“I Am He”: The Pronouns of Yahweh (Part I)

In John 18 we are given an account of the arrest of Jesus that led to the completion of His earthly mission: the fulfillment of the law and the prophets as Messiah, and His atonement/propitiation for our sins through His death on the Cross in order to bring us into right relationship with the Father; through full faith in Jesus Christ and baptism into His death, we have been given the right to become children of God.

Judas led an extremely large number of Roman soldiers (I did a very quick search to see exactly how many “a detachment” indicated and there seems to be differing statements–could be 600, could be 1000) …but clearly it was a huge number of armed soldiers that accompanied the Jewish religious leaders for the arrest of a single, unarmed person who had publicly spoken, (rather than in secret).

Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.

“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.)  When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.

Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.”  This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”

– John 18:2-9 NIV

I bring up this passage because as I was contemplating commentary on two recent YouTube videos that are attempting to distort a number of clear scriptural teachings and create a “god” of their liking and beliefs built not upon scripture, hermeneutics or sound doctrine, but upon heretical ideas and worldly, ungodly teachings about gender, sexuality, marriage, family and especially in these particular videos, pronouns…I was grappling with just where to start.

I felt reminded that the place to begin with is a Holy God and that His name, YWEH, was considered unspeakable in early Hebrew writings. And here we are today with people who seem to have no fear of God nor sense of godliness, holiness and wisdom, glibbly-gullibly-intentionally trying to state as “fact” their own ideas about God’s gender and pronouns.

The audacity involved in this–the twisting of Holy God Yahweh’s “gender and pronouns” to fit an ungodly agenda that is infiltrating the Church–is immense.

As I thought about the idea of attempting to re-gender Yahweh and His pronouns, I began to think about God telling Moses to remove his sandals in His presence because he was standing on holy ground. When Moses inquired of Yahweh whom he was speaking with, Yahweh (the Trinitarian God, “three persons as one“, and not “one person as three”) identified Himself, “I am that I am.”

I know of no translation that translates the Hebrew pronoun in this statement into English in the plural.

And these thoughts, led me to remember a very old Christian song from many years ago that moved me quite strongly as a new believer, and still holds me in its grip. There is just something very direct and powerful not only in the words Jesus spoke (“I am He”) in the gospel accounts of His arrest, but in the way this musician, Terry Talbot, put this powerful scene to music.

For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.  And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

– Hebrews 4:12-13 (ASV)

I share below the first lyrics of this piece “I Am He” by Terry Talbot, and the link to listen.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 9:10)
May God have mercy.

I Am He
(Lyrics – Terry Talbot)

In the final hours of darkness
In the garden there he prayed

“Oh Father take this cup from me
Is there any other way?”
As his prayer was turned to pleading
His sweat was turned to blood
“Oh father come prepare me now
Your will, not mine, be done.”

So the thousand came to take the one
And there he was betrayed
By the kiss the bound forever
The lamb that would bе slain
And when they asked which onе is Jesus
He spoke these simple words
And a thousand soldiers fell before
The answer that changed the world

CHORUS:
I am He, He said
It is I you seek
I’m the one you want
I am He
You have found me now
I am the one
You have come for me
I am He
I am

I will be writing more on this subject of the theological bastardization of the one true God (as revealed in Judeo-Christian teachings and in Jesus Christ), “and His pronouns,” in segments. Thank you for reading Part I and please feel free to comment with your thoughts.