Light of the World

"Light of the World"(Greek:φώς τοῦ κόσμουPhṓs toukósmou) is a phraseJesusused to describe himself and hisdisciplesin theNew Testament.^[1]The phrase is recorded in the Gospels ofMatthew(5:14–16) andJohn(8:12). It is closely related to the parables ofsalt and lightandlamp under a bushel,which also appear in Jesus'Sermon on the Mount.

Gospel accounts

Referring to himself

InJohn 8:12Jesus applies the title to himself while debating with the Jews and states:^[1]

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

Jesus again claims to be Light of the World inJohn 9:5,during the miracle ofhealing the blind at birth,saying: ^[2]

When I am in the world, I am the Light of the World.

This episode leads intoJohn 9:39where Jesus metaphorically explains that he came to this world, so that the blind may see.^[2]

In theChristologicalcontext, the use of the title Light of the World is similar to theBread of Lifetitle inJohn 6:35where Jesus states: "I am the bread of life: he who comes to me shall not hunger."^[3]These assertions build on the Christological theme ofJohn 5:26where Jesus claims to possess life just as theFatherdoes and provide it to those who follow him.^[3]^[4]The term "Life of the World" is applied in the same sense by Jesus to himself inJohn 6:51.^[2]

Light is defined as life, as seen inJohn 1:4,"In him was life; and the life was the light of men". Those who have faith through him will have eternal life. In John's Gospel, "darkness is present in the absence of light; the absence ofeternal life,"and darkness referring to death, spiritually.^[5]

Referring to his disciples

Jesus also used that term to refer to his disciples inMatthew 5:14:^[1]

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.^[6]

This application of "light compared with darkness" also appears in1 John 1:5which applies it to God and states: "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all".^[7]

Johannine Dualism

Light and darkness in John's Gospel is anantithesisthat has symbolic meaning and is essential to understanding the author of John. The fourth gospel expresses certain ideas using the antithesis more frequently than any other writings in the New Testament. TheJohannine communitymay have borrowed the symbolic use of the antithesis Light–Darkness fromEsseneliterature, "which considered History as a permanent conflict between Good and Evil, using Light as a symbol of Truth and Righteousness and Darkness as that of Falsehood and Evil".^[8]

Examples ofdualisticconcepts in the Gospel of John:

Light	Darkness
Known	Unknown
Jesus Christ	Moses
Heavenly	Earthly
Above	Not Above
Spirit	Flesh
Sight	Blindness
Insiders	World
Day	Night

Extra-biblical sources

In theextra-canonical Gospel of Thomas,a used similar phrase appears, "There is light within a man of light, and he lights up the whole world. If he does not shine, he is darkness".^[9]

Light is a recurring theme inGnosticreligions such asManichaeism^[10]andMandaeism.^[11]

References

^^a ^b ^cNames and Titles of the Lord Jesus Christby Charles Spear 2003ISBN 0-7661-7467-0page 226
^^a ^b ^cNew Testament christologyby Frank J. Matera 1999ISBN 0-664-25694-5page 235
^^a ^bChristology in Contextby Marinus de Jonge 1988ISBN 978-0-664-25010-2page 147
^The person of Christby Gerrit Cornelis Berkouwer 1954ISBN 0-8028-4816-8page 163
^Baylis, Charles P., "The Meaning of Walking" In the Darkness "(1 John 1:6)." Bibliotheca Sacra 149, no. 594 (1992). 219
^Matthew 5:14–16,New International Version
^Johnby H. A. Ironside 2006ISBN 0-8254-2915-3pages 199-202
^Trocmé, E. (1995). Light and Darkness in the Fourth Gospel. Disdaskalia (Otterburne, Man.), 6(2), 3-13
^Gospel of Thomas,24
^Tardieu, Michel (2008).Manichaeism.University of Illinois Press.ISBN 978-0-252-03278-3.
^Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002).The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people.New York: Oxford University Press.ISBN 0-19-515385-5.OCLC 65198443.

External links

Media related toLight of the worldat Wikimedia Commons

[Spear226-1] Names and Titles of the Lord Jesus Christby Charles Spear 2003ISBN 0-7661-7467-0page 226

[Matera235-2] New Testament christologyby Frank J. Matera 1999ISBN 0-664-25694-5page 235

[Jonge-3] Christology in Contextby Marinus de Jonge 1988ISBN 978-0-664-25010-2page 147

[4] The person of Christby Gerrit Cornelis Berkouwer 1954ISBN 0-8028-4816-8page 163

[5] Baylis, Charles P., "The Meaning of Walking" In the Darkness "(1 John 1:6)." Bibliotheca Sacra 149, no. 594 (1992). 219

[6] Matthew 5:14–16,New International Version

[7] Johnby H. A. Ironside 2006ISBN 0-8254-2915-3pages 199-202

[8] Trocmé, E. (1995). Light and Darkness in the Fourth Gospel. Disdaskalia (Otterburne, Man.), 6(2), 3-13

[9] Gospel of Thomas,24

[10] Tardieu, Michel (2008).Manichaeism.University of Illinois Press.ISBN 978-0-252-03278-3.

[Buckley_2002-11] Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002).The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people.New York: Oxford University Press.ISBN 0-19-515385-5.OCLC 65198443.

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v t e Sermon on the Mount
Sermon on the Plain
Attributed to	Jesus(Matthew 5,6,and 7)
Teachings	Beatitudes Salt and light City upon a Hill Lamp under a bushel Light of the World Turning the other cheek Love your enemies Lord's Prayer The Birds of the Air Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof The Mote and the Beam Golden Rule The Tree and its Fruits False prophet Wolf in sheep's clothing The Wise and Foolish Builders
Related	Ministry of Jesus parables Five Discourses of Matthew Life of Jesus in the New Testament Mount of Beatitudes Our Lord's Sermon on the Mount(4th century book) The Kingdom of God Is Within You(1894 book)