God’s name is “I Am”

John’s Gospel is a Gnostic gospel. As such, it is very different from the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. The synoptic gospels share many of the same stories, arranged in a similar sequence. The Gospel of John is distinctly different. The Gnostics and the Christian orthodoxy also have vastly different theologies. For this reason, we must be very careful in interpreting the teachings in this Gnostic gospel.

One of the most beloved expressions in the Bible can be found in the Gospel of John : “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Bible scholar, Elaine Pagels, said in her book, The Gnostic Gospels, that John’s Gospel was included in the Christian canon even though the Christian orthodoxy generally reject Gnosticism precisely because this verse seems to suggest that one can find God only through Jesus and that one finds Jesus only through the church. Thus, the saying helps to create the impression that Christianity has a monopoly on Truth. During the early days of the Church, this lends an air of legitimacy and exclusivity.

But that would be a misinterpretation. In Gnosticism, Jesus is not considered as a cosmic savior who has a special divinity which is different from yours and mine. Thus, in a Gnostic interpretation, Jesus was not declaring that he is God or has a monopoly on Truth. Do you seriously believe that an…