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There are multiple options for how to translate John 8:58, but a typical one is

"before Abraham was born, I am!" (Berean Study Bible)

Although 'ego eimi' used in this sort of grammatical way is often translated as "I am he" or "I am the one", and indeed is commonly translated throughout John in that way, including 3 instances right around 8:58 (8:24, 8:28, and 9:9 - also see John 4:26 where it is explicitly tied to being the Messiah), at John 8:58 it is usually translated as simply "I am", seemingly due to the unusual structure of the sentence.

Some go further, such as the NKJV, and translate it as "I AM", similar to how LORD is translated in place of Yahweh in the Old Testament. It seems a common argument for translating the phrase at 8:58 as "I AM" is that there must be a claim of pre-existence involved, and there's only one option in claiming pre-existence, namely that Jesus = Yahweh = God (see multiple answers to the question How do Trinitarians who argue the 'ego eimi' at John 8:58 ought to be translated 'I AM' explain the lack of reactions to the same phrase?). Therefore, the 'ego eimi' must be a claim to be Yahweh.

Yet, it seems there are multiple options in Christianity. I am familiar with a few.

  1. Jesus pre-existed Abraham as Yahweh = God. (Common Trinitarian interpretation.)

  2. Jesus pre-existed Abraham as the Logos, which is subsidiary to Yahweh. (Common early church Logos theorist view.)

  3. Jesus pre-existed Abraham notionally as the Messiah. (Biblical Unitarian interpretation, typically translated instead as "I am the one" such as with the REV, i.e., I am the one whose day Abraham saw at 8:56.)

  4. Jesus pre-existed as an angel. (Jehovah's Witness interpretation.)

  5. Jesus pre-existed as a soul in communion with God. (Christian Science interpretation.)

Are there other options in the Christian literature for pre-existence (real or notional) of Jesus that extends from before Abraham to when Jesus is speaking?

Only True God
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    Although 'ego eimi' used in this sort of grammatical way is usually translated as "I am he" or "I am the one",

    No, it isn't. That's your supposition only as my answer on your other question shows.

     – eques Jun 03 '22 at 17:32
  • @eques You keep riding this horse, and it's a bit baffling to me. Look at how it's usually translated in the places in John mentioned in the post. 'Ego eimi' used on its own in a clause usually translates as 'I am he' or 'I am the one' or something like that. – Only True God Jun 03 '22 at 17:36
  • @eques But your contention is also not that relevant to this question. – Only True God Jun 03 '22 at 17:38
  • @eques Change from 'usually' -> 'often' just to be more careful, but it's really not relevant to the point of the question. – Only True God Jun 03 '22 at 17:46
  • Rather, you keep riding the horse. If it's irrelevant for me to point out your incorrect interpretation from Greek, it's irrelevant for you to mention it in the question at all – eques Jun 03 '22 at 17:54
  • @eques What's an incorrect interpretation? – Only True God Jun 03 '22 at 17:55
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    That 'ego eimi' as a phrase needs the "he" or "the one" -- that's how you keep trying to explain it. – eques Jun 03 '22 at 17:56
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    @eques But re riding horses, you're the one with the username 'eques'. ;) – Only True God Jun 03 '22 at 17:56
  • Yes, but that's irrelevant – eques Jun 03 '22 at 17:57
  • @eques That's not what I'm trying to say. I'm just trying to say that 'ego eimi' is commonly translated as 'I am he' or 'I am the one', and that's because it's (explicitly or implicitly) an identifier. – Only True God Jun 03 '22 at 17:58
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    What do you mean by "options"? Do you mean interpretations that some significant Christian group holds? Or theoretical options, like "Jesus pre-existed as a shape-shifting sentient dinosaur"? – DJClayworth Jun 03 '22 at 18:15
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    @DJClayworth First one. Options in the Christian literature. – Only True God Jun 03 '22 at 18:16

1 Answers1

2

...

  1. Binitarianism - the Holy Spirit isn't really a focus here one way or the other. They would agree with #1 that Jesus pre-existed mortality as God, but would disagree with the Trinitarian view of the Holy Spirit.

  2. Latter-day Saint view - Jesus is Jehovah who spoke to Moses as recorded in Exodus 3. He pre-existed mortality as Deity and is a separate Being from God Father. They are one in mission, but not one in substance.

Hold To The Rod
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