Several years ago Spartan Christian Fellowship at MSU distributed a green t-shirt With A Jesus-looking silhouette on the front and the seven I AM statements Jesus made in the book of John. The front asks “Who Is He?” and the back lists what “He said of himself”:

-I am the bread of life (John 6.35)

-I am the light of the world (8.12)

-I am the Gate for the sheep (10.9)

-I am the good shepherd (10.11)

-I am the resurrection and the life (11.25)

-I am the way, the truth, and the life (14.6)

-I am the one true vine (15.1)

All of these claims are references to Old Testament images for God, and all would be well-understood by His Jewish audience.  Jesus knew Himself to be God, and it is no wonder that any non-believing Jewish leader would be chagrined, outraged and  homicidal at hearing  these statements.