Today's passage comes from the Gospel of John. In this scene, Jesus is in Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles, teaching in the temple treasury courts. He has just told the crowd that anyone who keeps his word will never taste death (verse 51). The religious authorities respond by accusing him of demon possession. The confrontation escalates until the crowd picks up stones and Jesus slips out of the temple.
The authorities press him on what he means: are you saying that you and your followers will never taste death? Are you greater than Abraham, who is dead? Jesus says the Father glorifies him, and that Abraham rejoiced to see his day. When they challenge that he is not yet fifty years old and could not have seen Abraham, Jesus answers: Before Abraham was, I am.