I Am Question

"And God said to Moses, I AM that I AM; and He said, You shall say this to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you." (Exodus 3:14). This is how it is translated in the JP Green Interlinear Bible and the KJV very is similar. The Christian community has determined that "I AM" is what God gave to Moses for His personal name, however, God Almighty already had a personal name and He gives His name to Moses in the very next verse, "And God said to Moses again, you shall say this to the sons of Israel, Jehovah, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever and this is My title from generations to generations." (Exodus 3:15). "Jehovah" being His name and "God" being His title. When reading these two verses together, using the original and intended wording, taken from the Hebrew "Masoretic Text", which was used in translating the King James Version and most other Bible. Using an Interlinear Bible (containing both Hebrew and Greek text), let us first look at that verse in the Old Testament translation that originates "I Am" as a name, Exodus 3:14; In verse 13 Moses questioned God because he was instructed to go back to Egypt to lead the Israelites to the promise land, “What shall I say to the sons of Israel who sent me?” Both verses 15 and 16 presents His name "Jehovah" then, just so Moses wouldn’t be confused, God repeated Himself, "Go and gather the elders of Israel, and say to them, Jehovah, the God of your fathers appeared to me (Moses) the God of Abraham,…” (Exodus 3:16). It is quite clear that God used "Jehovah", not “I AM” as His personal name. In Exodus 6:3, God reveals an important fact, "And I appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as God Almighty, and by My name Jehovah I never made Myself known to them." God's first words to Moses "I exist because I exist" is now more logical, since He hadn't yet given them His personal name, "Jehovah". Let us dig deeper into the Hebrew word “hayah” (Strong’s #1961), the word man translated as “I am”. According to the Strong's Concordance, the various meaning are these: “to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always enphat., and not a mere copula or auxiliary): - beacon x altogether, be (-come), come to pass, accomplished, committed (like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, x have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, x use”. Nowhere in that list of possible meanings is there “I am” or anything close, therefore the translators took some liberty in their translation. The word used for “that” (or in some versions “who”) doesn’t supply a Strong’s number, a better translation for God's explanation to Moses would not be a name but a description of His existence, “I exist because I exist" (the self-existent God). There is however, five places where #1961 was translated as "I am" in the Strong's Concordance, but this doesn't change #1961 to be a name, nor does it automatically add "I Am" to the Strong's dictionary list for #1961.

   Turning to the New Testament, The Jews asked Jesus who He makes Himself to be (John 8:53). Jesus replied that; “Your father Abraham leaped for joy that he should see My day, he saw, and rejoiced.” (John 8:56), and they questioned His statement and Jesus responded with, "Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham came into being, I Am." (John 8:58). The first word “I” #1473, in Strong’s Greek Dictionary means I or me, the 2nd word “AM” in Strong’s is #1510 with a list of meanings: I exist, am, have been, it is I or was. To translate Christ's answer to their question more logically and directly, using the list for #1510 (since it is a translator's choice) would have be, “I was" or "I have been” but the translators chose “I Am”. It seems that the translators are making this choice from the list of  #1510, to force a connection of this New Testament verse to line up with the Old Testament verse in Exodus 3:14 (keeping in mind that "I Am" was incorrectly translated, according to the list for the Hebrew text). There are other places in the New Testament where this combinations of Greek words are used, for example, the blind man that Jesus healed: "Some said, It is he; and others, He is like him. That one said, I am he." ("he" was added) (John 9:9).  Another choice would be "it is I" from the list, but more importantly, "he" was added, which was commonly done. There are several other places where "I am" is used but never as a name, but a declaration. Sometimes "he" is added, depending on the version your reading, (John 4:26, 8:24,28, 13:13,19, 18:5,6,8, Acts 13:25). If you understand Jehovah as being one God, and Jesus as the only-begotten Son of God, then the translation of "I Am" is an impossible bridge between the Old to the New Testaments, as a name for as being God, because God already has a personal name, "Jehovah" as the Hebrew to English is translated.

   It should be quite obvious that, "I am that I am" is not a name but a self description of His divine authority. However, "Lord" having been used in the KJV where "Jehovah" should be presented, is an error in the translation and a serious misrepresentation of the truth of God's word. This is, a regular common attitude by many translators where "Jehovah" has been replaced by "Lord", "LORD" or "God" 6743 times in the KJV and most all other common Bibles (more about this change in "God's Name Verses" within www.joelzarska.com). Since Jehovah is the Father and Michael (later named Jesus) is the only-begotten Son, "I will declare concerning the statute of Jehovah: He said to me, You are My Son. Today I have begotten You." (Psalm 2:7) and, "A statement of Jehovah to My Lord: sit at My right hand until I place Your enemies as Your footstool." (Psalm 110:1), then this incorrect connection is most confusing, both being called "Lord" instead of using the personal name, as it is presented in the original Hebrew text. Jehovah God is the One credited as the Creator of Adam, the Father of the human race, "And Jehovah God formed the man out of the dust from the ground, and blew into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Genesis 2:7). To connect the New Testament "I Am" with the Old Testament "I Am", this would present Jesus to be God Almighty, Jehovah, Creator, Sustainer, Father, Michael, the Son of God, the Arc Angel and also the Angel of Jehovah (which is presented in most Bible translations, having capitalizing the "A" in angel). Can Jesus possess all these names and titles? In this light, what is left for the Old Testament Father? My understanding that Jehovah's title as "Lord" in the Old Testament is because He is in full charge and control of everything, then in the New Testament, Jesus was given charge of the earth and the heavens, "And coming up Jesus talked with them saying, All authority in Heaven and earth was given to Me." (Matthew 28:18), (the capitol "H" in "heaven" was also man's choice), this authority was given to Christ by His Father, who is abundantly stated to be Jehovah God Almighty, Himself "And when Abram was 99 years old, Jehovah appeared to Abram and said to him, I am the Almighty God! Walk before Me and be perfect." (Genesis 17:1).

   Names are used to distinguish whom one it talking about, not titles. The name Jesus is used many times, but Jehovah (or a Greek translation) is never represented in the New Testament except by "Lord" or "God", "Then Jesus said to him, Go, Satan! For it has been written: 'You shall worship the Lord thy God, and you shall serve Him only." (Matthew 4:10) and Jesus was quoting from Deuteronomy 6:13, "You shall fear Jehovah your God, and you shall serve Him, and you shall swear by His name." All three quotes from Jesus to Satan contained the name "Jehovah" in the Hebrew and not "Lord" as the common Bibles incorrectly represent them. Unfortunately, throughout the New Testament, when "Lord" is used, one must determine if "Lord" is referring to Jehovah God or Jesus the Son of Almighty God. Can we accurately make these determinations? The first question is answered; "I Am" is not a name for Jehovah or for the Son of God. I must ask, how can a committed Christian allow these many errors to continue to contaminate the truth of God's perfect word?