we would find still more of God beyond that--and so on, without end. The Father IS

God, but beyond is infinitely more: the Son IS God, but beyond is the Father.

Because of the nature of this study we cannot speak of `proofs'; but insofar as the

word may justly be used, the final `proof' must be the inferred identification of Himself

by the Lord Jesus Christ, with Jehovah.

In John's Gospel the Lord uses the expression "I AM" on a number of occasions,

which associated with Jehovah. John 10: 11, 14:

Surely only one can be described as "the good shepherd", yet, emphatically, the Lord

Jesus Christ says "I am the good shepherd". David, in Psa. 23:, says "The Lord

(Jehovah) is my shepherd". This psalm summarizes the title of Jehovah, and it is difficult

not to see in the claim "I am the good shepherd" the claim also to the titles of Jehovah.

We refer to only one more of the great ego eimi statements of the Lord Jesus Christ,

that recorded in John 18: 3-8, the arrest of the Lord. In response to His question

"Whom seek ye?", those who had come to take Him said "Jesus of Nazareth". To this He

said "I am" (the "he" is not in the original), ego eimi. At this `they went backward, and

fell to the ground'. Similarly in verse 8 the Lord again says "I am (ego eimi)". Some try

to explain the reaction of the men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees as

simply surprise that the One they had come to arrest should admit to being the One they

wanted. Is there really anything in that to call for such an extreme reaction? It seems

much more likely that the words were uttered with such authority and majesty that for the

moment they were aware of the deity of the One they had come to arrest. Police officers

do not normally react to "It's a fair cop" in such an extreme way.

In our apprehension of the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ a great deal depends upon the

standpoint from which we approach the subject. If we begin with the babe at Bethlehem,

and the man Jesus of Nazareth, then it is impossible for us to begin to understand. How

can a man be God? If, on the other hand, we begin with God reaching out to lost

mankind, seeking a means of touching them, making Himself known, and redeeming

them, the possibility of God becoming man is not so remote. We may not be able to

understand; but it is not impossible. The lesser cannot assume the characteristics of the

greater; but the greater may well in His Wisdom and for His Purpose assume "the

likeness of sinful flesh".