Read John 8:12-59
Psalm 27:1 says, ″The Lord is my light and my salvation.″ The law of the Lord is both a lamp and a light (Psalm 119:105) and God's Servant is to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 49:6). John opens his gospel by telling us that Jesus is the true light come into the world (John 1:4, 5, 9).
Each evening during the Feast of Tabernacles, four great lamps were lit in the temple to bring light to the whole area. At this time, Jesus makes His second ″I am″ statement: ″I am the light of the world″ (John 8:12).
The Pharisees challenged Jesus' claims because under the law, a person cannot be his own witness-the law required two independent witnesses (v. 17, Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15). But Jesus insisted that He could make these claims of himself because He knew both His origin (heaven) and His destination (heaven) (v. 14). Jesus then pointed to the most vital witness: His Father who sent Him (John 8:16, 26).
He passes on His Father's word to the world (vv. 26, 28), His Father is always with Him, and He does what pleases the Father (v. 29). Jesus is the sin-free truth-teller (v. 46) and the Father glorifies Him (v. 54). The contrast is stark. The Pharisees have a father too. It is not Abraham as they claim; but the lying, murdering devil (v. 44), because they hate the truth (vv. 37, 46, 47) and are trying to extinguish the light (vv. 37, 40).
To come to the light of Jesus is to be a true son of Abraham (v. 39). Abraham looked forward to Jesus' coming (v. 56). God promised Abraham that through him all the nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:3; 18:18). Through Jesus the nations are truly blessed. What a privilege for us to have the true light of God, Jesus Christ, the light of the world.
In commenting on how Western civilisation has cut itself off from its Judeo-Christian roots, Os Guinness writes ″No great civilization survives if it cuts its ties to whatever is the source of its greatness.″9 There is only one true light for the world-one light which reveals God; one light which dispels the moral darkness-Jesus and His word. The alternative is to wallow in hopeless darkness.
9Os Guinness, The Case for Civility and Why Our Future Depends on It (San Francisco: HarperOne, 2008), 78.
Think through:
In verses 32 and 36, Jesus speaks of the truth and the Son setting us free. Think of the ways the gospel has set you free.
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