER RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD!

AND BY FAITH IN HIM, WE CAN 

SPEND ETERNITY THANKING HIM!