Jesus Christ is the Light of the world

John 8:12-20

12When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
13The Pharisees challenged him, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid."
14Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. 15You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 16But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. 18I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me."
19Then they asked him, "Where is your father?"
"You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also." 20He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come.

 
一、 Content

1>（v12）Jesus Christ proclaimed that He is the Light of the world. Thus, whoever follows Him will receive the Light of life.
2>（v13）Pharisees challenged Jesus Christ by saying, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid."
3>（v14-18）Jesus used "Knowing myself" and "Standing with the Father" as reasons to support his claim of "My testimony is valid" to defend Himself
4>（v19）People asked Him, "Where is your father?" Jesus replied "You do not know me or my Father, if you knew me; you would know my Father also." 
 
5>（v20） V.20 stated the location where Jesus preached and mentioned that His time had not yet come, thus no one seized Him.

Subject: Jesus Christ is the Light of the world

二、Who is God, Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit? 
 

1>（v12）Jesus Christ is the Light of the world (the Light of life)

2>（v16）God sent Jesus Christ into the world.

3>（v16）Jesus Christ was sent into the world by God

4>（v16）God’s presence is always with Jesus Christ.
5>（v16）Jesus Christ is always in God’s presence.

6>（v18）God testifies for Jesus Christ.
7>（v19）Father God and Jesus Christ are one. 
 
8>（v19） Jesus Christ and Father God are one.


三、What did I learn from the lesson (command, promise, example, blame, and warning)?


1>Jesus Christ is the Light of the world


When Jesus spoke to the people again, he said, "I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life." （v12）Jesus often used parables to proclaim His true identity while He was with us in this world. For example: "I am the bread of life." （6:35）, "I am the gate"（10:9）, "I am the good shepherd." （10:11）, "I am the true vine"（15:1）, "I am the way and the truth and the life." （14:6）. Here, Jesus proclaimed that He is the Light of the world and emphasized that whoever follows Him will never walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life.


 
Reflection: Concerning the identity of Lord Jesus, which include: the bread of life, the gate, the good shepherd; the true vine, the way and the truth and the life, the light of life, etc.… have I thoroughly meditated on each of them? What is my relationship with Lord Jesus? Do I walk in the light instead of walking in sin and darkness for the sake of Jesus Christ,?


2>Away from sin and darkness

When Jesus spoke to the people again, he said, "I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." （v12）Those who have experienced walking or driving in the dark understands the importance of light. With light, we can see the direction and destination and avoid danger around us. The world is controlled by Satan and thus there is no truth. Therefore, the whole world is overwhelmed by darkness resulting in people’s lives becoming "chaotic and out of order, deprived of meaning and without direction". Because the Lord Jesus is the Light of life, He brings order to all humanity, brings back the meaning and the direction of life to mankind. Sin will be revealed when the light of Jesus Christ shines.


Reflection: Is my life built in order with meaning and direction because of Jesus Christ? Have all the hidden sins in my life been revealed, shone upon, purified and cleaned by Jesus Christ?



3>Only God can judge

13The Pharisees challenged him, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid." 14Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. 15You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 16But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. （v13-16）

Human beings judge by outward appearance, but God sees the heart. Human beings can misjudge, but God never does. Jesus Christ is God; He and God are one. Therefore, His judgment is reliable. As human beings, we do not have the authority nor the wisdom to judge. Only Jesus Christ has the authority and wisdom to judge.


Reflection: Do I always hold a self-righteous attitude or see myself as a judge so that I criticize and place judgment on others? Remember! I am not flawless and I am also a sinner. Therefore, I should give the authority of judging others back to God.


4>Father and Son stay and work together 

"In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me." （v17-18）

According to the law, the validity of a testimony requires two witnesses. Therefore, the leader of the Jews countered Jesus’ testimony and reinforced that one person’s testimony can not be considered valid. However, Jesus retaliated that He was not alone and there is also the Father who sent Him to testify with Him. Obviously, the Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ are originally one. Especially when the Heavenly Father permanently stays with Lord Jesus Christ but He also works with Lord Jesus Christ as well.


Reflection: Heavenly Father not only stays and works with Jesus Christ, at the same time He is with us and He works with us as well. Do I believe this? Do I welcome it or not? Do I accept it? Do I understand it or not? 
 
5> Jesus Christ totally represents the Heavenly Father

（v19B）"You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also." （v19B）

Lord Jesus Christ answered the people who questioned Him, "You do not know me or my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also." John 1:18 said: "No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known." Clearly, the One and Only is Lord Jesus Christ.

When you know Lord Jesus Christ, you also know the Heavenly Father. Therefore, Jesus Christ can totally represent Heavenly Father. He is not only fully human but also fully God. Jesus Christ is part of the trinity.


Reflection: Do I get to know Lord Jesus Christ more thoroughly through reading the Bible and praying? And do I get to know the Heavenly Father through Lord Jesus Christ?

6>God’s time table
（v20）He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come. （v20）

God is excellent in planning. His perfect plans start from the whole human history down to every man’s daily life. His predestined plans included the birth of Jesus, his work, his crucifixion, his resurrection, his ascension, etc…. When Jesus was still in the world, even though he knew he was about to be crucified, he often said, “My time has not yet come.” In the book of John, these words are repeatedly found. For example: John 2:4, 7:30, 8:20, 12:23 and 27, 13:1, 17:1. Nothing is a coincidence in God’s hands, everything is planned.



Reflection: In my life or my service to God as someone who knows and serves Him, do I seek God’s will in everything I do? Do I follow God’s timing or do I follow my own?


Translated by 曾秀娟