Jesus is the Light of the world

John 12:44-50

44Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. 46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

47"As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. 48There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. 49For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. 50I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."

12:44 耶穌大聲說：「信我的，不是信我，乃是信那差我來的。12:45 人看見我，就是看見那差我來的。12:46 我到世上來，乃是光，叫凡信我的，不住在黑暗裏。12:47 若有人聽見我的話不遵守，我不審判他。我來本不是要審判世界，乃是要拯救世界。12:48 棄絕我、不領受我話的人，有審判他的─就是我所講的道在末日要審判他。12:49 因為我沒有憑著自己講，惟有差我來的父已經給我命令，叫我說甚麼，講甚麼。12:50 我也知道他的命令就是永生。故此，我所講的話正是照著父對我所說的。」

一、中心內容：

內容：
1>主耶穌表明：相信祂，就是相信差祂來的上帝（祂就是上帝）。（v44-45）

Jesus states: Whoever believes in Him, believes in the One who sent Him. (v44-45)
2>主耶穌表明：祂就是世界的光。（v46）

Jesus states: He is the Light of the world. (46)
3>主耶穌表明：祂來不是為審判世界，乃是為拯救世界。（v47）

Jesus stated: He did not come to judge but to save the world. (v47)
4>主耶穌指出：祂所講的道，末日將要審判凡拒絕接受祂話語的人。（v48）

Jesus pointed out: The words He spoke would judge whoever did not accept at the last day. (v48)

5>主耶穌指出：祂完全遵照上帝的命令說話。（v49-50）
Jesus pointed out: He spoke what God commanded Him. (v49-50)
主題：
1>耶穌是世界的光。Jesus is the Light of the world.
2>非為審判，乃為拯救。Not to judge but to save.


二、上帝、耶穌基督、聖靈是誰？
1>與上帝原為一的耶穌基督。（v44-45）

Jesus Christ and God are One. (v44-45)
2>差派耶穌基督到世上的上帝。（v44-45）

God sent Jesus Christ to the world. (v44-45)
3>被上帝差派到世上的耶穌基督。（v44-45）

Jesus Christ was sent into the world by God. (v44-45)
4>世界的光耶穌基督。（v46）

Jesus Christ is the Light of the world. (v46)
5>拯救世人的耶穌基督。（v47）

Jesus Christ saves the world. (v47)
6>道（話語）帶著權柄的耶穌基督。（v48）

Jesus Christ’s word is of power and authority. (v48)
7>完全順服上帝的耶穌基督。（v49-50）

Jesus Christ is fully obedient to God. )v49-50)
8>命令帶給人永恆生命的上帝。（v50）

God’s command leads to eternal life. (v50)

三、給我的教訓（命令、應允、榜樣、責備、警告）是什麼？
1>耶穌與父原為一 Jesus and God are One
耶穌大聲說：「信我的，不是信我，乃是信那差我來的。人看見我，就是看見那差我來的。
（v44-45）

44Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. (V44-45)
主 耶穌在世上的年日，經常表明祂與上帝之間，那份十分親密的關係。在這段經文當中，主耶穌又透過另外一種方式，來表明祂與上帝之間的關係，就是說：信我的， 不是信我，乃是信那差我來的；人看見我，就是看見那差我來的。既然：相信主耶穌，就是相信上帝；看見主耶穌，就是看見上帝。因此，事實非常清楚，主耶穌就 是上帝，因為祂與上帝原為一。

While Jesus was on the earth, He often expressed the intimate relationship He had with God. In this passage, He expressed it again in another way, He said that whoever believed in Him, not only believed in Him but also believed in the One who sent Him. Whoever saw Him, not only saw Him but also saw the One who sent Him. Since that whoever believes in Jesus believes in God; whoever sees Jesus sees God. It is clear that Jesus is God, because He and God are One.
反省：針對主耶穌與父上帝的關係，或有關三位一體的教義，我有多少認識？
Reflection: How much do I know about the relationship between Jesus and God the Father; or the doctrine of the Trinity?
2>耶穌是世界的光 Jesus is the Light of the world
我到世上來，乃是光，叫凡信我的，不住在黑暗裏。（v46）

46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. (v46)
在 主耶穌的教導當中，經常以「光」與「暗」作為比喻。光就是代表祂自己，暗就是代表撒旦的勢力。來自撒旦黑暗的勢力，專門破壞人與上帝之間的關係，使人拒絕 上帝的救恩。所以主耶穌來到世上，就是要消滅黑暗的勢力，使世人行在光明之中。耶穌又對眾人說：「我是世界的光。跟從我的，就不在黑暗裏走，必要得著生命 的光。（約翰福音8:12）此刻，主耶穌再次表明：祂到世上來，乃是光，叫凡信祂的，不住在黑暗裏。

Jesus often used the allusion of light and darkness when He taught. He Himself is the light and darkness represents Satan’s domination. Whatever comes from Satan destroys the relationship between God and humanity; it leads to humanity’s rejection of God. Thus, Jesus comes to eradicate the domination of darkness in this world and to lead people to walk in the light. Jesus said in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Once again, Jesus declared that He came to the world as a light and whoever believed in Him should not live in the darkness.
反省：相信主耶穌、跟隨主耶穌的我，是否照著主的心意，行走在主的光明中？
Reflection: As a believer and a follower in Christ, do I follow His will and walk in His light?
3>耶穌來為救世界 Jesus came to save the world
有人聽見我的話不遵守，我不審判他。我來本不是要審判世界，乃是要拯救世界。（v47）

47"As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. (v47)
有 人誤以為主耶穌來到世上，就是要審判這世界。其實不是，祂來的目的，乃是要拯救世界。約翰福音三章十六節說：上帝愛世人，甚至將祂的獨生子賜給他們，叫一 切信祂的，不致滅亡，反得永生。信祂得永生，這就是拯救。約翰福音五章廿四節，主耶穌說：我實實在在的告訴你們，那聽我話，又信差我來者的，就有永生，不 至於定罪，是已經出死入生了。這還是永生。因此，主耶穌的降世，不為審判，乃為拯救。

Some people have a misconception that Jesus comes to judge the world. In fact, He comes to save it. John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[f] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This is salvation. John 5:24, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” Again, this is salvation. Thus, Jesus comes into the world not to judge but to save.
反省：主耶穌所帶來這份救恩，我是否經歷？我是否領受？是否分享？
Reflection: Have I experienced, received and shared with others the salvation Jesus has brought us?
4>話語為顯罪準繩 It is Jesus’ words who judges
棄絕我、不領受我話的人，有審判他的─就是我所講的道在末日要審判他。（v48）

48There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. (V48)
主 耶穌表明：凡是棄絕祂、不領受祂話語的人，將有審判他的，就是祂所講的道，末日要審判他。然而，這句話真正的意義，應該不是主耶穌將施行審判，也不是主耶 穌的道將施行審判。比較正確的瞭解應該是：主耶穌所講的話語（道）是一種準繩，就像國家所頒佈的律法，或道路交通規則一樣。有了法律、交通規則，才能顯出 什麼行為違法、犯罪。所以應該說，主耶穌的話語指出行為準則，自己所行違背的行為才帶來審判。

Jesus said, “There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.” However, it does not indicate that Jesus is the one who condemns or that His words will condemn. It would be more accurate for us to perceive His words this way: Jesus’ words are guidelines which are like a country’s edict, or traffic rules. Laws and rules bring crimes to light. So it should be put this way: Jesus’ words are the standard for human conduct, and condemnation will be brought only on those whose conduct is against Jesus’ words.
反省：我是否珍惜主的話語？又：針對末日的審判，我如何預備？如何面對？如何防範？
Reflection: Do I treasure Jesus’ words? How can I prepare myself for the judgment at the last day? How will I face it? How can I prevent myself from the condemnation?
5>完全順服父上帝 Being fully obedient to God
因為我沒有憑著自己講，惟有差我來的父已經給我命令，叫我說甚麼，講甚麼。我也知道他的命令就是永生。故此，我所講的話正是照著父對我所說的。（v49-50）

49For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. 50I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say." (V49-50)
主耶穌完全順服上帝，包括所說的話，都是根據上帝的命令。換句話說，上帝叫祂說，祂才說；上帝沒有叫祂說，祂就不說。主耶穌在「順服」一事上，又留下了美好的典範！

Jesus is fully obedient to God; whatever He says is of God’s command. In other words, He says what God commands Him to. He says nothing, if God does not command Him. Again, Jesus shows a good example of being obedient to God.
反省：我是傳道人，就是傳講上帝話語的人。我所傳講的，是否忠於上帝的心意？或者較多傳
講自己的意思？我如何靈修默想？如何預備講章？
Reflection: I am a preacher who speaks God’s words. Do I faithfully preach according to God’s will or is it more of my own? How do I go about with my daily devotions and my meditation? How do I prepare the sermon?
6>祂的命令是永生 His command leads to eternal life
我也知道他的命令就是永生。故此，我所講的話正是照著父對我所說的。（v50）

50I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say." (v50)
「他 的命令就是永生」這句話的意思就是：上帝的命令、上帝的話語，會帶來永恆的生命。約翰福音5:24說：我實實在在地告訴你們，那聽我話、又信差我來者的， 就有永生；不至於定罪，是已經出死入生了。約翰福音5:39又說：你們查考聖經（或譯：應當查考聖經），因你們以為內中有永生；給我作見證的就是這經。

“His command leads to eternal life,” it means God’s command and words bring forth eternal life. John 5:24 “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” Again in John 5:39, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me.”
反省：上帝的命令、上帝的話語，會帶來永恆的生命，我是否渴慕追尋、虛心領受？
Reflection: Since God’s commands and words lead to eternal life, do I hunger and thirst for them; do I humbly receive them?
四、我的禱告 / 實際應用

Translated by 曾秀娟