The connection between Jesus’s statements, particularly “I and my Father are one,” and the Old Testament phrase “I AM,” has been a focal point for many theological interpretations, both in traditional scripture and some Gnostic texts. Here’s how these ideas unfold in key scriptures:

  1. “I AM” in the Old Testament:
    • In Exodus 3:14 (KJV), God reveals His name to Moses as “I AM THAT I AM.” He says, “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” This statement, “I AM,” becomes one of the most sacred names of God, signifying His eternal and self-sustaining nature.
  2. Jesus’s “I AM” Statements in the Gospel of John:
    • Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus uses “I AM” statements that echo the divine name given in Exodus, suggesting his identification with the Father’s nature:
      • John 8:58 (KJV): Jesus says, “Before Abraham was, I am.” The Pharisees see this as blasphemy, as Jesus is directly identifying with the “I AM” of Exodus, claiming an eternal, divine existence.
      • John 10:30 (KJV): “I and my Father are one.” Here, Jesus speaks of an essential unity with the Father, suggesting that they share the same divine nature and purpose.
  3. Jesus as the Way to the Father:
    • John 14:6 (KJV): Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” This reinforces that Jesus is the bridge to the Father. Since Jesus identifies with the “I AM,” he becomes the path through which believers experience the divine presence and ultimately find union with God.
  4. Gnostic Texts:
    • In some Gnostic writings, such as the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus emphasizes the inner spiritual journey and self-knowledge as paths to divine union. For example:
      • Gospel of Thomas, Saying 77: Jesus says, “I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all attained. Split a piece of wood; I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me there.” This saying echoes the unity of Jesus with the divine, suggesting he is present in all things as the “I AM.”
  5. Unity with the Divine Presence:
    • In the Gospel of John and other texts, Jesus’s unity with the Father implies that by aligning with the “I AM” within, one experiences divine presence. John 17:21 (KJV): In his prayer, Jesus says, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us.” Here, Jesus invites his followers into the same unity he shares with the Father, suggesting that through the “I AM” within him, believers can connect directly to God.

In summary, these scriptures and sayings suggest that Jesus’s “I AM” statements connect him directly to God’s identity as revealed in the Old Testament, implying that he embodies this divine presence. When he says, “I and my Father are one,” he is stating that to experience God, one must come through the “I AM”—the divine nature within him that leads back to the Father. This concept invites believers to recognize the divine within themselves as well, ultimately seeing the “I AM” as the essence of unity with God.