In John 8:12, Jesus said, "I am the light of the world." This is the second of seven "I AM" statements. Jesus goes on to say that if we do not walk with Him then we walk in darkness. This is parallel to the statement made in chapter one that in Him is life and the life was the light of men and that light shines in the darkness. These are brilliant thoughts for meditation and many a great sermon has been preached on these beautiful thoughts. But to better appreciate these thoughts let's look at some background.
Again, Jesus has been at the feast of Tabernacles. This feast was designed as a memorial to God's care provided in the wilderness. In the last post we mentioned that two ceremonies had been added by New Testament times: a water procession and a light ceremony. Before we discuss the details of the light ceremony we need to discuss when Jesus spoke this phrase.
It was on the last day of the feast that He said, "If any man is thirsty let him come to Me and drink." But there is a problem knowing on what day He claimed to be the light of the world. If you think that John 7:53-8:11 belongs where it currently is, then Jesus claimed to be the light of the world the day after the feast had ended. However, if John 7:53-8:11 does not belong in its current location, Jesus probably made the claim on the last night of the feast. The implication of this issue will come back into play.
NOTE: some of this information varies depending on the source. However, the ultimate picture is still visible.
There was a light ceremony every night of the feast. In the midst of the court of women stood four great pillars. On the top of these pillars sat four giant bowls (16 total). These bowls were filled with oil and priestly garments were used as a fuse to light the oil. It is said that this light ceremony caused the entire city to be illuminated. For the Jew, this was a sign of the pillar of fire that led the Israelites by night.
It was either in the midst of this ceremony or the day after (when nothing was illuminated) that Jesus said, "I am the light of the world." He did not claim equality with the ceremony by saying, "I am the light of Jerusalem." He claimed superiority to the ceremony and to the feast by HE was the light of the WORLD.
No longer was the focal point going to be a ceremony. The focal point was, and is, Jesus.
In the next chapter Jesus would prove His claim by healing a man born blind. No where in Scripture had blindness been cured. In the Old Testament it was said that God gave sight and that God could heal the blind. But there is no record of it happening. It was to be a sign of Messianic times when the blind would receive sight.
In one brief period of time, Jesus claims to be and proves to be the light of the world.
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Christ knew his people and those who know him will gain so much from his word even as they did when he walked this earth. To see the temple lit-up would have brought out a special lesson to us. We also can learn that When we light up our "area" we should remember to what purpose. As Jerusalem maybe it was for self promotion or to boast their place and stature. When we get selfish and aim to bring glory to ourselves and not to Christ we lose our purpose for being. Christ was the light for His Children to have hope from Darkness. Not self promotion.
How many of us would light up ourselves knowing that the end result would be our death. Christ is the ONLY light, the only Hope that we have from the darkness. I thank him everyday for that light because if it were not for His light I would be Dark, Lost, and without Hope.
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