John 8:12

Jesus the Light of the World. John 8, 12-30.

Christ's statement and the Jews' objection : V. 12. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the Light of the world; he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life.

Jesus told His hearers: I am the Light of the world.

He may have alluded to two ceremonies of the Jews. It was customary to light the four great candelabra in the Court of the Women on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, with appropriate ceremonies. Their light shone forth over the entire city and the vicinity and signified that salvation was to come from the Jews.

But He may also have had reference to a ceremony on the day after the official close of the festival, the "feast of joy for the Law." On that day all the sacred books were taken out of the chest where they were commonly kept, and a lighted candle was put in their place, in allusion to Prov. 6, 23 or Ps. 119, 105.

Jesus is the true Light of the world; from Him, as the Fountainhead and source of all spiritual enlightenment, the rays of salvation and glory have gone forth to illumine all men, John 1, 7-9; Is. 49, 6; 60, 3. 19.

Any follower, any believer in Jesus, has not merely a chart, but a Guide, an infallible Leader. He will never lead the way into darkness but will scatter the darkness in the way of His followers. And He gives such light to the souls of men through faith in Him, that it will serve as a lodestar for them to the everlasting mansions of life above. All darkness of ignorance, infidelity, and sin is dispelled before the illumination of Christ in the gospel, until finally the glorious light of heaven will definitely put an end to all hiding and obscuring veils and present the Savior in the everlasting glory of His work of redemption. The salvation of Christ, therefore, consists in this, that He gives the true, divine life.

"To follow Christ means to obey His words, to preach that He has Buffered and died for us; that is to obey His words in faith. He that believes on Him, clings to Him, trusts in Him, he will be saved, he follows Christ in faith, he holds on to the Light" (Luther, 8, 142).