Okay, @Jimmbo, Jesus made the following claims that he is God with the Father and the Spirit. Were they literal or figurative (metaphorical, as in metaphors)? Please tell me.
Jhn_6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
Jhn_6:41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
Jhn_6:48 I am the bread of life.
Jhn_6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
Jhn_8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Jhn_8:58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
Jhn_9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Jhn_10:7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
Jhn_10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
Jhn_10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Jhn_10:14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
Jhn_11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
Jhn_14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jhn_15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
Jhn_15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
“Metaphorical” merely means that Jesus is comparing himself to some familiar object or person to make his spiritual point. He doesn’t mean that he is a literal door or a shepherd, since he probably helped his father make doors as a carpenter. But he is the only way for us to become members of his flock in the sheep pen (church) and is David’s divine Shepherd and ours (Psalm 23).
You can take my ideas as a former English teacher and pastor that Jesus is speaking figuratively pointing to spiritual truths about his deity.