LEARNING DAILY

John 8:12, Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but have the light of life”.

Jesus is in the temple at Jerusalem, the people come to Him and He is teaching them. It is during this time the scribes and Pharisees bring to Him a woman they had caught in the act of adultery; they want to know what He has to say because in the Law, Moses commanded that she (and the man, by the way) be stoned to death. Pastor Ed Newton stated, “They were pitting Moses against Jesus, the Law against grace”. John writes, “They were testing Him, that they might have some charge to bring against Him” (verse 6a). Pastor Newton continued, “The finger of God wrote the Ten Commandments on stone tablets; Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with His finger. Then Jesus stood and said for the person who was without sin to cast the first stone and then bent down and wrote on the ground again. What did He write?” Pastor answered the question by stating, “He was recording something very specific. When they heard it – they felt it in their heart, and they left.” Pastor thought Jesus might have been writing specific sins of those there to trap Him, to stone the woman.

They left and just Jesus and the woman were there. When He asked her who was there to accuse her, she responded, “No one Lord”. She called Him “Lord” when the scribes and Pharisees had called Him “Teacher”. Interesting! Jesus told the woman, “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more.” “He did confront the woman; he did not sweep sin under the rug – instead he took her sin to the cross! Jesus accepts her, forgives her, tells her not to go on doing what she has been doing. Grace does not allow us to live the way we want.” (Pastor Newton).

This is when Jesus declares He is the light of the world. This event occurred during the Feast of the Tabernacles (the Feast of the Booths). As part of this festival lamps would be lit using wicks made from the garments of priests. Light was important to the Jews because it represented salvation, knowledge, and goodness. For Jesus to declare He was the “Light of the World” was a big deal. He had just been pitted against the Law and Moses. Now “He is saying He the fulfillment of the Old Testament teaching” (Pastor Newton). He is claiming He is the only source of spiritual light; there is no other source of spiritual truth available to man. Jesus applies the high calling of biblical Israel to be the “light of the world” to Himself!

Jesus is the “Light that exposes darkness” (Listener Guide). Truth exposes the deceitfulness in the human heart, the sinful behavior, the pride and self-centeredness that is in man’s heart. Turning a light switch on removes the darkness. The light of Jesus removes the darkness of the Believer’s heart. The spiritual light He gives is necessary to live and walk the spiritual life of the narrow way. Every Believer must be moving toward spiritual life through Bible study, prayer, being with likeminded Believers, and walking the narrow way in obedience to Jesus.

Jesus’ statement of “I am the Light of the World”, comes with two promises. One, those who follow Him will never walk in darkness, Believers are assured of their salvation. Believers will never stay in habitual sin (read 1 John 1:5-9) as they continue to confess and repent of sinful thoughts and behavior. Secondly, Believers will reflect the True Light that removes the darkness and deception. Jesus said in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world”. And in verse 16, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven”. Believers are to reflect the light of Jesus so that all can see it in us by our words and by our actions. Believers are to honor God, be trustworthy, sincere, and honest in all things. By this, others might be drawn to the Light, leaving the darkness behind.