“I am” = this is another of the “I am” statements found in John. Note that each further develops the nature and mission of Jesus (6:35,41,48,51; 8:12; 10:7,9,11,14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1,5).

John 6:35  Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

John 6:41  At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”

John 6:48  I am the bread of life.

John 6:51  I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

John 8:12  When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 10:7  Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.

John 10:9  I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.

John 10:11  “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

John 10:14  “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—

John 11:25  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;

John 14:6  Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.

John 15:1  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

John 15:5  “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Jesus used several different metaphors to explain himself and his work: the light, the door, the shepherd, and now the vine. Israel was depicted throughout the Old Testament as a vine (Psalms 80:8-16, Isa 5:1-7, Jer 2:21, Eze 15:1-8, 19:10, Hos 10:1); and in time it became a symbol of Israel, even being stamped on the coins made at the time of the Maccabees. Interestingly enough, in each of the above passages Israel is depicted as a faithless, degenerate vine, having fallen away from God and becoming the object of punishment. Jesus was the true (the Greek word is alethinos which means “that which has not only the name and resemblance, but the real nature corresponding to the name, in every respect corresponding to the idea signified by the name, real, true, genuine”) vine. Israel was not the true vine and neither is the church; only Jesus is the genuine vine. Salvation can be found nowhere else.

Jeremiah 2:21  I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine?

Hosea 10:1  Israel was a spreading vine; he brought forth fruit for himself. As his fruit increased, he built more altars; as his land prospered, he adorned his sacred stones.

Matthew Henry observes that “He is the vine, planted in the vineyard, and not a spontaneous product; planted in the earth, for his is the Word made flesh. The vine has an unsightly unpromising outside; and Christ had no form nor comeliness, (Isa 53:2). The vine is a spreading plant, and Christ will be known as salvation to the ends of the earth. The fruit of the vine honours God and cheers man (#Judges 9:13), so does the fruit of Christ’s mediation; it is better than gold, (Pr 8:19).”

Isaiah 53:2  He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

Judges 9:13  “But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and men, to hold sway over the trees?’

Proverbs 8:19  My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.

Notice that immediately after speaking of Himself, Jesus makes a reference to the Father and His relationship to this aspect of the Son and His work. Father and Son always are working together; they never go off by themselves to do their own thing.

“heaven open” is the symbol of free intercourse between God and man (Mt 3:16; Lu 3:21; Isa 64:1; Ac 7:56) which was accomplished by Christ (Heb 10:19-22).

Matt 3:16  As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.

Luke 3:21  When all the people were being baptised, Jesus was baptised too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened

Isaiah 64:1 Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you!

Acts 7:56  “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Heb 10:19-22  Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,  and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

“angels . . . ” cf. “And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.” (Genesis 28:12 KJV)

Genesis 28:12  He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

Notice that the ladder is equated by Jesus as being Himself. What is the function of a ladder?  How does Jesus fulfill this function between us and heaven?

“Son of man” (Dan 7:13,14). Note that Jesus is both the Son of God as Nathanael called Him and the Son of man as Jesus called Himself. What does this have to do with Him being the ladder between earth and heaven?

Dan 7:13-14  “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.