Three times in this short Unit of Scripture Jesus deliberately used the pronoun “ego,” indicating great emphasis on His Person! I will mark them for you with bold, slanted type …
“19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. 20 Jesus answered him, I (EGO)spake openly to the world; I (EGO) ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. 21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I (EGO) said. 22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? 23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? 24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.”
These three emphatic pronouns (unnecessary to the meaning of the Passage or to the rules of grammar, just placed here by our Saviour for emphasis) are spoken by Jesus perhaps to match the three “I AM” Statements He made as He was being arrested! An Incident located back in John 18:4-8.
Or perhaps to match the three times Peter will deny Him (one past, two to go as of our Text today), possibly to imply that Peter fails … but Jesus’ Person, Deity, Character, Essence will NEVER fail!
Now that I have mentioned Jesus’ “I AM” (using “EGO” with a predicate) Proclamations, let me list them for you …
John 6:35 … I am Bread of Life (I am the Bread Which came down from Heaven! Verse 41) (I am the Living Bread! Verse 51)
John 8:12 … I am the Light of the world! (Again in 9:5)
John 10:7 … I am the Door! (of the sheep) (Again in verse 9)
John 10:11 … I am the Good Shepherd! (Repeated in verse 14)
John 11:25 … I am the Resurrection and the Life!
John 14:6 … I am the Way, The Truth, The Life!
John 15:1 … I am the True Vine! (Repeated in verse 5 with “ye are the branches!”)
Wow!
I really am enjoying the Gospel of John. A Gospel that magnifies Jesus in a unique manner!
Watch the whole class if possible …
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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