JOHN 8: 12-20
THE LIGHT OF LIFE
Once again Jesus intensifies the heated controversy with the amazing claim that He is the Light of the World. They wanted other witnesses to His claim but had refused all the witness that the Father had already given. God expected them to heed the light He gave them, even if it was not according to their liking. He expects the same of the world today.
He who gave sight to the blind desires to give you sight in the spiritual world. Jesus wants to light your way and lead you into life (CIM). Into your darkness of sin and uncertainty Jesus shines so that He may lead you into eternal life. Those that receive the Light and walk in fellowship with Jesus, dispel the darkness of their world. For Jesus is the Light of Life.
I. THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, 12.
II. THE TRUE TESTIMONY, 13-15.
III. THE FATHER’S TESTIMONY, 16-20.
This discourse continues Jesus’ public teaching in the city of Jerusalem in the temple area. Verse 12, Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the World; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."
This is Jesus second "I AM" saying that is followed by a predicate: "I AM the Light of the World." How fitting that during the Feast of Tabernacles Jesus . . . said, I AM the Light of the world (1:4, 9; 12:35, 46). The Feast of Tabernacles included a popular light ceremony. Four large stands with four golden bowls were placed in the heavily-used Court of the Women. These sixteen golden bowls (reached by ladders) were filled with oil. When they were lit at night, they were the brightest light in all Jerusalem. In a world that did not have public lighting after dusk, this light shining from Jerusalem’s yellow limestone walls must have been spectacular. [Choirs of Levites would sing during the lighting while "men of piety and good works" danced in the streets, carrying torches and singing hymns. [Mishnah ]
Imagine the scene! In the very court where the lighting ceremony takes place, Jesus stands beneath sixteen lit bowls of oil and says that He is not only the true light of Jerusalem, but of the whole world!
Jesus is referring to the countless times that God’s saving work in the world is described as "light." John 1:5 states, "The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not comprehend it" God’s first creation was light (Gen. 1:3). The word light was directly synonymous with God Himself (and His saving activity). God even led the Israelites in the desert with light (Ex. 13:21 – 22; Ps. 78:14), and they were taught to sing, "The LORD is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear?" (Ps. 27:1). God’s wisdom given to the world is a light that illumines His people (Prov. 8:22). Psalm 119:105 proclaims, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." "In Thy light so we see light" (Ps. 36:9). "Send out Thy light and Thy truth; let them lead me" (Ps. 43:3). (Num. 6:24-26; Isa.49:6; 60:19-22). Micah’s confession of trust was, "When I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me" (Mic. 7:8). In rabbinic Judaism, this light was defined further as God’s Word (Torah), which guides and provides wisdom through study.
[Light" is used to describe the work of Christ sixteen times in the Gospel of John. John’s 1st letter declares, "God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5).]
The world is in darkness, a symbol of evil, sin, and ignorance (Isa. 9:2; Mt. 4:16; 27:45; John 3:19).. Jesus is "the Light," not merely a light or another light among many lights. He is the only Light, "the true Light" (John 1:9), for the whole world. When Jesus said, Whoever follows Me, He meant whoever believes and obeys Him (10:4-5, 27; 12:26; 21:19-20, 22). If Jesus is the light or way of salvation, walking "in the light" is a description of discipleship (1:7) or sanctification.
Coming to Christ for salvation results in a different kind of life. A believer will never walk in darkness, that is, he will not live in it (12:46; 1 John 1:6-7). He does not remain in the realm of evil and ignorance (John 12:46) for he has Christ as his Light and salvation (Ps. 36:9).
Nothing could have startled and shocked the people more. These words assert that the speaker is the source of illumination for the world. He is the only source and the source for all the world.
In claiming to be the Light of the World, Jesus clearly declared Himself to be the Messiah. One of the names of the expected Messiah was light (Isa. 60:19-22; Zech. 14:5b-7). There could be no question about His self-identification after that!
Nor can there be any question about His identity for us. Jesus calls into the darkness of your life and says come follow Me. Knowing that Jesus is the great I AM, the Light of the World, is not enough, that is why Jesus calls us to follow Him. This is what Israel did in the Wilderness. The people followed the Light and it led them from the land of slavery through the perilous wilderness to the promised land. Like the pillar in the desert, Jesus, the Light of the World, must be followed. Following Jesus gives the believer the light to avoid the perils and snares of the darkness. Only the one that follows Jesus is delivered out of darkness and has the Light of Life.
The participle, following is in the present tense indicating a continuous following. Jesus is speaking of whole-hearted life long discipleship, not of casual adherence. He who led Israel through the wilderness now through His Word and His Spirit calls us to follow Him with and throughout our life. We have Him as a loving and caring guide through the perplexities, triumphs, difficulties and joys of life. Yet none have this guidance that do not yield to Him. To follow Jesus is to believe and obey Him, to walk in the path of His leadership. It speaks of a permanent spiritual attachment and continuous abiding in His presence.
Many refuse this union with or following of Jesus. They prefer to walk in darkness. An old story tells of a DESERT NOMAD who awakened hungry in the middle of the night. He lit a candle and began eating dates from a bowl beside his bed. He took a bite from one end and saw a worm in it, so he threw it out of the tent. He bit into the second date, found another worm, and threw it away also. Reasoning that he wouldn’t have any dates left to eat if he continued, he blew out the candle and quickly ate all the dates. Many there are who prefer darkness and denial to the light of reality.
The two realms of darkness and light are clearly distinguished. The idea of light is that of active power which conquers the opposing power called darkness. Each constitutes a power, each stands in opposition to the other, but light triumphs over darkness.
II. THE TRUE TESTIMONY, 13-15.
In verse 13 the Pharisees again challenged His claim. So the Pharisees said to Him, "You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true."
Since He appeared as His own witness, they said His testimony was not valid. Self-authentication is sometimes unacceptable. The Law required two witnesses to establish a fact in capital offenses (Deut. 17:6; 19:15; John 8:17). Rabbinic tradition rejected self-testimony.
Jesus knows this law (John 8:17). Unfortunately His opponents have forgotten that in the earlier Jerusalem debate, Jesus showed that there were ample witnesses verifying His claim: John the Baptist (5:33), His miraculous works (5:36), the Father (5:37), and even the Scriptures (5:39). Now Jesus must repeat again that is Father is a second witness (8:18).
But something important is now been added in verse 14. Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
Jesus say that His words are valid. Sometimes self-authentication is the only way to truth. Sometimes an individual is the only one who knows the facts about himself. And only God can give testimony to Himself. Jesus was competent to give a true witness of Himself because as God He has a comprehensive knowledge of His origin and destiny (7:29). In spite of what the Pharisees thought they knew about Jesus, they were ignorant of His heavenly origin and destiny (7:33-34), and thus were invalid judges of Him.
Jesus argues in verse 15 that the Pharisees were not qualified to render a verdict because they use the wrong criteria. "You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone.
Jesus disqualifies the Pharisees’ judgement. They judged by human standards (Gk. kata sarka, lit., "according to the flesh,"), that is, they were limited to superficial appearances. They saw only His flesh, not His deity, so they misjudged Him.
By contrast, Jesus does not judge by human standards and He encourages others to likewise: "Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment" (7:24). Jesus’ judgment is true, and His words are true, not because of their inherent persuasiveness, but because of their origins (8:16b).
When He does judge in the future, He will simply execute the Father’s will according to truth and the Law (5:27, 45). This is the new unexpected authority behind Jesus’ testimony. He Himself will pass judgment on no one. Jesus did not come to judge people but to save them (3:17).
III. THE FATHER’S TESTIMONY, 16-20.
Jesus turns to how He does judge in verse 16. "But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me.
Jesus’ judging was totally unlike theirs. Theirs was biased and limited. His was not His own because of His unique union with the Father. His judgment came out of His relationship with the Father. Since the Father is with Him His witness was not alone. He spoke with divine authority, for the Father who sent Him is still with Him. His words and judgment is with the informed consent of God Himself.
In verse 17 Jesus appeals to the law. "Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true.
In your own Law may refer to Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15 (or to Rabbinic laws), which speak of the necessity of two witnesses. Since they appeal to the law they must accept it as binding also.
In verse 18 Jesus asserts that He has the necessary testimony of two. "I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me."
God the Son and God the Father are the required two Witnesses. The Father sent Jesus and authenticated Him by the signs (miracles) He performed and the Spirit who verified His authenticity.
The Jews ask to know where Jesus’ Father is in verse 19. So they were saying to Him, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also."
The Jews were puzzled by Jesus’ familiar way of talking about the Father and want to know where His Father was. Jesus reply indicates that the Father is inaccessible to them. Their ignorance of Jesus showed their ignorance of God, for Jesus is the Revelation of the Father 1:14, 18; 14:7, 9). A person can know the Father only as He comes to follow or know Jesus. If a person really knows Jesus then he or she will know the Father also and therefore acknowledge the Father’s testimony to the Son. The two go together. But to reject Jesus is to kept themselves from the Father.
They prided themselves on their knowledge of God. Jesus tell them they have no real relationship knowledge of God at all.
Verse 20 notes where this teaching took place. These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.
Jesus spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. This location in the temple was probably in the women’s court. Jesus went there and instructed the people. No one seized (piaz , "arrested") Him (John 7:30, 32, 44, 10:39) John points out again. Why did they not seize Him at this opportune time? Because Jesus was working on God’s time schedule to accomplish the Father’s will (2:4; 7:6, 30; 12:23, 27; 13:1; 17:1). [Walvoord, John; Zuck, Roy; The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-1985, 303]. His enemies therefore were powerless to harm Him.
CONCLUSION / TIME OF RESPONSE
Jesus moved toward the completion of the Father’s will and He was untouchable. As Jesus lived a protected life until His time came to honor and glorify God by His substitutionary. So do those/we who follow the Father’s will live a protected life also.
Following Jesus as the light of life brings God’s presence, protection and guidance just as it did to the Israelites who follow the pillar of light in the wilderness journey. The question for us today is this: Is He the light of your world? His light, the light of life is shining. The only ones who cannot see it are those spiritually blind. Those who do not follow Jesus are walking in darkness because they prefer the darkness to the light and life of Jesus Christ. Do you follow the Light of Life?
