Jesus The Light of the World

This name is used of Jesus only in the 4th Gospel, but there are allied ideas in the Pauline Epistles and the Epistle to the Hebrews.  In three sayings the Johannine Christ describes Himself as "the Light of the World": in 8:12 "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life'; in 9:5 "When I am in the world, I am the light of the world"; and more generally in 12:46, "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me may not abide in the darkness".  Similarly in the Prologue it is said of the Logos, "That which hath been made in him was life; and the life was the light of men" (1:3f).  "The light", it is declared, "shines in the darkness, but the darkness did not overcome" (1:5).

The Baptist came to bear witness to the light, but was not himself the light (1:7f).  "The true light, that lightens every man, was coming into the world", although the world knew him not, and his own people did not receive him (1:9-11).  In 3:9 the judgment which confronts men is that "the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil", and in 5:26 Christ declares that "as the Father hath life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself."

These sayings interpret the significance of Jesus, and the influences which give rise to them are religious and doctrinal.  The contrast between light and darkness is a leading theme of the Gospel and the First Epistle, and no less characteristic is the constant association of light and life.  IN 1 John 2:8 it is said that "the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining".  With solemn reiteration the writer proclaims: "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (I John 1:5), and his testimony is: "God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son" (1 John V:11). 

The deepest roots of the John's theology are in the Old Testament, in the Psalmist's declaration, "The Lord is my light and my salvation" (Psalm 27:1), and in the great Servant passages Isaiah 42:6 and 49:6 in which the Servant of the Lord is given of God to be a "light unto the Gentiles". 

-excerpt was adapted from The Names of Jesus by Vincent Taylor pg 131-32

Jesus The Light of the World - Pt 2

“When Jesus spoke again to the crowd, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” John 8:12

Jesus spoke to the crowd at the temple after the adulterous woman was set free from her life of sin. Jesus declared to them that he is the light of the world. Through Jesus’ teaching we learn who Jesus is, and how we can walk in the light of life by following him. In verse 12. “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” Jesus had exposed the hypocrisy of the religious leaders. Jesus had revealed the true extent of man’s sin problem. Jesus had come from heaven to forgive sinners and set them free from their sins. Jesus summarized these facts by declaring, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” What does Jesus’ declaration mean? First of all, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.” Jesus’ teaching contains many great truths and wonderful insights into the nature of man and the world. Jesus is God incarnate and His teaching always ultimately pointed back to himself and who he is. It is because he is the Word of God incarnate that He is also the embodiment of the Law.

Our faith is not in words or laws, but in the man Jesus who came from God. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” Just as Jesus satisfies the hungry and thirsty soul, so Jesus gives light to the soul lost in darkness. The woman caught in adultery was not expecting to become a trap for the Pharisees to catch Jesus. She had just followed her sinful desires one time, whatever the reason may have been. From that time on, she had been drawn into a world of darkness. She became the slave of her own sinful desires, and the sinful desires of others. She was ruled by anger, fear and selfishness. The Pharisees came and were using her to trap Jesus. But Jesus did not condemn her for her life of sin. Jesus forgave her sins and commanded her to leave her life of sin and live as a daughter of God. No one could set her free from her life in the darkness. But Jesus, the light of the world, reached down and pulled her out from her sinful life. Jesus set her free so that she might live from now on in his light.

Not only so, but Jesus also shone light onto the Pharisees’ hypocrisy. He revealed the true extent of man’s sin problem. Jesus is the source of God’s light in this dark world. He exposes the darkness of sin and drives it out. Jesus is the light of the world.

Second of all, Jesus said, “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Jesus wants us to believe in him. Faith in Jesus is the beginning of a journey. It is a long journey, or pilgrimage, and requires us to pass through many hardships and trials so that our faith may be refined and purified, purer than gold. Through the forgiveness of sins, Jesus makes it possible for anyone to start this journey with a hope to receive eternal life. But we cannot make this journey alone. We need a guide. Jesus says that he is the light of the world. Jesus is the one we must follow in order to have the light of life.

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