I Am the Light of the World

The Scene

Feast of Tabernacles

one of three annual feasts where people were expected to go to Jerusalem

Here, they would be dwelling in tents as a reminder of what their ancestors went through in the exodus

Throughout the festival, there have been times of singing and rejoicing - Singing the Hallal or Praise Psalms (Ps. 113-118).

Jesus arrived late and began teaching in the middle of the feast - which Pastor Armal discussed a few weeks ago.

There are also two significant object lessons. The first is...

Water - in some ways, this is actually - water and wine - where Levites would pour water into a large basin with holes in it. There was another basin with wine in it. As the water is poured in, it begins to leak out through the holes - bringing a reminder when God told Moses to strike the rock at Massah and Meribah (which means “testing and quarreling”) in order to make water flow (Exodus 17:6). It’s in relation to this that Jesus calls people to come to him for living water (John 7:37-38).

Light - during the Exodus, God would lead the people of Israel with a pillar of fire at night and a pillar of clouds during the day (Ex. 13:21). In order to remember the light - there was an elaborate ceremony at the beginning of the week.

Let’s consider a brief glimpse of this from the Mishnah which provided instruction and commentary from the Jewish Rabbi’s for how the festival should be celebrated (for clarity, I have removed some of the markers that divide the Mishnah - in order to allow it to read a bit more clearly):

The Mishnah (Sukkah)

At the end of the first festival day of the Festival [the priests and Levites] went down to the women’s courtyard. And they made a major enactment [by putting men below and women above]. And there were golden candleholders there, with four gold bowls on their tops, and four ladders for each candlestick. And four young priests with jars of oil containing a hundred and twenty logs, [would climb up the ladders and] pour [the oil] into each bowl. Out of the worn-out undergarments and girdles of the priests they made wicks, and with them they lit the candlesticks. And there was not a courtyard in Jerusalem which was not lit up from the light of bet hashshoebah. The pious men and wonder workers would dance before them with flaming torches in their hand, and they would sing before them songs and praises. And the Levites beyond counting played on harps, lyres, cymbals, trumpets, and [other] musical instruments, [standing, as they played] on the fifteen steps which go down from the Israelites’ court to the women’s court—corresponding to the fifteen Songs of Ascents which are in the Book of Psalms—on these the Levites stand with their instruments and sing their song.

(for reference 120 logs is about 58 liters - it seems each of the four priests carried one of these)

So this first day would be marked by this tremendous celebration. It would happen in near the women’s courtyard.

So you can imagine, they have four large bowls of oil, with wicks made from holy garments - because everything has to be holy - perched high - high enough for ladders to be needed. Throughout the week, these candles or torches would remain lit. Each night, the fire from these torches would be used as part of the celebration. The light from these fires was so bright that they would illumine every courtyard in the city.

So, in the passage we’re considering this week, we find Jesus in the temple on the final day of the festival. It’s a big day, a holy convocation. I would guess it may have even been in the evening and seeing the immense light from these torches or huge candles, Jesus makes two bold claims - one about his ministry, the other about his destination - each followed by a vigorous conversation. As we review His claims, we’ll also consider a bit of the conversation and the implications for us.

In light of the setting, Jesus seems to make his first claim about...

His Ministry - Light of the World (8:12-20)

John 8:12 ESV

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.”

Light is a major theme in John’s gospel. It is directly referenced some 24 times.

When we think about the use of light in this festival, it was designed to remind people of how God guided them at night during the exodus. They needed his light to keep them from stumbling. They needed His light to guide their way.

In much the same way - Jesus, as the light of the world, demonstrates how we should live, how to keep from stumbling. But he also guides us to eternal life. Showing us by his sacrifice that eternal life is only achieved by faith in Him through his sacrificial death, but that life in the kingdom of God is marked by service and sacrifice, even suffering.

But there is another element to light, in that it illumines or reveals. Things become much clearer in the light. As my eyes age, I find that I need light more light to read. The contrasts are simply not there without sufficient light.

In much the same way, the pure light of Jesus’ life reveals darkness in us and by default casts a sort of judgment.

So, Jesus refers to himself as the “Light of the World” in relation to the Feast of Tabernacles. There is another instance when he refers to himself this way. Turn over to John 9. It’s unclear if this is part of the feast as well. But this is in context of Jesus and his disciples passing a man who is born blind. The disciples ask...

John 9:1–5 ESV

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

John also indicates the attribute of light in relation to Jesus...

John 1:4–5 ESV

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:9 ESV

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

What is it about Jesus that makes “light” an appropriate descriptor of him?

How has Jesus been light in your life?

How should Jesus as the light of the world guide our prayer tonight?