John 8:12 - The Second I AM; Jesus the Light of the World!
John 8:12 (NLT) Jesus spoke to the people
once more and said, I am the light of the
world. If you follow me, you wont have to walk
in darkness, because you will have the light
that leads to life.
John 8:12 (ESV) Again Jesus spoke to them,
saying, I am the light of the world. Whoever
follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have
the light of life.
INTRODUCTION
6:35 I am. The first of seven (the number
of completeness and perfection)
self-descriptions of Jesus introduced by I am (see 8:12;
[9:5;] 10:7, 9; 10:11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1). See
note on 8:58 for Jesus use of i am on
its own.
8:58 I am! A solemnly emphatic
declaration echoing Gods great affirmations in Ex
3:14 (see Jn 8:24, 28; see also notes on Ex
3:12"15). It also recalls the I am he statements
in Isaiah (41:4; 43:10, 13, 25; 46:4; 47:8, 10;
48:12; 51:12). Jesus did not say I was but
I am, expressing the eternity of his being
and his oneness with the Father (see 1:1). [NIV
SB 2020]
Twenty-three times in all we find our
Lord's meaningful "I AM" in the Greek text of this
Gospel 4:26; 6:20, 35, 41, 48, 51; 8:12, 18, 24,
28, 58; 10:7, 9, 11, 14; 11:25; 13:19; 14:6;
15:1, 5; 18:5, 6, 8). In several of these, He
joins His "I AM" with seven tremendous metaphors
which are expressive of His saving relationship
toward the world.
"I AM the Bread of life" (6:35, 41, 48,
51).
"I AM the Light of the world" (8:12).
"I AM the Door of the sheep" (10:7, 9).
"I AM the Good Shepherd" (10:11, 14).
"I AM the Resurrection and the Life"
(11:25).
"I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life"
(14:6).
"I AM the true Vine" (15:1, 5).
[MacArthur Daily Bible 2003]
COMMENTARY PEARL
Grow in the Light of Gods Word
As a vegetable gardener, I can tell you
that the more hours of light you have, the bigger
your crops will grow. For more than 30 years,
Ive used a special light bulb for gardening
called a grow light. It emits a certain kind of
light that causes plants and trees to grow. You
use it in areas where there isn't enough light
for plants to survive. I planted young redwood
trees on the shady side of my house and used the
grow lights on them until they got tall enough to
get sunlight on their own. Today those trees are
about 40 feet tall.
Light is the key to life. Every plant
grows by photosynthesis, which is dependent upon
light. Humans depend on light to see and for our
bodys systems to function normally. No light, no
power. No light, no growth. You can't live without
light.
Whats true of light in the physical
realm is also true in the spiritual realm. On your
dark days, when the sun is hidden and you can't
see the light, you need the light of Jesus to
change you for the better.
There are two ways that you change: when
you see the light and when you feel the heat.
One of those ways is far less painful than the
other. If you would just change when you see the
light, then you wouldn't have to change when you
feel the heat.
Do you want to know what your grow light
is? Its Gods Word. Studying Gods Word
will help you grow in your knowledge of God and
love for him.
Ephesians 1:16-17 says, "I pray for you
constantly, asking God to ... give you spiritual wisdom
and insight so that you might grow" (NLT). When
you know Gods Word, his light will flood your
heart. Then youll understand the wonderful
future God has promised you.
In the Bible, light and life go hand in
hand: "You are the giver of life. Your light lets
us enjoy life" (Psalm 36:9 NCV).
Life is meant to be enjoyed, not merely
endured, not just at Christmas but all year long. The
key is to live in God's light.
That's why Jesus said, "I am the light of
the world. If you follow me, you won't have to
walk in darkness, because you will have the light
that leads to life" (John 8:12 NLT). [Daily
Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
COMMENTARY
Christ Is The Light Of The World
As the Light of the world, Christ claimed to
be God, for God is light (1 John 1:5). [Wiersbe
Expository Outlines]
I am the light of the world - The fountain
whence all intellectual light and spiritual
understanding proceed: without me all is darkness, misery,
and death. (Adam Clarke Commentary)
As the sun is the physical light of the
world, so Jesus is the spiritual light of the
world. As the light of the world, Jesus exposes sin
(vv. 1"11) and gives sight (9:1"7). [Nelson
SB]
In the manifestation of God to His
people, light had ever been a symbol of His
presence. At the creative word in the beginning, light
had shone out of darkness. Light had been
enshrouded in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar
of fire by night, leading the vast armies of
Israel. Light blazed with awful grandeur about the
Lord on Mount Sinai. Light rested over the
mercy-seat in the tabernacle. Light filled the temple
of Solomon at its dedication. Light shone on
the hills of Bethlehem when the angels brought
the message of redemption to the watching
shepherds.
God is light; and in the words, "I am the
light of the world," Christ declared His oneness
with God, and His relation to the whole human
family. It was He who at the beginning had caused
"the light to shine out of darkness." He is the
light of sun and moon and star. He was the
spiritual light that in symbol and type and prophecy
had shone upon Israel. But not to the Jewish
nation alone was the light given. As the sunbeams
penetrate to the remotest corners of the earth, so
does the light of the Sun of Righteousness shine
upon every soul.
"That was the true light, which lighteth
every man that cometh into the world." DA463-4
Christ is the "LIGHT, which LIGHTETH every
man that cometh into the world." John 1:9. As
through Christ every human being has life, so also
through Him every soul receives some ray of divine
LIGHT. Not only intellectual but spiritual power, a
perception of right, a desire for goodness, exists in
every heart. But against these principles there is
struggling an antagonistic power. The result of the
eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil is
manifest in every man's experience. There is in his
nature a bent to evil, a force which, unaided, he
cannot resist. To withstand this force, to attain
that ideal which in his inmost soul he accepts as
alone worthy, he can find help in but one power.
That power is Christ. Co-operation with that
power is man's greatest need. ED29
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC
John 8:12 - The Second I AM; Jesus the Light
of the World!
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20200826-1018.html
John 17:17 - Holiness from God's Word.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20201007-1438.html
Romans 10:17 - Getting More Faith.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20200811-0957.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Steps to Peace by Billy Graham:
https://stepstopeace.org/
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study
Guides:
https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible
Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE
