© Copyright 2007-2008 The Straight Path
Subject: Re: Jesus means "God the savior"
Date: 812412002 11 :32 AM Eastem Daylight lime From: AliSavMuh7

Trinitarians argue that the Greek words ego eimi ("I am'), allegedly spoken by Jesus (Jn. 8:58), indicate that Jesus is God (cf. In. 8:24,28). They
arrive at their contention by connecting the phrase "I am" with the words spoken by God in Exodus 3:14 and often translated: "I AM THA T I AM.
..Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: I AM has sent me to you." However, the literal and proper translation of this verse is: I WILL BE
WHAT I WILL BE. ..Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: I WILL BE has sent me to you."

Since the author of the gospel of John used the Greek Septuagint translation of the Tanach in his writings, it cannot be assumed that John's Jesus is
referring to the words in Exodus 3:14. Although Jesus actually spoke in Hebrew or Aramaic, John recorded Jesus' alleged words in Greek. Ego
eimi ("I am"), used by John's Jesus, is not the same as ho on ("The Being, The One Who Is"), which is used in the Septuagint's rendering of Exodus
3.14: “And God spoke to Moses, saying, I am THE BEING, and He said, Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: THE BEING has sent me to
you."

Even though ho on appears in the gospel of John, it is never used as a title or name or exclusively as a reference to Jesus. In the book of Revelation,
also credited to John by Christian commentators, ho on appears five times (Rev. 1:4,8; 4:8; 11:17; 16:5). In each instance, it is used as a title or
designation applied to God, not Jesus. Thus: “John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is [ho on] and
who was and who is to come; and from the seven spirits who are before His throne" (Rev. 1:4). That this verse refers to God and not Jesus is seen
from the following verse, which continues the greeting by now including Jesus as one of those sending greetings. Hence, John says in verses 4 and
5 that greetings are sent by God, the seven spirits, and Jesus.

In verse 8, John writes: “I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, 'who is [ho on] and who was and who is to come, the Almighty"'
(Rev. 1 :8). This verse also speaks of God, not Jesus. In Revelation 4:8, ho on is applied to "the Lord God, the Almighty ," not Jesus, who, as the
"Lamb" referred to in Revelation 5:6-7, comes to God, who is sitting on His throne. That they are two separate entities is seen from Revelation 5:
13: "To the one sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever." In addition, ho on is
applied to the “Lord God, the Almighty ," not Jesus, in Revelation 11:17 and Revelation 16:5. That ho on in Revelation 16:5 refers to God and not
Jesus can be seen from verse 7, which, referring to the subject of verses 5 and 6 states: "And I heard the altar saying: 'Yes, Lord God, the Almighty,
true and righteous are Your judgements."' These are further indications that ho on and ego eimi\i are not used as synonymous terms by John.