“They answered him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am he.’ Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.” – John 18:5-6
Soldiers came to the Garden of Gethsemane, determined to arrest Jesus. Expecting to arrest a mere man, Jesus revealed Who they were really arresting. He spoke the divine name of God – I AM and revealed Himself to be the eternal I AM.
At these words, the mob fell backward, blown away by their brief glimpse of the power and presence of God in their midst! Then, the Son of God swept the moment away, re-engaging with them so they could finish their job and arrest Him, for He had a job to do.
The great I AM had an appointment with a cross and nothing could keep Him from it. On the cross, the I AM, the eternal Son of God would die, sacrificing His life to establish a new covenant in His blood. That new covenant gives salvation by undeserved grace through faith in Christ to all who believe.
Thus the I AM, after briefly blowing the mob backwards by the mere mention of His name, invited them forward to arrest and abuse Him for the sake of the joy that lay beyond (Hebrews 12:2).