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Answer
Several essential elements are necessary to support life. These include food, water, air, and light. According to Scripture, Jesus is the origin of each of these. He is referred to as the “bread of life” «I am that bread of life. », (John 6:48), the provider of “living water” «Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. », (John 4:10), and the One who breathes life into every living being (Genesis 2:7;John 3:8;John 20:22). The Gospel of John states, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men” «In him was life; and the life was the light of men. », (John 1:4, ESV).
Jesus Christ entered the world to bring life. He is co-equal with God the Father, who “has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son” «For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; », (John 5:26, NLT). The Greek word translated as “life” in John 1:4 is zōē, which means “life source; the inherent capacity for producing (and maintaining) living beings.” This “zoe-life” is a central theme in John’s Gospel. As the Creator «All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. », (John 1:3) and the Sustainer of all life John 5:21; John 6:40, 57; 14:6, Jesus offers physical, spiritual, and eternal life to humanity. The life source that is in Him, John reveals, has become “the light of men” (John 1:4, ESV), “the light of all mankind” (NIV), or “light to everyone” (NLT).
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men means that the life and light of salvation now extend beyond the chosen people of Israel to the whole world. John calls Jesus the “true light that gives light to everyone” «That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. », (John 1:9), echoing Isaiah’s prophecy that the coming Messiah would “do more than restore the people of Israel” and become “a light to the Gentiles” and bring “salvation to the ends of the earth” «And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. », (Isaiah 49:6, NLT).
Jesus left no doubt regarding this aspect of His identity. He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” «Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. », (John 8:12). While restoring sight to a blind man, Jesus stated, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” «As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. », (John 9:5). And again, Jesus emphasized that He had come to save the whole world: “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).
In the Bible, darkness is often a symbol of sin and its effects (John 3:19-20; Matthew 6:23; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 4:18). Jesus is the light that pierces all the darkness of this world with the brilliance of His truth «And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. », (John 1:5). 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). Those who put their faith in Jesus Christ “believe in the light” and become “children of light” (John 12:35-36).
As the light of men, Jesus calls believers “out of the darkness into his wonderful light” «But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: », (1 Peter 2:9, NLT), just as Isaiah foretold: “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine” «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, NLT). Shortly after his blinding-light conversion experience, the apostle Paul testified that, according to the prophets, Israel’s Messiah would bring the message of salvation—“the message of light”—both to Jews and Gentiles (Acts 26:23; cf: Isaiah 42:6-7; 51:4; 53:11). Later, Paul wrote, “For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ” «For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.», (2 Corinthians 4:6, NLT).
The message of salvation is that Jesus Christ—the “one who is life itself”—is the source of eternal life for all people «(for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)», (1 John 1:2, NLT). Salvation and everlasting life are found only in Him «And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.», (1 John 5:11). Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” «Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:», (John 11:25).
As Christians, our life is Jesus «When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear wit
He will appear in glory. (Colossians 3:4). Everything we need comes from Him, in whom “we live and move and have our being” «for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. », (Acts 17:28). The life that is the light of men continues to shine in this dark world through believers who “live as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8-14;see also 1 John 1:7;1 John 2:8-10;1 Thessalonians 5:5-6). Jesus taught His followers, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
