“In the Beginning was the Word” – Part three

“For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light” (Psa. 36:9 NKJV).

God had spoken, light came into being. He spoke again, there was life. All of this came out of where there had been darkness. He set in motion natural laws which perpetuate life. These events have their anti-typical counterparts. Before looking at the antitypes, we first consider some of the original words used by the Spirit in relation to “light.”

Matthew 5:15

“Neitherdo men light (kaio)a candle (luchnos), and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick (luchnia); and it giveth light (lampo).”

Kaio is a verb which means to set on fire, to kindle a fire or to consume with a fire that has been lit. It is rendered “burn, light.” This would be the first step in the process of lighting a fire, or a candle; first light something that in turn can be used to light something else.

Luchnia means lampstand, the object that holds the luchnos. Luchnos is a light or a lamp and may have referred to an open bowl (“a portable lamp or other illuminator” Strong’ s Concordance).

Lampo refers to the beam of light which radiates from the object that has been lit.

In this verse, the man uses something to light (kaio) an object (luchnos) de­signed to give off light. That object is placed on a holder (luchnia) that will steady the object, which then gives off sufficient light (lampo) to be seen by all in the house.

Luke 8:16

“No man, when he hath lighted (hapto) a candle, covereth it with a yessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light (phos).”

Hapto is an unusual word; its primary meaning is “to fasten to or on, fix upon a thing; (as)…his shield was fastened, i.e. clung closely, to him” (Lid­dell & Scott Grk. Lexicon). Perhaps hapto is used to indicate the object the individual holds in his hand to light the fire.

P hos is the primary word rendered “light.” Related words are phaino -­”to lighten, i.e. show” — and phemi -­”to show or make known one’s thoughts, i.e. speak or say” (Strong’ s). It is interesting that both related words indicate an association between light and the spoken word. Sight and speech are related; we see, we describe what we see. Something is made known in vi­sion; it is then spoken about.

The association of light with words is noted in the comments of Philo, a Hellenistic Jew (c.20 BC – 54 AD). He wrote that God is the “source of purest radiance, prior to every archetype,” and added, “the logos is a middle being, also light (phos).” He may have been influenced by traditional Jewish thought as the rabbis used “light” for the law, for the age of salvation, for God, for the Messiah, for the righteous, etc. It was obviously not uncommon to link the logos with the phos. Those linking mysticism with religion would be following an old tradition in personalizing God’s word and linking it with His first creative act.

The Qumran group believed that there were two paths. The children of light did works of light; they confessed their sins; they were people of prayer and thanksgiving; they looked for the “teacher of righteousness.” Their enemies were the children of darkness, with whom they awaited the final conflict. The children of light (phos) thus were in opposition to the children of darkness (skotos).

John’s use of light, life, etc.

In chapter 1, John refers several times to “light,” “life,” “darkness,” “belief,” and bearing “witness.”

Verse 4 begins, “In him was life; and the life was the light (phos) of men.” The Emphatic Diaglott gives “In it” for “In him.” While the Greek allows for either, the context indicates “him” is preferable. Whether the pronoun is referring to the Word which is God or the Word which later becomes flesh, it is identified closely with the individual who does the expressing. It was God who spoke and life came into being. It was Jesus the Christ who spoke the words of eternal life.

Verse 5 states, “And the light (phos) shineth (phaino) in darkness (skotia); and the darkness comprehended it not.” The darkness could not stop the light from dispelling it. When God spoke, the dark places of this world were illuminated with His light. When Jesus later spoke, the light of his actions and words shone so brightly, the children of dark­ness could not staunch the light even though they took his life. He would be raised; his example and his words would continue on, stimulating others to be­lieve and follow him. His light was so strong it could give light to every man who comes into the world.

Verse 7: “(John the Baptist) came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light (phos), that all men through him might believe.” The whole purpose of the Baptist was to “make straight the way of (or to) the Lord.” Through his efforts he would point many to Christ whom he identified as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He would separate those who believed in Christ from those who rejected him.

Later, in John 12, Jesus would say there would be judgment for many of those Jews who rejected him, and that judgment would come as a result of their rejection of his word. This seems to be a difficult point for some to accept. Jesus spoke the words of his Father; these were words of life confirmed by the miracles he performed. The Jews therefore had no excuse for their sin (15:24). It was not the law of Moses which made them responsible; it was the teaching of the Lord. Their accountability to a resurrectional judgment was unambiguously stated (John 12:48). Their Jewishness was not the issue at stake; what determined their fate was their hearing and rejection of Christ.

Later, Jesus says to Thomas, “Because thou hast seen me, thou hast be­lieved: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Upon what evidence would they believe without seeing? They would believe what they read. Can we say that we have a cloak for our sin because we cannot see the Lord and his works? The power of Jesus Christ to save is as powerful today as it was when his acts could be seen and his words heard. Similarly, there are those today, who through study of the word can come to a point of rejecting Jesus and choosing rather to enjoy sin for the duration.

Verse 8: “He was not that Light (phos), but was sent to bear witness of that light (phos).” The Baptist was not that Light. Rather he was a “burning and shining lamp (luchnos)” (5:35). While John was vital to the work of Christ, he was not himself a self-sustaining light. His light came from an outside source. Jesus Christ, on the other hand, is spoken of as the light.