7003 - The Light - John 1:4b-5

The opening sentences pick up thoughts regarding Jesus – the Son-of-God, the creator, fully God, the Word, the source and provider of life. Today we add the word ‘light’ to those names and titles – the light of men, as we dig deeper into chapter 1, verses 4b and 5. They say:

“…that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.”

The word light is translated from the Greek word ‘phos’. This word conveys the idea of radiance or phosphorescence. More often it is talking about an inner light – a light in the inner being of a person.

Notice the emphasis of this verse is the truth that this light has its very source from the life and being of Jesus Christ, the Son-of-God. There is no other supply to obtain the light of life. God is light (1Jn.1:5)

Think this through. If God created all things in the beginning and bestowed upon man life, and if original creation was perfect, without flaw, then this light of radiance and exuberance, passed to man by Jesus, was a part of the complex makeup of original man.

Granted, that when sin entered the system, so did death and darkness. This is the fact that makes this principle so important to people in present time. Jesus is the only source of this light available to people.

Understand that because of sin this light is not a quality we are born with. This is one emphasis of the Gospel of John. Every person who comes into this world needs to become aware of their need. Their conscience needs to be energized in this direction.

That’s the function of the children of God on earth. We need to live as true lighthouses in a world darkened by sin.

This is what the passage implies. Christians are people who have responded to the light and have received the new life offered by Jesus as a free gift. We possess this gift by believing in our hearts that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins by dying on the cross in our place, and then asking Him to come into our life and be Lord and savior. That’s the act of receiving the free gift from the Lord Jesus.

Then we are endowed with many resources that come only from Trinity God. The light of men is one of those capacities placed within us as a part of the salvation experience. Verse 5 speaks about this light that shines in the darkness. Get the picture? Unbelievers in the world do not possess this light from Jesus. Christians do! So wherever we go, whatever we do, even though we may not be aware that the light is glowing, our countenance – our inner spirit is giving forth the light – God’s message of love and hope in the darkness, through us. It may be a smile, a word of encouragement, a pleasant gesture; but the Lord will supply what is needed and use the output.

The last part of that verse has two possible meanings. First is that the darkness has not overcome the light. That would mean that even though the darkness resists the light, it does not have the power to completely shut it down. It may tone the light down, but it cannot keep it from glowing.

The second translation is that the darkness has not understood the light. The powers of darkness are in opposition to the positive power of light. So often the message given by light may be such that the forces of darkness do not comprehend the meaning of the message.

Without the work of the Holy Spirit in the unbeliever’s heart they will not understand the message sent by the light; but when light shines forth the message of God’s love and peace, then the Holy Spirit is the one who takes it and uses it as a message in the inner being of the unbeliever. Then they are responsible to respond to God’s message in their own heart.