Protologiczne znaczenie Chrystusowego „Ego eimi”

Abstract

In order to ligitimately speak about the Christological meaning of the biblical formula „Ego eimi” one has to point at its Old Testament genesis: 'Ehjeh ascr 'ehjeh (Ex 3, 14) as it is translated by LXX into: „Ego eimi ho on”. An analysis of the texts from the New Testament allowed to find quite a large number of texts which contained Christ's words: „I am” The formula has been classified into an absolute (J 4, 26; 6, 20; 8, 18. 24. 28. 58; 13, 19; 18, 5. 6. 8) and a comparative (J 6, 35. 41. 48. 51; 8, 12; 10, 7-9; 11, 25; 14, 6; 15,1-5) which made way for a broader approach to the event of Jesus Christ. The New Testament „Ego eimi” answers not only the question „Who is Christ?” but also „What is His function?” When we qualify Christ's „I am” as one of Divine biblical titles then we arrive at the functional-ontic Christology of the New Testament. On the basis of its data we can talk about a real pre-existence of Christ who by virtue of His ontic unity with the Father participates in the work of creation. The participation of Jesus Christ in this act results from „the inherited name”. The self-revealing as „Ego eimi” suggests the eternal co-existence with Him who said about Himself „I am who I am” The pre-existing Son remains in the eternal unity with the Father „I and the Father are one” (J 10, 30). Oneness does not mean here identifying the Son of God with the Father. Christ „from the beginning” utters His autonomic „I am” Thus Jesus justifies His full powers and dignity of the Son of God existing eternally. In consequence, the biblical „Ego eimi”, having its roots in the Old Testament, reveals the historical and soteriological mystery of the Person and act of Jesus Christ.