By Philip B. Harner

The mysterious expression "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 Synoptic tradition. Dr. Harner concludes that the the term was central to John's theology and was based on a parallel Hebrew expression found in Second