 John 1:4-5
" In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. " John 1:4-5
So far we have discussed John 1:1-3 and have learned the reason John wrote his book. We have learned the reason Jesus created all things, and that "in the beginning" indicates the reason Jesus got things started and that reason was to save us from our sins. We have learned that Jesus is God and was with God in the beginning of creation and that Jesus Himself as God had no beginning as creation itself does, which He created.
The Greek word ' autou ' translated " him " literally means in that place, there.
The idea here is that John again is directing our faith to Jesus the
" Logos " or " Word " as being the source of all things including our life, our very existence. We must remember that the whole Bible, being God's word to us is intended to exalt Jesus, God's Son, the person God Himself became to manifest Himself, His nature, His heart, His mind, to us. The importance of Jesus and resting our faith in Jesus cannot be emphasized enough. Jesus is the way God chose to manifest Himself to us and the only way He has given us to make it to Heaven. Consequently, merely believing in God, the Almighty, a Supreme being, a higher power, a creator, deity, a divine person, the supernatural, or even believing in one God instead of many gods, etc... is not enough.
James said ;" You believe there is one God. You do well: also the demons believe and tremble. " James 2:19
" In him was life;" - the Greek word ' zoe ' translated "life" literally means an all round existence including us being the vessel receiving the breath of God and becoming a living soul created by God, our intellect and ability to communicate with each other and God. This includes our ability to function. The idea here is that John is telling us that Jesus is the very source of our existence. We live because He lives. Everything exists and functions because of Jesus. As Hebrews says;
"... and upholding all things by the word of His power..." Hebrews 1:3
Continuing on to the next phrase;
"...and the life was the light of men. " - the Greek word 'phos" translated "light" literally means flawless perfection, pure, inaccessible to human comprehension, free from imperfection, the light (or way) which leads us to the true life ( eternal life ), the exposure of God's true nature. Incredible importance indicated here in this verse. John is strongly emphasizing that Jesus is the lamp that gives the correct light needed to find our way to Heaven.
"And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. " - the Greek word 'skotia' translated " darkness" literally means darkness due to want of daylight, unseen, ignorance of divine things, wickedness resulting in misery. This is definitely us after the fall of Adam and Eve.
"...and the darkness comprehended it not. " - the Greek work 'katalaben' translated " comprehended it not " actually literally means to seize, to overtake, to seize with hostile intent, can also mean understand. In the Greek this phrase actually says, and the darkness did not overtake the light.
Since the Greek could be interpreted in this way as well, this might explain what Jesus meant when He said;
" And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. " Matthew 11:12
The indication here is that some listeners of John the Baptist's preaching, as he was directing people to Jesus ahead of His coming, apparently tried ignorantly to seize Heaven somehow by attempting to forcibly enter into it in ways other than Jesus, the only way John the Baptist was preaching to them.
This reminds me of a story about a man who requested that his rifle be placed in his coffin when he died. His reasoning for this was: In the resurrection, if Peter did not let him into Heaven he would blast his way in. Supposedly this was a true story. It was told by a teacher who was trying to make a point about the importance of granting a dying person his last request out of respect.
I think also that the Greek in this phrase emphasizes all the more the importance of when Jesus said;
" These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. " John 16:33 - the Greek words ' ego nenikeka' translated "I have overcome" literally means conquer.
The Greek word 'kosmon' translated "world" literally means the world as an enemy of God.
The darkness could not overtake the light- John 1:5 because Jesus (the light) conquered the darkness.
In other words, Jesus being the pure correct light leading us the correct and only way to Heaven conquered the ignorant darkness of us who were attempting violently to enter Heaven by our own misconstrued measures in contrast to God and His plan.
Join me again next Wednesday as we continue with verse 6 of John chapter one.
Also, join me each Sunday for a new devotional.
Wayne Brown |