He Is
There's a ridiculous amount of work to be done in me: much to repair, much to learn, and hopefully much for me to do. Seemingly primary among my lessons is to at least partially grasp God's sovereignty and authority. It is also being impressed upon me with renewed clarity the identity and nature of Jesus Christ.
When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it.
Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you want?"
"Jesus of Nazareth," they replied.
"I am he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground.
Again he asked them, "Who is it you want?"
And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."
"I told you that I am he," Jesus answered. "If you are looking for me, then let these men go." This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: "I have not lost one of those you gave me."
John 18:1-9
I don't recall reading before this detail of Judas and the soldiers falling down at Jesus' words. It's an awesome account. I'm not versed well enough in the original languages to know the exact phrase Jesus spoke. To me, it sounds as if Jesus is identifying Himself with God Almighty, the "Great I AM". This seems a reasonable assumption, seeing that the very utterance wields enough power to throw an entire regiment of soldiers and priests to the ground!
There are a couple other places in Scripture where Jesus uses similar words to describe Himself.
And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.
Mark 14:60-64 KJV
"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
John 8:58
When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lord's voice: 'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.' Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.
Acts 7:31,32
It was for words like these from Jesus that caused the Pharisees to tear their robes and cry "blasphemy", condemning Him to death, so we have to assume there was an obvious connection in their mind between Jesus' "I AM" and the name ascribed to God that they were all too familiar with.
Grrr... my brain is quite literally fried. I can't think of the other thoughts I had... hopefully that's enough to inspire you to further consideration of Jesus' authority.