John 1.4-5 Testify: He is Life, He is Light

Testify: He is Life, He is Light

One of the things that I found interesting this week as we look at the descriptions of our Triune God(and this is better than the egg) …and it is how light is constituted …its made up of three rays, or groups of wavelengths, distinct from each other…with Each ray having its own separate function. The first originates, the second 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-isn’t that beautiful?

Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 740.

Einstein said that the reason he could construct the theory of relativity was because there is one thing in the world that is unchangeable. That one thing— light—it’s the only constant in this physical, material universe.

To kinda set the tone today, I want to introduce you to a quote by CS Lewis- He wrote, Mere Christianity…which if you have not read, you need to…if you are one that has no interest in the Bible, maybe you think above it, or it’s for the simple…let me introduce you to Mere Christianity…don’t worry, it’s a short read.

In one of His quotes, He said “I was standing today in the dark toolshed. The sun was shining outside and through the crack at the top of the door there came a sunbeam. From where I stood that beam of light, with the specks of dust floating in it, was the most striking thing in the place. Everything else was almost pitch-black. I was seeing the beam, not seeing things by it.

Then I moved, so that the beam fell on my eyes. Instantly the whole previous picture vanished. I saw no toolshed, and (above all) no beam. Instead I saw, framed in the irregular cranny at the top of the door, green leaves moving on the branches of a tree outside and beyond that, 90 odd million miles away, the sun.

Looking along the beam, and looking at the beam are very different experiences.- Read

This week as we are continuing our Journey through the introduction and the prologue of John, we have four simple yet profound statements about the Incarnate Word, Christ Jesus. 1“In Him was life” 2that life was the light of men” 3”That light shines in the darkness” 4 and that darkness did not comprehend it.” So following the points of Scripture, we are going to unpack these four statements.

1“In Him was Life”- Self- Existing God

The book of John uses ζωή (zōē) Life 37 times: 17 times it occurs with αἰώνιος (aiōnios)eternal some that believe that this verse is implying only eternal life, But why would John not include “eternal”-we know that it isn’t referring to only the physical, otherwise he would have used “Bio”. No, The word that is chosen here is “Zoe” and it denotes all life, (physical and spiritual), noting that “In Him was everything!!” I believe John’s intent in using Zoe, being more philosophical, is not to disconnect the two… at least not yet.

That distinction will come, but notice the precision in the ambiguity, when here in verse 4, he uses “ZOE”. Notice, how it is still connected and teathered to creation in verses 1-3. Strict hermeneutics would say the verse can have one meaning, only mean one thing, and that it’s meaning is what the writer inspired by the Holy Spirit intended it to mean. And I would agree with that

But we have to remember John’s poetic and philosophical brilliance. John is bridging us to what lies ahead, and bridging the cultures in which he lived (both greek and Jew,Jew/gentile). Look at the different points in the Intro (What we covered last week, Beginning and Word, Word and God, and this week, God and Life, Life and Light, and then finally the contrast, Light and Darkness.

Spence-Jones in the Pulpit Commentary tells us “Life” in all its fullness of meaning—that grand addition to things which confers upon them all their significance for men.

There is one impassable chasm which neither history, nor science, nor philosophy can span, viz. that between nothing and something.

(John)The evangelist has found the only possible method of facing it—by the conception of One who from eternity has within himself the potency of the transition.

There is another impassable chasm in thought—that between non-living atoms and living energies and individualities. The assertion now is that life, ζωή with all its manifestations and in all its regions; that the life of plant, tree, and animal, the life of man, of society, and of worlds as such; that the life of the body, soul, and spirit, the life transitory and the life eternal (ζωὴ αἰώνιος), was in the Logos, “who was God and in the beginning with God.”

Elsewhere in the Gospel Jesus said that “as the Father had life in himself, so he gave to the Son to have life in himself” (ch. 5:26); i.e. he communicated to the Son his own Divine self-dependence. -self existent

H. D. M. Spence-Jones, ed., St. John, vol. 1, The Pulpit Commentary (London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1909), 9.

I think it’s here we find the key, 1st point -that Christ has life in and of Himself

For us, we know that that life was given to us by God, and even if one doesn’t recognize that, physically we were seeded by our earthly fathers and birthed by our earthly mothers. Not so for God, Father, Son, or Holy Spirit…They have and are, life in and unto themselves…they are complete, In them was, and is, and forever will be Life, and forever will life spring forth-its who God is.

2nd phrase-“that life was the light of men”-

Spence-Jones says “This light is said to be the veritable light which lighteth every man, and to be shining into darkness. Consequently, to make it the complex of all the gracious processes which beautify the renewed soul is to hurry on faster than the apostle, and to anticipate the evolution of his thought.(Remember, John is building the foundations, we know where he is going-he’s heading to speaking of eternal life, but to the lost, to the greek and the Jew, they weren’t quite there…and so John is taking them step by step.)

“The light of men” seems to be the faculty or condition, the inward and outward means, by which men know God. “The light of men” is the conscience and reason, the eye of the soul by which the human race comes into contact with truth and right and beauty.

…Until we survey the operations of God in life we have no hint of either(the physical or the eternal). The lower forms of life in plant or animal may reveal the wisdom and beneficence and beauty of the Logos, and so far some light shines upon man; but…In the life of conscience and reason a higher and more revealing light is made to shine upon man, upon his origin, upon his Divine image, upon his destiny. In the spiritual life which has been superinduced upon the life of the conscience and of the flesh, there is the highest light, the brightest and warmest and most potent rays of the whole spectrum of Divine illumination. “The life” which was in the Logos “was,” has always been, is now, will ever be, “the light of men.”

H. D. M. Spence-Jones, ed., St. John, vol. 1, The Pulpit Commentary (London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1909), 9–10.

in the Old Testament “For with you is the fountain of life; In your light we see light.”

We know as Christians, that it includes the eternal…

- The Prince of Life

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—in

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.- (…the light of men)

3rd phrase”The light shines in the darkness”- Here I want to talk about the How…How it has come to shine. Close your eyes and Think of a candle coming in to a dark room…There are numerous places in the Bible where we see God as the source of light, illuminating the darkness…the how is how it is progressively revealed through Scripture to us(65?)…like a flower opening up.

See also ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

:17Light as a symbol of God

God’s purity See also ; ;

God’s glory See also ; ; ; ;

God’s knowledge ; ; ;

Light as a symbol of God’s favour towards his people

See also ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ,; ;

Light as a symbol of God’s word

As perceived by believers See also ; ;

Light as a symbol of salvation

See also ; ; ; ; ;

Light as a symbol of Jesus Christ

Foretold in the OT See also ; ; ; ;

Revealed in the NT See also ; ; ; ; ; ; ,; ; ; ; ;

Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies (London: Martin Manser, 2009).

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness

has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom

Wiersbe says of this passage in Hebrews “Much as our words reveal to others our hearts and minds, so Jesus Christ is God’s “Word” to reveal His heart and mind to us… According to , Jesus Christ is God’s last Word to mankind, for He is the climax of divine revelation.

…“The Word” was not an abstract concept of philosophy, but a real Person who could be seen, touched, and heard. Christianity is Christ, and Christ is God.

… Jesus revealed God’s glory in His person, His works, and His words. …The glory of the Old Covenant of Law was a fading glory(in other words man’s attempt at reaching God-religion), but the glory of the New Covenant in Christ is an increasing glory(God’s victorious fulfillment in redeeming His own) (see ).

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 284-285.

Its the same with our passage…Do you see the unfolding, theconnection between the God and the Word, the Word as Christ, Christ and all of Life and Light…”the light that shines into the darkness?” Isn’t He so much bigger than we gave him credit for just a couple of weeks ago…that’s worship…that’s the power of His Word. Which carries us to one more…

4 “and that darkness did not comprehend it.” - Final point

At first look, this final phrase…on the surface at least looks a little discouraging, doesn’t it? Lets look at this phrase to “comprehended it,” “To seize” or “to grasp” is possible, meaning possibly “to grasp with the mind” in the sense of “to comprehend”, but there is another phrase “ to overcome it.” The darkness did not overcome it…do you see the victory? And I’m not just talking about perspective…

I heard a story of a young man once consulted with his pastor "I can’t stick it out any longer- I am the only Christian where I work. I get nothing but taunts and sneers. It is more than I can stand. I’m going to resign.”

The pastor thought a bit and asked "Tell me where lights are at?

“What's that got to do with anything?" the young man asked

the pastor replied. "Answer my question: Where are the lights there?”

"I suppose where they need light…in the dark places I guess”

The wise minister said”Aww,Yes, and that is why you have been put in that job where there is such spiritual darkness and where there is no other Christian to shine for the Lord.”

You see…The man realized for the first time the opportunity, the courage rather than the defeat. He remembered that he was on the winning side and He felt empowered through his faith to make a difference. And so he went back to work with renewed determination to let his light shine in that dark corner. Before long, he was the means of leading four others back to church. In other words, we win…we’ve already won!!

The brilliant DA Carson tells us- Light and darkness are not simply opposites; darkness is nothing other than the absence of light. At the first creation… God said, ‘Let there be light’ (). At no time other than creation could it more appropriately be said, The light shines in the darkness… John …is not describing a dualistic universe in which light and darkness, goodness and evil, are matched opposites, he is describing the victory of the light: the darkness did not overcome it (as the verb katelaben can be translated).

D. A. Carson, The Gospel according to John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans, 1991), 119.

I know that as we look around, especially around our country and the world, There is a sense in which Jesus is no longer the light of the world That the culture around us is in and constantly running towards darkness…God’s Word tells us, darkness will not prevail. He is the Resurrection and the LIFE, the Bread of Life, the Rose of Sharon, the Alpha and the Omega, The Light of Men, Light of the World, The Image of the Invisible God, The Word, the Author and Finisher of our Faith, The Almighty, Son of God, Son of Man, Anchor, The Way, the Truth, and the Life…He is our Light, Let’s Pray