Wisdom Wednesday: Wisdom in John’s Gospel Part 2-Who Jesus Is
The Word and Light
Submitted by Debbie’s Dad
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5 NASB 95)
In this series, we have examined God’s wisdom as presented in the message of the Gospel according to John.
In the first 3 chapters of the Gospel, John emphasizes Who Jesus was–He was the Word and the Light. Look at the Light theme in 9 passages in these chapters to see this very clear emphasis:
- Word, Light and Life – Jesus is the Word (logos), the Creator God from the beginning and the Word was the “Light of men” in “In Him was life” (1:1-4)–John reiterated this in his first epistle: “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” (I John 1:5) As God, he is the sustainer of life and the Word (God’s communication to us) that brings Light that we may know Him.
- Light and Darkness–“The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (1:5) Jesus illuminated the world and exposed the darkness of man’s sin, even the sin cloaked as religious righteousness–yet many were blinded and did not see it. (John 9:41 also speaks of the spiritual kind of blindness)
- John was a Witness to the Light – he testified that Jesus was the Light–the Son of God. (1:6-8)
- Jesus the True Light–he came into the world, providing light to every person. (1:9)
- The Light that is the Judgment of the World–The judgment of the world is that when Jesus, the Light, appeared, men loved the darkness of sin rather than the Light. The Light exposes the shame of sin, and this is why, John explains, men reject the Light. (3:19-20)
Later in His ministry, Jesus was speaking at the Temple in Jerusalem and declared, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness but will have the Light of life.” (John 8:12)
And then, again, for the last time, in John’s description of the conclusion of Jesus’ public ministry, Jesus proclaimed Himself to be the Light again at the Jerusalem Temple:
Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light. (12:35-36) …. I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. (12:46)
John was deeply impressed by Jesus’ claim to be the Light that illuminated us to recognize our sin, and to emerge from the darkness to embrace the light that illuminated the Word of God and His salvation. Jesus emphasized this at the beginning and again at the end of His public ministry. If you know Christ, you know the Light! Let us thank God for bringing to us the Light.
Paul expressed his thanks like this: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6