EGO EIMI, part I (was Re: Re: Two wills or One will?)

• Messages sorted by:[ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]

>Bultmann's categorization of the uses of ego eimi are drawn from several 
>ancient greek sources - not just the Bible. He presents four possible 
>shades of meaning (From Raymond Brown's commentary, Index IV, mentioned 
>earlier):
>a) *Introduction*, answering the question, "who are you?" ex. Gen. 17:1 "I 
>Am El Shaddai" [also your "blind guy" before the Pharisees] 
>b) *description* of the subject, answering the question, "What are you?", 
>ex. Ez 28:2, the king of Tyre says, "I am a god." 
>c) *Identifikationsformel*, where the speaker identifies himself with 
>another person or thing. Bultmann cites a saying of Isis, "I am all that 
>has been, that is, and that will be." The predicate sums up the identity 
>of the subject. 
>and d) *a formula*, separates the subject from others. It answers the 
>question, "Who is the one who...?" with the response, "It is I." This is 
>where the "I" is really a predicate.

So the last is clearly the category in which Jesus spoke, as evidenced by
the blind man and his usage when the disciples saw him coming on the sea and
thought he was some kind of ghost, and he said, "Fear not, It is I". or,
"Ego Aimi", meaning, not, "I am the OT God" (an absurdity), but rather,
"It's me guys".

/\/\0sC0/\/\=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-ISO 9001-=-
Michael Joseph Murphy III		Moscom Corporation
tes@moscom.com			        716-383-6000x6599
PBX/KTS Peripherals     		Technical Support

My opinions do not necessarily reflect that of the staff or
management of the Moscom Corporation. And they are grateful.