THE BOOK OF JOHN, Chapter 8, Part 2, Jesus is the Light of the World.

 

THE BOOK OF JOHN, Chapter 8, Part 2

Jesus is the Light of the World.

It is important that you and I be careful not to read these verses just as an observer of a past event, or we will have missed the profundity of these prophetic words. There are few places you will find Jesus explaining and claiming His Deity as the Son of God as He does here. It is best if, before you read further, to pray and ask God to enlighten the eyes of your heart and mind with the truth of His wisdom. Then, as you read, place yourself there, with Jesus, as He speaks these words of light and truth into the darkness of the world and to the darkened minds of the ruling religious elite of that day. (You and I must come away from this exchanged as a changed person, in light of Who Jesus truly is.)

John 8:12, Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

(Commentary Break): Jesus begins with “I Am”. He uses the Koine Greek word, “egó” for “I”, which is only used or expressed when emphatic; juxtaposed with “am”, or “self-existent”. This clearly communicates that Jesus is claiming Deity. Even to His own disciples, this is an amazing, and to some, a shocking statement. Those of us who have been Christians for any time have heard that Jesus is God, so many times, that we have become far too accustomed to, and emotionally numbed to what should be a shocking, humbling and amazing reality. Additionally, Jesus speaks these words in the “aorist” tense, which combines past, present and future tenses in one – “I was, I am, and I forever shall be”. Jesus is saying He has always existed, is here now and shall be forevermore. Only God can make such a claim and Jesus puts an exclamation on this realty when He is crucified, is raised from the dead and then ascends into the heavens to sit at the Right Hand of The Father, forevermore.

Jesus flatly states that “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” Simply put, Light is life, darkness is death. Those who follow Jesus in the resurrection will abide with Him and, as He says in Revelation 22:5, “And the night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” Otherwise, those who do not follow Him will be cast into an outer darkness where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth, into an eternal lake of fire (Matthew 13:41-43). (End Commentary Break).

Verse 13. So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.” Verse 14. Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I am testifying about Myself, My testimony is true, because 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. Verse 15. You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. 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. Verse 17. Even in your Law it has been written that the testimony of two people is true. Verse 18. I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” 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.” Verse 20. These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple area; and no one arrested Him, because His hour had not yet come.

(Commentary Break): The Son of God, being God Himself, speaking directly to God’s own chosen people, and they do not believe Him. The same can be said about our unbelieving world. So, if God Himself, comes to them and us, in the flesh, in the form of a man, cannot convince them of the truth, what does this say about our testimony and our ability to lead others to believe? It says that we cannot lead others to believe. However, Jesus says that “No one can come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me draws Him.” (John 6:44), but we are to “Go and make disciples” of those He draws.

(Concurrently, Jesus says that “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people unto Myself” Now, He was saying this to indicate what kind of death He was going to die.)

Again, it should be a shocking revelation that God’s own chosen race would reject Him as if they were not drawn by Him to Himself. Here is the seeming mystery that although God draws all people, the choice is still in their hands. And Jesus’ words are true for those who claim to know God but do not follow Him, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” So, for all those who willingly and willfully ignore the Words and commandments of God while claiming to believe?  (End Commentary Break).

Verse 21. Then He said again to them, “I am going away, and you will look for Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.” Verse 22. So the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” Verse 23. And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. Verse 24. Therefore, I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins.”

(Commentary Break): What Jesus is saying to the Pharisees is applicable to anyone and everyone who does not believe and follow Jesus. When Jesus says “I am going away, and you will look for Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come. You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world”, He is warning that when that day comes, when your physical body dies and you, at that point, look for Jesus to rescue you, it will be too late. You cannot come to Him nor with Him.

Jesus also explains the established order of “Higher and Lower”. It is not only God’s established order of authority, i.e., “as it is in heaven, so it shall be on the earth”. The things below the earth are temporal and bound for destruction, and the things from above are eternal. So, if you die in your sins (from the Greek word, ‘hamartia’, meaning “to miss the mark, and the ‘mark’ is being redeemed, saved by Jesus, and becoming a joint heir in the Kingdom of God) you miss all that God had planned for you, both now and eternally. “If you die in your sins” whether a Jew or a Gentile. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 25. Then they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “What have I even been saying to you from the beginning?

(Commentary Break): It is as if Jesus is speaking to rebellious and truant children – and indeed He is. Ask yourself, “How would Jesus speak to me about this question?” (End Commentary Break – End Chapter 8, Part 2).

John chapter 8, verses 12 through 25 are among the most mysterious in the Bible. Jesus is speaking from a spiritual, heavenly perspective, words too deep for the natural mind to grasp. But it is now well known, even from a scientific perspective, that matter is never destroyed. It can change form, but it is eternal. Same with our bodies and minds. We die but we do not cease to exist. We simply change form from the natural man or woman, boy or girl, and continue in a spiritual state, and that spirit will either go to an eternal darkness or will live and abide in the Eternal Light and presence of God.

Jesus’ and His Words, in fact, lead to life. Follow Him.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT: (coming soon), THE BOOK OF JOHN, Chapter 8, Part 3, The Truth will Set You Free

PREVIOUS: THE BOOK OF JOHN, Chapter 8, Part 2, The Adulterous Woman.

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