I Am Who I Am

Today we read a familiar parable from the gospel of John which is not too difficult to understand, especially when we link it to the 23rd Psalm. Jesus is the shepherd of the story, we are the sheep, and God is the gatekeeper. But, who are the bandits and the thieves? If you read the story that is before this account – the blind man who received his sight – you will realize that Jesus is talking to a few Pharisees making them the thieves and bandits. Which, in some sense, does not make sense. Why would they have to sneak into the sheepfold? They are the leaders of God’s chosen people. Is it because they did not recognize Jesus for who he was? Or because they refused to accept that the blind man was healed? Maybe it was because they were so convinced of their own righteousness that they were unable to see the blind man for what he was – one of God’s own children.  Unable to see the tragedy in his life and the great gift that Jesus had given him. Yes they were blinded by their own self-righteousness, believing that, by their own works, they could enter the kingdom of God. Instead of seeing Jesus as the shepherd, they chose to enter the sheepfold the hard way, climbing over the brier-covered wall. 

This parable then gives Jesus the opportunity to give one of his, “I Am” statements. Any casual reader of the Gospel of John will note that there are several times that Jesus uses this statement. He uses this at least 13 times. A more careful reader of the Gospels will note that Jesus says this about himself only once in each of the Synoptic Gospels. Mark and Luke have Jesus saying this another time when he is warning his followers to be cautious about others coming in his name claiming, “I am [he].” Why the difference? Did John put all these statements in Jesus’ mouth? Did the oral tradition he received differ from what the other gospel writers received? 

Jesus most certainly used the phrase and John chose to emphasize those sayings and, possibly, even expanded them. That careful reader of the gospels might also note that in many places in John where Jesus says, “I Am,” the other gospel writers will have Jesus saying, “The kingdom of God is like a....” (As an example: I Am the vine – The kingdom of God is like a vineyard.) John’s deliberate choice to include Jesus’ use of, “I Am,” was to emphasize Jesus’ divinity. “I AM,” had become the name of God in Judaism. It comes from  the many times that God identifies himself in the Old Testament: “I Am YHWH, I Am He, I Am who I Am.” John is making sure the reader of his gospel knows that Jesus is the Great I Am.

“I Am the gate,” Jesus tells us. It is through him that we are able to enter into the safety of the sheepfold. We note two things here. First, Jesus does not give us a list of rules or duties; things we must do to enter the sheepfold. Jesus chooses those who are his (and calls them by name). To be one of Jesus’ sheep seems to be a passive event. Trying to get into the sheepfold any other way is to be a thief and bandit. Secondly, we do not stay in the sheepfold. We go in and go out and find pasture. This is not then a place to hide from the world, it is a guard against the things that pummel and assault us in life. We cannot hide here. From this refuge, we, the sheep, become those who go out and share the news of the  shepherd inviting others to come and see the Great I Am. Redirecting those who are trying to climb over the walls through the material things of the world to the Great I Am who gave his life for them and now invites them to, “Enter into the kingdom of God.”

Christ is risen! Alleluia!