THE THEOLOGY OF LIGHT
#793 THE THEOLOGY OF LIGHT
Scripture John 8:12-29, NIV Orig. 2/25/1983
Rewr. 4/24/1991
Passage: Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”
14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”
19 Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.
Dispute Over Who Jesus Is
21 Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”
22 This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”
23 But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.”
25 “Who are you?” they asked. “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26 “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.” 27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up[a] the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”
Purpose: Continuing the series from the gospel, here describing the language of light depicting Christ as the agent of God.
Keywords: Christ as Light Doctrine Series Beliefs God Trinity
Timeline/Series: Bible Study John
Introduction
Chapter seven introduced the time and place. It was the occasion of the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2,10). Because of the hostilities of the Jews, Jesus had spent the last weeks in Galilee. As the time of the festival approached, more and more of the people began to make their way to Jerusalem. Even His own brothers mocked Him about going on up to the feast to show His “works.”
At the appropriate time, however, He went up also. We are not given His specific itinerary. We do know that the first night of the festival was the setting of a ceremony called “The Illumination of the Temple.” Four great candelabra were prepared, and at dark were lighted.
It was not exactly a Thursday night bonfire before the big game. It was not akin to the lighting of the Christmas lights in Natchitoches. It certainly would not have measured up to the fires set on the Mississippi levee on Christmas Eve down in the Gramercy, Lutcher area of St. James Parish. But it was impressive. Ask the person who has spent time with bandaged eyes what the first glimmer of light was like.
The celebration went on all night. The wisest and holiest of Israel’s men danced before the Lord and sang psalms of joy and praise. Every courtyard in the city became a reflection of that light from the temple.
Perhaps it is now the next day. Jesus has seen this glow from the Mount of Olives (8:1). To the gathering of people who have now come to hear Him He says, “I am the light of the world.”
I. The Light of the World Attests to a Theology of Opportunity. V12 “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” Jesus is accorded a place never given to any other. He is the unique “Son of God.” John dealt with this very thing earlier. 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son . . . .” “Only begotten” says the King James. “Only one of his kind” says the Greek. Some versions use “unique.”
He is not trying to take from these struggling people the joy of the festival. He points them to a more luminous light. There will be no such ceremony in the temple the next night, or the next. He is simply affirming for them a light that can never burn out. The talon is not expended. The oil is not depleted. The wick is not carbonized.
He gives them the opportunity to bask in the glow of One who has come from God. 19th Century history tells us of Prince Frederick of Prussia. He was a good and capable man in line for the throne. His German doctors found a growth, advised its removal. He would lose his voice. Other doctors advised to the contrary. Frederick did nothing. Within a year he was dead. Kaiser Wilhelm ascended to the throne, far less capable, or intelligent, or experienced. Could WWI have been avoided had Frederick heard?
In the verses that follow, Jesus plainly declares the need of His hearers to heed. Jesus was making His presence felt. “I go my way, . . . ye seek me, and . . . ye die in your sins.” V21. All the time they are looking for a deliverer, a Messiah.
How many people around us are looking for a deliverer, of their own expectations? Jesus was there as the breaking dawn. They were content with such light as may come under the door.
II. The Light of the World Accords a Theology of Oneness. V18 “I am one that bears witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.”
So much that we know of God we learned of Jesus. He is Himself expressly called God. John 1:1 “The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Titus 2:13 “Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ.” The works of God are ascribed to Him. John 1:3 “All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.” Colossians 1:16 “All things were created by Him, and for Him.”
Jesus receives honors due to God only. Acts 7:59 (Stephen dying) “Lord Jesus, receive my soul.” Philippians 2:10 “That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, and of things in heaven and . . . in earth, and . . . under the earth.”
Jesus claimed equality with God. John 10:30 “I and the Father are one.” In this passage He says so, 8:19, “If ye had known me, ye had known my Father also.”
Jesus has come, not just to Jerusalem’s darkness, but Bernice [Louisiana]’s as well. 8:31f “If ye continue in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” These are not the words of a misguided zealot, or an over-ambitious prophet. These are the words of God.
Scripture recognizes Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are not perceived separately. This is not tritheism (three Gods). We perceive them distinctly in their roles, but their work is never contradictory. Even after 2,000 years of the attestations of deity, countless people deny. On the wall of a Palatine Palace in Rome: a human figure is fixed on a cross, with the head of an ass. A man kneels in worship. “Alexamenos adore his God.” Mocks believers in Christ.
III. The Light of the World Affirms a Theology of Obligation. V24 “If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” Many confirm for us who He is. William Gladstone: “All I write, and all I think, and all I hope, is based upon the divinity of our Lord, the one . . . hope of our poor wayward race.”
Vance Havner: “The world by its wisdom believes that the natural man can be cultivated and refined until he can pass inspection at the judgment bar of God. But the gospel entertains no such hope for the fallen sons of Adam.” S103 p73.
This obligation is directed to all alike. To the first century Jew who nailed Him to a cross. To the 20th Century church member to whom faith is a table game. International chess match may last for weeks. We have so many interests, and our response to Christ is a small part of one of them.
Ballad [by Pete Seeger]:
Where have all the people gone?
Gone to graveyards every one!
When will they ever learn?
When will WE ever learn?
Conclusion
Robert Browning writes of an occasion when Charles Lamb (18th Century English essayist) was hosting a gathering of his contemporaries. They began to discuss their reactions if some of the notable people of history should suddenly join them. Browning writes that Charles Lamb became suddenly quite serious. He asked, “And if Christ entered the room?” He was said to have stuttered he was so moved at the thought, and then continued, “You see, if Shakespeare entered, we should all rise; if He (Jesus Christ) appeared, we must kneel.”
Doubtless, the world will never know the height of Jesus’ power, including the so-called Christian nations, until we are ready to pay Him homage.