Dr. Terren Dames 10.28.15

The of John 1:7-13

WITNESS Last week we saw the importance of John’s (the Baptizer) witness of . John’s testimony was essential in that in order for the people who were in darkness to comprehend the light someone must first reveal it to them. If one were in darkness all of their lives light would be extraneous to them. John (sought to communicate the importance of the light that all men might come to trust in . The witness of John the Baptizer demonstrates how man sometimes view the messenger and his message as one in the same. John had to clarify that he himself was not the light but came that he may bear witness of the light.

6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

The coming of the Light (1:9–13).

9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. The term “enlightens every man,” is not speaking of a universal (all will be saved) or general revelation or the idea of inner illumination. What it does mean is that as a light shines on everyone in a room, so does the Light of Christ shine on all men on the earth (in other words the gospel is not just for a few but for all (3:18–21; 9:39–41; cf. 16:8–11).

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

He who created the world () came into the world (Kosmos) which means the world of men and human society. This world is now under the dominion of Satan due to the disobedience of the first man (Adam) who gave over his authority (cf. 14:30). The Logos (God) taking and earthly body and dwelling among men is called the Incarnation. Mankind did not recognize its Creator (cf. Isa. 1:2–3). The reason for not recognizing Him was not that He was hidden but mankind was simply blind (:3; 12:37).

Dr. Terren Dames 10.28.15

11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

It is sad to say that the nation of Israel was waiting on and when He came they did not recognize Him. They rejected the Logos, the Light that was sent from the Father of lights (James 1:17). By rejecting Him they rejected the Father who sent Him (Isa. 53:1).

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

There has always been a remnant in Israel and this was also the case with Christ for all did not reject Him. Those who accepted the gift of God through the Logos (the incarnate ) were given the right to become children of God.

13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

This ties into the concept of regeneration (being born again) that the Logos (God in flesh) would later share with in chapter 3. The work being done here can only take place by the will of the Father. Note “not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man.” The new birth process is totally of God.

5457. φῶς phōs, foce; from an obsol. φάω phaō (to shine or make manifest, espec. by rays; comp. 5316, 5346); luminousness (in the widest application, nat. or artificial, abstr. or concr., lit. or fig.):—fire, light.1 Light Genesis 1:3 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. Psalm 27:1

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation Psalm 119:105 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

1 Strong, J. (2009). A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew (Vol. 1, p. 77). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

Dr. Terren Dames 10.28.15

Isaiah 2:5

5 Come, house of , and let us walk in the light of the LORD. Matthew 15:14-16 14 “You are the . A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. :32

32 A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Your people Israel.” :12 12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “ the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” :35-36 35 So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. 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. 36 “While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.”

2 Corinthians 4:4 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Ephesians 5:8 8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

James 1:17 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

Dr. Terren Dames 10.28.15

1 John 1:5-7

God Is Light 5 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. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Dr. Terren Dames 10.28.15

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary On the first day God created light (Gen. 1:3), which implies that light existed before the sun and other luminaries (Gen. 1:14–18). God Himself is the source of that light (cp. Ps. 104:2; perhaps James 1:17). If so, this light likely signified the divine presence just as the luminous cloud of the Shekinah glory (cp. Exod. 24:15–18; 40:38; 2 Chron. 5:13–14; 7:2).2 The identification of light with the divine presence of the Shekinah glory above sheds light on the meaning of light in the and 1 John. In the person of Jesus, “the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world” (John 1:9 HCSB). The only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, has made the Father known (1:18) because he “became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (1:14; cp. Exod. 34:6). In other words, in Jesus God was made manifest because in Him the Shekinah glory had returned to reside among us and this glory consisted of fullness of grace and truth (cp. John 1:16–17). Light thus signifies Jesus’ glory, which is fullness of grace and truth. Jesus is “the light of the world” and His followers will have “the light of life” (i.e., the truth that brings life; John 8:12). Jesus, who is the light, the embodiment of grace and truth, also brings salvation (John 12:35–36, 46–47) and the doing of God’s works (:4–5). This salvation and doing of God’s works comes from guidance and instruction from the light (John 12:35, 47). Notions of illumination, both positive manifestation of God’s prior work of grace (John 1:13; 3:21) and negative reproof of human evil (John 3:20), are present as well. Human beings who reject the light are thus rejecting Jesus, the embodiment of grace and truth (John 3:14–21; cp. :37–38, where Pilate apparently exemplifies one who rejects Jesus as the embodiment of truth). The attribution of God (rather than the Word) as light in 1 John 1:5 falls into place in this line of interpretation. Not only is the only begotten God characterized by fullness of grace and truth, His Father, whom He makes known as characterized by fullness of grace and truth, is as well (John 1:17–18). John can thus deny that those who do not do the truth have fellowship with God, who is light (1 John 1:6). 1 :8–10 is entailment of the truth—hating one’s brother is incompatible with the character of both the Father and the Son (note “the true light is already shining” in v. 8). In addition, 1 John 1:7–10 indicates that walking in the light (i.e., the truth) includes the confession of our sins, which keeps us in fellowship with one another and effects cleansing from all sin through the blood of Jesus.3 Paul’s use of light in 2 Cor. 4:4–6 runs along parallel lines with John’s usage (cp. Luke 2:32). “Light” (here photismos) is defined as “the gospel of the glory of

2 Tan, R. K. J. (2003). Light, Light of the World. In C. Brand, C. Draper, A. England, S. Bond, E. R. Clendenen, & T. C. Butler (Eds.), Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (p. 1039). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

3 Tan, R. K. J. (2003, pp. 1039–1040).

Dr. Terren Dames 10.28.15

Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Cor. 4:4 HCSB). “For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ ” is the One who has “shone in our hearts to give the light (photismos) of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6). Indeed, the beholding of the glory of the Lord results in our “being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18). Since they are being conformed to the glorious image of Jesus, who is the embodiment of grace and truth, it is fitting that Christ’s disciples too are called “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14, 16). They have come to Christ to receive life (cp. Eph. 5:13–14) and thus are possessors and givers of light (1 Thess. 5:5; Rom. 13:12; Eph. 5:8; Phil. 2:15; cp. :35). Like Paul (a prototypical disciple), they too are called “to open their [the Jewish people’s and the rest of the nations’] eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in Me (Jesus]” (Acts 26:18 HCSB). As sons of light, they bear fruit in all goodness, righteousness, and truth (Eph. 5:9) and bring glory to the Father (Matt. 5:16).4

4 Tan, R. K. J. (2003, p. 1040).