Light of the World

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Detail on stained glass depicting Jesus: I am the light of the world, Bantry, Ireland

Light of the World (

Salt and Light and Lamp under a bushel, which also appear in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount
.

Gospel accounts

Christ as the True Light by Hans Holbein the Younger, c. 1526

Referring to himself

In John 8:12 Jesus applies the title to himself while debating with the Jews and states:[1]

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

Jesus again claims to be Light of the World in John 9:5, during the miracle of

healing the blind at birth
, saying: [2]

When I am in the world, I am the Light of the World.

This episode leads into John 9:39 where Jesus metaphorically explains that he came to this world, so that the blind may see.[2]

In the

Bread of Life title in John 6:35 where Jesus states: "I am the bread of life: he who comes to me shall not hunger."[3] These assertions build on the Christological theme of John 5:26 where Jesus claims to possess life just as the Father does and provide it to those who follow him.[3][4] The term "Life of the World" is applied in the same sense by Jesus to himself in John 6:51.[2]

Light is defined as life, as seen in John 1:4, "In him was life; and the life was the light of men". Those who have faith through him will have eternal life. In John's Gospel, "darkness is present in the absence of light; the absence of eternal life," and darkness referring to death, spiritually.[5]

Referring to his disciples

Jesus also used that term to refer to his disciples in Matthew 5:14:[1]

You are the light of the world. A city 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. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.[6]

This application of "light compared with darkness" also appears in 1 John 1:5 which applies it to God and states: "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all".[7]

Johannine Dualism

Light and darkness in John's Gospel is an

Essene literature, "which considered History as a permanent conflict between Good and Evil, using Light as a symbol of Truth and Righteousness and Darkness as that of Falsehood and Evil".[8]

Examples of

dualistic
concepts in the Gospel of John:

Light Darkness
Known Unknown
Jesus Christ Moses
Heavenly Earthly
Above Not Above
Spirit Flesh
Sight Blindness
Insiders World
Day Night

Extra-biblical sources

In the

extra-canonical Gospel of Thomas, a used similar phrase appears, "There is light within a man of light, and he lights up the whole world. If he does not shine, he is darkness".[9]

Light is a recurring theme in

Gnostic religions such as Manichaeism[10] and Mandaeism.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ page 226
  2. ^ page 235
  3. ^ page 147
  4. page 163
  5. ^ Baylis, Charles P., "The Meaning of Walking "In the Darkness" (1 John 1:6)." Bibliotheca Sacra 149, no. 594 (1992). 219
  6. pages 199-202
  7. ^ Trocmé, E. (1995). Light and Darkness in the Fourth Gospel. Disdaskalia (Otterburne, Man.), 6(2), 3-13
  8. ^ Gospel of Thomas, 24
  9. .
  10. .

External links