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Theology

Light

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ January 5, 2003 ⋅ Post a comment

Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 1-008 (Theology)

Living Words of the New Testament, by Rev Dr Leon Morris

LIGHT

I have found twenty-four different words for “light” in the Bible. There is no great difference in meaning, but together they show that light is a very important concept. It was the first thing created (Gen. 1:3), and from then on is much before us.

Of great importance are the passages that link light and God. Thus light is like his garment (Ps. 104:2); light lives with God (Dan. 2:22). The Psalmist sings, “The Lord is my light” (Ps. 27:1; 2 Sam. 22:29; Isa.10:17). So it is that “God is light and in him is no darkness at all” (1 Jn. 1:5; see also 1 Tim. 6:16; 1 Jn. 1:7; Jas. 1:17). In heaven there is no need of sun or moon to give light, because God himself is the light (Rev. 21:23; 22:5).

As light is linked with God, so it is linked with Jesus: “In him was life, and the life was the light of men” (Jn. 1:4). John goes on to say, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (v. 5). There is a conflict between good and evil, and this is naturally expressed as a fight between light and darkness (cf. Lk. 22:53). But John is emphasizing that the darkness is not victorious. The light wins. It keeps shining.

Jesus is “the light of the world” (Jn. 8:12; 9:5; cf. 12:46). All the light anyone has comes from him, for ultimately there is no other light. It is important to see that light has come into the world, and everything depends on how we react to the light; to love darkness is the final condemnation (Jn. 3:19).

God’s people are “sons of light” (Lk. 16:8; Jn. 12:35-36; 1 Thess. 5:5; cf. Eph. 5:8); they are called out of darkness (1 Pet. 2:9). So light describes their whole way of life (Mt. 5:14). They “walk in the light, as he is in the light” (1 Jn. 1:7). This links up with love, for anyone who hates is in darkness (1 Jn. 2:9; cf. 2 Cor. 6:14). It is important to remember that light is meant to shine precisely in the darkness (Phil. 2:15; cf. Rom. 13:12; Eph. 5:8-9). We must not be depressed by the darkness we encounter. We are meant to shine right there.

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Rev Dr Leon Morris is an internationally recognised New Testament scholar, theologian and author, from Melbourne Australia.

This feature series of ‘Living Words of the New Testament’ appeared in ‘Daily Notes’, published by Scripture Union.