English
Português
Español
Français
Response
The initial verses of John’s Gospel present Jesus Christ as the embodiment of God. John aims to convey to his readers that Jesus is truly God in human form. John then discloses the reason for God’s manifestation on earth as a human: “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5). Jesus Christ came to bring the brightness of God’s life into a spiritually dim and perishing world.
In Genesis, the creation of light marked God’s initial creative act «And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. », (Genesis 1:3). In the process of bringing forth life, light served as God’s primary tool for illuminating the dark and shapeless void. It was the first occasion of God shining light in the darkness.
When John referenced the Incarnation, he was echoing the creation narrative. Scripture repeatedly emphasizes that God is the fount of life and light: “For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see” (Psalm 36:9;NLT;see also Acts 17:28;Psalm 27:1). “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” «This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. », (1 John 1:5). Jesus Christ is God’s light sent down to earth to penetrate the darkness. That light represents God’s life, both physical and eternal. Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” John 11:25; see also John 14:6. The life within Christ is the life of God: “For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself” «For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; », John 5:26.
The Bible tells us that the life of Christ serves as a light to all people. That life is the light of truth—the message of Christ’s salvation and eternal life with God: “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son” «And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. », 1 John 5:11. The brilliance of Christ’s life and truth shine like a light into the darkness of this world.
In the New Testament, light and darkness are common symbols of good and evil. It’s clear that light in John 1:5 represents life, and ultimately, eternal life with God in His heavenly kingdom. Darkness is the absence of light—the lack of God. It represents the power of evil, sin, and unbelief in this world, all of which lead to eternal death John 3:19; Job 10:22; Job 38:15; 1 Samuel 2:9.
John continues to focus on the theme of light and darkness throughout his gospel. In John 8:12, Jesus proclaims to the people, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (NLT). John 1:5 says the darkness “has not overcome” the light because evil cannot overpower Jesus Christ, who states, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness” «I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. », John 12:46.
Jesus declared that those who believe in the light become sons and daughters of the light: “Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light” «While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them. », (John 12:36, NLT). According to the apostle Paul, Christians have passed from darkness into light: “For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!” «For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: », (Ephesians 5:8, NLT).
By loving one another, believers shine light into the darkness: “Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them” (1 John 2:8-11).
The nature of light is to shine, and darkness cannot exist in the presence of light. Just as a bright street lamp discourages criminal mischief at night, so the light of Christ dispels the darkness of sin in the world. Just as the first rays of dawn pierce the blackness of night, God’s light and truth carry spiritual awakening to darkened hearts.
The light shines in the darkness means Jesus.As Christ has entered the world, delivering the good news of God’s salvation to all individuals. As Isaiah predicted, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; on those residing in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned” «The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. », (Isaiah 9:2). The life of Jesus, which is the life of the Creator God Himself, is the light of the world. No darkness can overcome or extinguish this light (Matthew 16:18;John 16:33).
Jesus is the provider of life and bringer of light. The Son of God continues to radiate His light to humanity through His church, the body of Christ «that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; », (Philippians 2:15). Whoever trusts in Him receives eternal life (John 3:15;see also Psalm 112:4).
