Unusual Names Leader Guide

The first two times Jesus says "I am," no predicate nominative follows. Remember seventh-grade English class: a predicative nominative is a noun that follows a linking verb. The first time, he says "I Am-the one who speaks with you" to the woman at the well. The second time, he says "I Am. Don't be afraid" to the disciples. In both cases the words stands alone: I AM. These statements are declarations of God's very being, and they appear several more times over the course of the Gospel. A broader statement cannot be made. "I AM" is as close as language can get to universality and eternity. One.