John 1:5

‘And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not lay hold of it.'

John now turns to the purpose of His coming. His first emphasis here is on the fact that the world is in darkness. It is ever waiting for light. And just as at creation darkness had to be brought into subjection by the creation of light, so must spiritual darkness be overcome by spiritual light, the light of God. Into the prevailing darkness light must come (Genesis 1:3). Both Greek and Jew would have agreed that this was so. The Greek would have agreed that they were still seeking greater knowledge and understanding, the Jew that they needed more light on the Torah. Thus both would have agreed that, while considering themselves more enlightened than others, they were still short of the full light. Now, says John, here is that full light. The light of the world (John 8:12) has come.

John here surely has initially in mind the ‘conflict' between light and darkness in Genesis 1:3 (compare how Paul uses the same idea in 2 Corinthians 4:4). God created light thus putting darkness to flight, and then had to separate the two so that the darkness could not overcome the light. Every night darkness overtakes the world, although not completely because of God-given moon and stars (even at its height darkness is still controlled), and every day the victory of darkness is prevented because the sun rises and puts it to flight (compare Psalms 19:1 for the idea of the importance of the sun. See Psalms 74:16 for the fact that God controls both day and night by means of ‘the luminary and the sun'. See also Psalms 136:7). That is why in the end the cessation of the light of the sun, moon and stars is seen as an essential part of God's judgments. When judgment comes light will be destroyed and darkness will overcome the world (Isaiah 13:9; Isaiah 34:4; Ezekiel 32:7; Joel 2:31; Joel 3:15; Amos 8:9; Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24; Revelation 6:12; Revelation 8:12). Thus judgment will result in the world once again being plunged into eternal darkness. But in contrast those who are His will enjoy the Lord Who will be their everlasting light (Isaiah 60:19).

But just as the Old Testament does in places John spiritualises the idea. There can be little doubt from the language that he uses that he has Isaiah 9:2 in mind. There to those who ‘walked in darkness' and ‘dwelt in darkness' there was to ‘shine a great light', and that light was connected with the coming of the expected King who would make all right (John 9:5). Thus when we read here that ‘the light shone in the darkness', and that Jesus later speaks of ‘walking in darkness' (John 8:12; John 12:35) and ‘abiding in darkness' (John 12:46) we can hardly fail to see a connection. This is especially so as Matthew cites the same verse in relation to the ministry of Jesus (Matthew 4:15). Thus the shining of the light in the darkness has in mind the coming of the Messiah.

The writer deals regularly with the theme of spiritual darkness (compare Micah 3:6; 2 Samuel 22:29). The world is in darkness. It is the sphere where men can hide from their sinfulness - ‘men loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil' (John 3:19; compare Proverbs 2:13; Proverbs 4:19; Isaiah 5:20; Isaiah 58:10). That is why they do not respond to Jesus Christ because they do not want to come into the light. It is the sphere in which men walk blindly on. Thus in John 8:12 and John 12:46 we are told that those who follow Jesus ‘will not walk or abide in darkness' (compare Isaiah 9:2; Isaiah 50:10; Isaiah 59:9; Psalms 107:10). And most importantly in John 12:35 it is the sphere which should be avoided at all costs (which can now be accomplished because the light has come - Isaiah 9:2; Isaiah 60:2). ‘Walk while you have the light that darkness may not overtake you' says Jesus in John 12:35. There the verb is the same as here. So to be in darkness is to be away from the truth as revealed through Jesus.

But now, says John, in contrast the Light has come (compare Isaiah 9:2; Isaiah 60:1). Jesus, God's very Word manifest as a human being, has come with the light of life to dispel that darkness. He is Himself as a light shining in the darkness, and as that Light He will make men aware of their sinfulness and need, and lead them into truth by bringing them to Himself. As Jesus would say later, ‘I am the light of the world, he who walks with me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life' (John 8:12). Through Him it is possible for us to walk continually in God's light (1 John 1:7), and this through enjoying His life, through being ‘born of God' (John 1:13).

Thus the word He has brought, and the truth He reveals and the life that He offers come as a light to men to take them out of darkness, and reveal to them full truth. That is why He is ‘the Word'. The Greeks thought of the light of reason, the Jews the light of the Torah. John is saying that Jesus has come to make that light fully effective within. He is a greater light than either Reason or the Torah. As he will say later, ‘the Torah was given by Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ' (John 1:17). This last is important because it brings out that finally it is the Hebrew thought that lies at the back of John's idea of Him as ‘the Word'. It is to be seen as in contrast to the Torah (as interpreted by men).

‘The darkness does not lay hold of it.' The Greek verb used here has more than one meaning. This could mean that although the light is shining men refuse to grasp it because they are in darkness, (light has come into the world, but men love darkness rather than light - John 3:19). Or it could mean that the darkness cannot ‘lay hold of it' and suppress it, cannot ‘overcome it', that this new light is triumphant over all the attempts of darkness to snuff it out. Both interpretations are true and would express John's thought accurately. The darkness is powerless against the true light. However, comparison with John 12:35 where Jesus speaks of ‘darkness laying hold of you' (same verb), picturing darkness as seeking to engulf men and prevent them responding to the light, suggests that the emphasis is on the second, and this is confirmed by the comparison with Isaiah 9:2. Darkness will never overcome this light, even though it will overtake those who refuse the light.

So the picture is of the Word of God coming with the light of life (‘eternal life' as it will often be spoken of from now on) and overcoming the darkness that blinds mankind. Truth has come. Darkness will be dispelled for those who respond, just as it was dispelled at the beginning. The Word has brought life (John 1:13; John 3:15; John 5:24; John 8:12; and often). And in receiving His life we receive light. It is this reception of life that is a central theme of the Gospel (John 20:31. See John 3:15; John 3:36; John 4:14; John 4:36; John 5:24; John 5:26; John 5:29; John 5:39; John 6:27; John 6:33; John 6:35; John 6:40; John 6:47; John 6:51; John 6:53; John 6:63; John 6:68; John 8:12; John 10:10; John 10:28; John 11:25; John 12:25; John 12:50; John 14:6; John 17:2; John 20:21). Specific mention of the light-giving aspect is mainly concentrated in Chapter s 8-12 (John 8:12; John 9:5; John 11:9; John 12:35; John 12:46; but note John 3:19). And it is no accident that, continuing the parallel with the creation account, in John 20:22 Jesus breathes on His disciples with the breath of life, the Holy Spirit (compare Genesis 2:7). The Gospel will conclude where it began with the triumph of God's new creation as he imparts His light-giving life.

The centrality of Jesus as the source of our life will come out later in those sayings which take us right into the heart of God, the ‘I AM' sayings. ‘I am the bread of life' (John 6:35). ‘I am the light of the world -- (bringing) the light of life' (John 8:12) ‘I am the resurrection and the life' (John 11:25). ‘I am the way, the truth and the life' (John 14:6). Our life as His people is totally bound up in Him. ‘He who has the Son, has life' (1 John 5:12).

But now there is a sudden change in emphasis. Up to this point John has been somewhat philosophical, looking at the grand scope of things. But now he goes on to ground the idea of the coming of the Word firmly in history. For the Word ‘was made flesh and dwelt among us' (John 1:14). He wants them therefore to know that he is not writing simply in order to bring some new ideas for men to consider. Rather he is writing in order to introduce them to the Word as One Who is made flesh and living among us (John 1:14). The dispelling of spiritual darkness by the Light has become an actuality. And that is what the Gospel will go on to reveal.