I AM

In the Old Testament, God revealed His name ...

Moses said to God, “Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what should I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM,” and He said, “You shall tell the children of Israel this: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:13-14

Prior to this, the Israelites called the Lord 'Elohim' (God Almighty). It was a 'title' they assigned to Him. A new intimacy in the relationship with their Creator was established when He told them His 'name'. It reaffirmed that He was their self-sufficient, self-sustaining God ... Who was, Who is, and Who will be. 

In John's Gospel, Jesus made seven statements that begin with the words ... 'I AM'. Each is symbolic of His identity as God ...  

I AM the bread of life. John 6:35 
I AM the light of the world. John 8:12
I AM the door. John 10:7 
I AM the good shepherd. John 10:11
I AM the resurrection and the life. John 11:25 
I AM the way and the truth and the life. John 14:6
I AM the true vine. John 15:1

There are two more 'I AM' statements in John's Epistle. They are not 'metaphorical' like the previous seven ... but 'declarative'.

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (John 8:58) The verbs He uses are in stark contrast with each other: Abraham was, but I am. There is no doubt that the Jews understood it as a claim that He was the eternal God incarnate ... they took up stones to kill Him.

The second instance comes in the Garden of Gethsemane. When the mob came to arrest Him, Jesus asked them 'Whom are you seeking'. They said, 'Jesus of Nazareth' and He replied, 'I AM He'. (John 18:4-5) The power contained in those words caused them to fall to the ground. 

The Bible is clear concerning the Deity of Christ ... 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1,14

If Jesus were a mere man, His death on Calvary's cross would have only been sufficient to pay for His own sins. But He was God in the flesh ... therefore, His precious blood has the power to redeem all who come to Him by faith.