Use of the Third Person for Self-reference by Jesus and Yahweh ― A Study of Illeism in the Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Texts and Its Implications for Christology

Though it sounds odd to hear someone refer to himself or herself in the third person today, this odd phenomenon is reflected in the direct speech of both Jesus and Yahweh consistently and extensively. The use of this phenomenon (known as “illeism”) raises various questions. Why are Jesus and Yahweh presented as speaking in this manner? Who else speaks this way in the Bible? Does it occur in the Ancient Near Eastern texts and, if so, by whom? And lastly, is there a relationship between the illeism as used by Yahweh and the illeism as used by Jesus?

This study offers an extensive survey of the use of illeism in the Bible and the Ancient Near Eastern texts and presents evidence that this phenomenon as used by Jesus reflects both royal and divine themes.