Light of the World

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 recognise 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

John 1:1-12

Maybe it’s the time of year with the short days and long nights, or the fact that Christmas is nearly upon us when we think back to the birth of the baby Jesus and the arrival of Emmanuel God with us, but the Apostles John’s words “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” have been in the forefront of my mind all week. So I thought I’d take a  closer look at the passage.

The verse comes from the opening passage of John's gospel which encapsulates the profound nature of Jesus, especially his dual nature of being both divine and human. The passage serves as a foundational cornerstone as it helps us to understand the identity of Jesus Christ and His role in the world as Emmanuel, “God with us”. Let's break down the passage verse by verse as we uncover the significance of this passage.

Verse 1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John starts his Gospel by echoing the opening words of Genesis 1. In this, John emphasises the eternal existence of Jesus, whom he refers to here, as the Word. The Word is not only eternal but is also in perfect communion with God. Here John asserts the divinity of Jesus by stating that the Word was God. In this opening verse, John reveals that Jesus is divine and intimately connected to the Father.

Verse 2:

“He was with God in the beginning.”

Here John reiterates the eternal nature of Jesus and reinforces the idea of the Word's presence with God from the beginning. Now human beings are temporal beings, we exist in time, so we cannot fully understand the concept of eternity, as we have no experience of it, yet! But consider the fact that eternity can’t have a beginning or an end, so when John writes “beginning” it’s his way of saying that “The Word” has always existed! In addition, If we think of Rev 1:8 with Jesus Christ described as the Alpha and the Omega, this does not refer to a beginning and an end, but instead refers to God’s first and last revelation to humanity. A wee bit theological there, but in this, John is emphasising the eternal unity and co-existence of Jesus with God the Father. (Phew,)

Verse 3:

“Through him all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made.”

Verse 3 emphasises Jesus’s role in creation. Not only was He present at the beginning, but He was the active agent through whom all things were created. This emphasises the sovereignty and creative power inherent in Jesus, unveiling His divine authority over all creation.

Verse 4:

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

Life and light are central themes in John's Gospel. Jesus is the source of life, both physical and spiritual. His life illuminates the world's darkness, offering hope, truth, and understanding to all of humanity.

Verse 5:

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

This verse symbolises the struggle between darkness and light, representative of chaos and order, or more simply between evil and good. John tells us that despite the presence of darkness in our world, the light brought by Jesus cannot be extinguished or overcome by darkness. or the light of Christ stands as a beacon of hope and salvation, that endures over the forces of darkness.

Verses 6-8:

“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.”

John the Baptist is introduced here as a witness to the light, emphasising that he was not the light himself but a messenger preparing the way for the true Light, which is Jesus Christ. The Baptist's role was to testify to the coming of the Saviour and to prepare the hearts of God’s people for His arrival.

Verse 9

"The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world."

Here, John introduces Jesus as the "true light" that enlightens every person. This light isn't limited to God’s chosen people but is offered universally. It signifies the illumination and revelation that Jesus brings into the world—a light that dispels ignorance, darkness, and sin. This verse reveals the profound impact of Jesus' presence and teachings on all the nations of humanity.

Verse 10:

"He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him."

This verse highlights the enigma of Jesus' presence. Despite being the Creator of the world and dwelling among humanity, He was often not recognised or acknowledged. The irony lies in the fact that the very world He created failed to discern His identity and purpose. This lack of recognition emphasises the spiritual blindness and hardness of hearts that prevent people from seeing the truth of who Jesus is.

Verse 11:

"He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him."

This verse adds another layer to the rejection of Jesus. He came to the Jewish people, His chosen nation, who as a collective, did not receive Him. This rejection emphasises the heart-breaking reality of Jesus being rejected by those He came to save. It speaks to the resistance, scepticism, and unwillingness of His own people to embrace Him as the long-awaited Messiah.

Verse 12:

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

In contrast to the rejection, here John presents a powerful promise. Those who received Jesus, who believed in His name and acknowledged His divinity, are granted a profound privilege—the right to become children of God. Through Christ, we become spiritually reborn, into a transformational relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ. In this God’s incredible grace and mercy is revealed, as the world is offered a new identity through adoption as sons and daughters of God simply by placing our faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

For me these verses highlight the universal availability of Jesus' light to the world, the sad reality of His rejection by God’s chosen people and others throughout the world, and the extraordinary offer he makes to each of us to become God's children, simply by placing our faith in Jesus. The passage emphasises the importance of recognising and accepting Jesus for who He truly is—the Light of the world and the means for all humanity to be reconciled with the Almighty.

Thankfully the light of Jesus still shines bright, and is freely available in our world of darkness today.

Step into His light today, you’ve nothing to lose, only life in the fullest to gain.

Have a peaceful week, God bless, and Merry Christmas,

Trev.