Joh_8:58 Jesus said unto them,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am
Jesus literally WAS before Abraham.[\quote]Not possible. There are too many verses that contradict your theory. Jesus was a promise, a plan, a future hope, which was foretold from "of old, from everlasting"..... BUT Jehovah HIMSELF said Jesus would "come forth UNTO ME" in Bethlehem.
Mic 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto ME that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
w2g said:
Gen 32:30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered."
Hos 12:2-4 Jehovah hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him. 3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel; and in his manhood he had power with God: 4 yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him at Beth-el, and there he spake with us,
w2g said:
Joh 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad."
Excellent point. Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day! This is proof Abraham believed in the promises Jehovah/YHVH God made him regarding the future Christ.
The Jew, as usual, misunderstood Jesus;
Joh 8:57 So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?"
Joh 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am."
Jesus states that he CURRENTLY exists, before Abraham was! And, when we check the prophecies, HE IS~!!!
Jesus is "the seed of the woman" that will destroy Satan in Gen 3;15 ... about 2,000 years before Abraham was.
w2g said:
..the Pharisees understood what he was saying & picked up rocks ,
Nope. The croud MISUNDERSTOOD Jesus ....
John 10:6 ... they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
which is why he CORRECTED THEM;
John 10:36 say ye of him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am (the) Son of God?
w2g said:
... why do you think the Pharisees picked up rocks?
The text doesn't say the crowd were Pharisees. They WERE Jews.
It is OBVIOUS they didn't understand Jesus, and rejected him. Their testimony is not credible.