Light and Life Became Flesh

David

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Introduction

Humanity is drawn to light and humanity is drawn to life. In fact as I was preparing for this week I became curious and googled the top 10 fears people have and in different lists both of these popped up. The fear of death and the fear of darkness or the dark. I mean if we look at the behavior of people we see that they will do everything they can in their physical power to prolong life. They will spend countless amounts of money, time, and energy attempting to extend their life. People even freeze themselves hoping that they will be able to wake up in the future to different cures or times. Today I believe I have an answer to why humanity struggles with these issues.

It is amazing to think at the way John started this book. He is giving constant allusions to the old testament writings about Jesus. Reminding people what was written and to show the who this Jesus was. This whole portion was an introduction to his writing. I could only imagine him sitting there fumbling with his thoughts and ideas of what just happened. Who this person was that he was going to write about. How was he going to impress on his readers the magnitude and importance of what just happened. And so he started like this.

John 1:1–18 NIV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 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. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

Jesus is God

John makes this emphasis clear when He says

John 1:1 NIV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John wants all of his readers to understand the importance of this. He was saying you know that guy that came and died and went back up to heaven. That guy who was crucified, that guy who taught all of those wonderful, amazing things. Well yeah that guy Jesus was God.

John’s interpretation centers on the Word as Creator and holder of divine light.

Genesis 1:1 NIV

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

and

His interpretation centers on the Word as Creator and bearer of divine light. and both use the Hebrew word reshith (usually translated “beginning”), and the larger context of both passages is God’s creation of the universe.

Proverbs 8:22 NIV

“The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,, before his deeds of old;

Proverbs 8:28 NIV

when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,

Proverbs 8:22 NIV

“The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,, before his deeds of old;

Proverbs

both use the Hebrew word reshith (usually translated “beginning”), and the larger context of both passages is God’s creation of the universe.

and both use the Hebrew word reshith (usually translated “beginning”), and the larger context of both passages is God’s creation of the universe.

both use the Hebrew word reshith (usually translated “beginning”), and the larger context of both passages is God’s creation of the universe.

When John makes this connection, John states that Jesus existed before the first acts of creation. God’s Son Jesus isn’t an act of creation, but the reason for it. It makes it much more dramatic then that the one responsible for all of creation would come down into creation and become a part of it. The all powerful creator as a man?

Side Note

I love what the NLT says.

John 1:1 NLT

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

It is very interesting what the word “was” or “eimi” actually means in the original language. John isn’t speaking about about a past tense God. The word “eimi” means to be, to exist, or to have an existence. It is an active happening.

Explain with “was God”, “was life”, “was light”.

Jesus is life

John 1:4 NIV

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

I want to focus on the first portion of this verse. In Him was life. In Jesus was life. Now remember what we just talked about. John wasn’t just saying that Jesus was life. He wasn’t just saying that Jesus created physical life, but in Him “eimi” life. In Him existed life, in Him exists life, in Him will always exist life. In him constantly exists life. I think that is so absolutely powerful.

Notice this because I think it is very important to be understood. Life is found in Jesus. It is not from His presence, it is not from His word. It is In Him and through Him. So much of the world has “experienced” God but never come to life because they fail to be in Jesus.

The desire of Jesus heart is expressed in

John 10:10 NIV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Jesus is the light

John 1:4–5 NIV

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 NIV

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

Again John is saying this. In Jesus exists life and that life is the light of all humanity. It keeps shining in the darkness and the darkness can not defeat it nor will it ever defeat it.

John 8:12 NIV

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.”

Lexham Theological Wordbook Light and Darkness

Physically, light and darkness exist in metaphysical opposition. Light as an energy source provides illumination, leading to the ability to make visual distinctions among colors and physical objects. Darkness is the absence of light and color, whether as a place or condition, which results in disorientation, distortion, and confusion.

Darkness is not just something that combats against light, but it is the complete absence of light. What John is saying is that the darkness cannot understand the light because it has never been there or will ever be there when the light is present. It can’t comprehend it. What is this?

How comforting is this idea? The light cannot be defeated by the darkness. In Jesus is this life which is the light of all humanity. Although you were once in darkness Jesus pulled you out and He isn’t done pulling people out of darkness because He is the existent life and He is the existent light.

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 3115 Nature of Light

Science tells us that light is constituted of three rays, or groups of wavelengths, distinct from each other, no one of which without the others would be light. Each ray has its own separate function. The first originates, the second formulates, illuminates or manifests, and the third consummates. The first ray, often called invisible light, is neither seen nor felt. The second is both seen and felt. The third is not seen but is felt as heat

Side Note

John was so intent on making this point very clear before he continued writing. The other synoptic gospels start with either John the baptist or the birth of Jesus. John is starting with this point because He is saying if this isn’t who Jesus was then the rest of this doesn’t matter.

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 3115 Nature of Light

You are the continual light

Matthew 5:14–15 NIV

“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.

Jesus offers us in and through Him light and life, but not only that Jesus offers us adoption into the family of God because we come to believe in Him.

John 1:12 NIV

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

Is that not the most miraculous thing you will ever here? John was called John the evangelist for a reason. He dropped some radical truth here and hope that it would radically change lives and the truth of it is that it did and continues to do so.

Candle light portion

In making this connection, John states that Jesus existed prior to the first acts of creation. God’s Son isn’t an act of creation, but the means of it (compare ; ). It is all the more dramatic, therefore, that the one through whom all of creation came to be has become part of the creation.

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