Jesus: The True Light of the WorldSample

Let’s take a closer look at each of these three phrases the apostle John uses in John 1:9, beginning with the idea of the true Light.

1.“There was the true Light …”(John 1:9a, NASB95)

John is talking about the true Light, who existed before time and space. In another of John’s writings, we learn that “God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5, NASB95). In fact, His first words to creation were, "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3, NASB95). And there it was.

John 1 points us back to Genesis 1, where physical light was created by the One who IS light, the eternal generator of light—true Light.

In the fields of science, philosophy, and religion, there is a great deal of discussion about light. What is the nature of light in its very essence? That’s the physicist’s question. But what is its meaning? How does it function as a metaphor and symbol? That’s the question for the philosopher and theologian.

Nearly every religion of the world and every philosophy in the world must consider light. Without it, they cannot see. If they say there is no light, they are experiencing darkness. But there is unbelievable hope and joy in light, even at a very basic level.

Recently, my young granddaughter was here. As we chatted, I asked her, "What are the benefits of light?" She said, "To see it all." She’s right. There is no visible range possible without light.

Light allows us to see in the darkness, to see a path, to solve difficulties. My granddaughter and I made a list of things light helps us to do. We wrote down things like: it gives perspective, it helps us to see danger, it shows us things we haven’t seen before. That’s what true light does.

It is also possible to experience false or faulty light. Candles are not permanent lights. Battery-charged cell phone lights eventually give up. Recently, there was a massive power outage in the country where I currently live. People couldn’t recharge their electric cars, and then they couldn’t recharge the batteries in their phones.

Contrast that idea with eternally generated continuous light, the true Light, that has come into the world.