Download or read book The "I Am" of the Fourth Gospel written by Philip B. Harner and published by . This book was released on 1970 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The mysterious phrase 'I am' in the Gospel of John has long fascinated and puzzled readers. Was Jesus equating himself with Yahweh? Philip B. Harner delves into this expression, particularly where it appears without a predicate, as in 'before Abraham was, I am.' In assessing the background and sources of the nine verses that contain the absolute 'I am,' the author takes account of Exodus, Isaiah, Judaic traditions, the Hellenistic environment, and the Synoptic tradition. Dr. Harner concludes that the term was central to John's theology and was based on a parallel Hebrew expression found in Second Isaiah. At the heart of this provocative study lies the question of whether or not the 'I am' claim is part of the post-Easter Christology of the early church." --