John 8:12 12Again, then, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”
The verse begins with again, connecting it with what came before. The dialogue between Jesus and the Pharisees picks up where 7:52 ends (see the textual issue of 7:53-8:11). This verse is one of the significant “I am” sayings of John. This verse introduces another aspect of the dialogue that took place after the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles. The setting continues to be Jerusalem, and the assumed location is in the temple courts. The lighting of candles and lamps was part of the ancient feast. Jesus picks up on this common imagery to make another significant point that shows how he is the fulfillment of this particular aspect of Jewish practice and the Scriptures that support it. The audience is simply identified as the generic them (Greek indirect object autois), with the assumed antecedent being the crowds of people who gathered around him to listen to his teaching.
The is the second “I am” statement with a predicate following. John has already identified Jesus as the light in 1:4. Many parts of this Gospel fit together with various themes repeated multiple times. Light is an important metaphor in the Bible and particularly in John’s writings. One meaning of light is in reference to God’s holy presence. Israel experienced God’s presence as extraordinary light as the fled Egypt in passages like Exodus 14:19-25. When God’s presence filled the temple, there was light. Many other passages could be mentioned around this theme. Another theme is found in Psalm 27:1 where God is called light and salvation. Light represents hope and salvation in a dark and lost world (John 1:5; 3:19). Those who heard Jesus likely knew many of these passages.
Jesus came into the world with the light of revelation. This revelation was expected, new, but consistent and in fulfillment of the old revelation. He came to reveal God’s character in a way people could understand, see, feel, and experience. He showed God’s love, holiness, compassion, mercy, patience, and every other aspect mentioned in the Old Testament. A new light was dawning on the human experience.
Jesus also came with the promise of the last part of this verse. Jesus sets out the key decision one must make. The statement is given as a condition with a promise. Following him is the primary evidence of the faith mentioned throughout John’s Gospel. The disciples followed Jesus with the belief that he was the promised Messiah and source of hope and life (1:37, 40, 43). It was not enough to follow Jesus in a fickle crowd (6:2). Each person must believe in Jesus and accept his words as truth. The word follow (akolouthōn) implies obedience to Jesus’ invitation and commands.
Obedience is shown by not walking in darkness. In John’s writings, darkness has the sense of ignorance, rebellion, sin, and rejecting God’s revelation in Jesus (3:19-21). The image in one’s mind is of being lost, stumbling, deception, and living the way one wants. The result of obedience is receiving the light of life. Life in John’s Gospel refers especially to eternal life after resurrection, but this new life can begin to be experienced during our earthly existence. The stories of the woman caught in adultery from the previous passage and the Samaritan woman at the well in chapter 4 illustrate this well. Each of these women experienced new life, opportunity, and purpose after meeting Jesus. The metaphor of light represents the same message of hope to all who believe in Jesus.
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