12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
This is one of Jesus’ “I Am” statements. John identified Jesus as the light in the first chapter. Jesus spoke obliquely about being the light in chapters three and five. Now, he makes no bones about it. He is the light of the world. From Exodus 13:21 when the Lord appeared in a pillar of fire by night to light the way for Israel to Zechariah 14:7 when the Lord is the light of the world in the evening, God has always been associated with light.
During the Feast of Booths, there were two gigantic candles in the temple court that were lit each night. They were a reminder of the column of smoke and fire that led the Israelites as described in Exodus 13:21. When day approached, the candles were put out.[1]When Jesus arrived early in the morning to teach, the light of the world had arrived. Jesus’ declaration was a fitting time and place to identify himself to the people.
We must keep reminding ourselves and those who do not know Jesus that they are in darkness. The spiritual darkness that surrounds us before we come into the light of Jesus can have many degrees. There is the real spiritual darkness that is associated with Satan and his demons. As indicated by Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (ESV). We also have the darkness of our own sinful nature where we declare that good is evil and evil is good, and light is darkness and darkness is light (Isa 5:20). Then there is the darkness of depression and desperation when we can’t see the light. Job expressed this kind of darkness several times and in Job 30:26-27:
Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness. The churning inside me never stops; days of suffering confront me (NIV).
There is also the darkness of God’s wrath.
A day of wrath is that day, A day of trouble and distress, A day of destruction and desolation, A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness (Zeph 1:15 NASU).
All these forms of darkness flee from the Light of the World, Jesus. Satan and all his powers are defeated. In Revelation 20:1-3 it takes only one of Jesus’ angels to bind and throw Satan into the pit of his darkness. We overcome the darkness of our own sinful nature and even the depression and anxiety because of God’s light. We overcome when Jesus comes into our life and dwells in us giving us the fullness of God and his power working in us (Eph 3:17-21). We escape the darkness of the day of God’s wrath because there is no condemnation for anyone who is in Christ (Rom 8:1-2).
13 So the Pharisees said to him, "You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true." 14 Jesus answered, "Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me."
We’ve already discussed this accusation that Jesus was testifying to his own credentials and therefore not being sufficient under the Law. It was when we looked at John 5:31-40. It appears to be almost the same issue. This time, Jesus adds his warning of judgment to the discussion.
Pharisees were noted for judging others. It seems to be their whole purpose in life. They judged the common people, they judged anyone who didn’t follow their traditions. They had very recently judged a woman they had set up to trap Jesus. We can fall into the same trap of judging others. This is especially the case when we think we are doing quite well in a particular area of life and see others that are struggling to maintain a Christian walk in the same area. That is what judging by the flesh is. We look at the outward struggle of the person and judge their moral character as being insufficient. Instead of extending compassion and grace, we throw the Bible at them. We quote verses but seldom offer practical advice. When they react and get angry, we assume the worse.
Thankfully, Jesus and the Father judges us with compassion as Psalm 103:8-14 indicates.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust (NIV).
We can trust the Lord to be compassionate with us. This doesn’t give us license to sin, but it gives us the knowledge that he won’t give up on us. As Philippians 1:6 explains, we can be confident that he will keep working in us until we go to be with Jesus or he comes back. We should never give up hope in overcoming our sins.
19 They said to him therefore, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also." 20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
They thought they had Jesus when they asked where his father was. They had done their research and thought that Joseph was his father. Joseph isn’t mentioned and it is assumed that he had already died since Jesus entrusted his mother to John when he was crucified. We know that Jesus is speaking of God the Father and not of his adopted father on earth.
It just keeps getting back to this theme. If you know Jesus, you will know the Father. If you claim to know the Father but don’t know Jesus, then you are a liar and in deep spiritual trouble. Jesus will continue to teach this and the authorities can’t stop him. He will only be stopped by the cross and that is only a pause, not the end.
[1]A. R. Fausset, “TABERNACLES, FEAST OF,” in Fausset's Bible Dictionary(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984, Biblesoft Database, 2006).
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