John 8:12-18: a reflection

12Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13The Pharisees therefore said to him, “You testify about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.” 14Jesus answered them, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you don’t know where I came from, or where I am going. 15You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one. 16Even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me. 17It’s also written in your law that the testimony of two people is valid. 18I am one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”

Jesus makes a great claim about himself and a great promise to those who follow him: I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life. He is not merely a light among many, one voice among the world's competing wisdoms; he is the light of the world, and to follow him is to walk no longer in darkness but in the light of life. Those who follow Christ are given light for their way, light for their understanding, light for their living; they do not stumble in the dark, not knowing where they go, but have the light of life. To follow Christ is to have light; to refuse him is to remain in the darkness. He is the light of the world, and following him, we walk in his light.

Notice the promise Jesus gives to his followers: they will not walk in darkness but have the light of life. He does not offer his light to those who admire him from a distance; he gives it to those who follow him. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness. To follow Christ is to leave the darkness behind and walk in his light, to have light for the way, light for the understanding, light for the living of our days. Those who do not follow him remain in the dark, not knowing where they go; but those who follow him have the light of life. The light is not a thing apart from Christ, gained by our own searching; it is his own light, given to those who follow him. To walk in the light is to follow the light of the world; the two go together. Following Christ, we do not walk in darkness.

That is worth resting in, for Christ is the light of the world, and following him, we do not walk in darkness but have the light of life. We can try to find our own light, to make our own way through the darkness by our own wisdom, and still find ourselves stumbling, not knowing where we go; but Christ is the light of the world, and he promises that those who follow him will not walk in darkness but have the light of life. The light we need is found not in our own searching but in following him. Do not try to make your own way through the darkness by your own light; follow Christ, the light of the world, and you will not walk in darkness. Follow Christ, the light of the world, and you will not walk in darkness but have the light of life, as he promised that whoever follows him will not walk in the darkness; for the light we need for our way is not found in our own searching but in following him, and those who follow the light of the world are given his own light of life rather than being left to stumble in the dark.

Lord Jesus, you make a great claim about yourself and a great promise to those who follow you: I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life. You are not merely a light among many, one voice among the world's competing wisdoms; you are the light of the world, and to follow you is to walk no longer in darkness but in the light of life. Those who follow you are given light for their way, light for their understanding, light for their living; they do not stumble in the dark, but have the light of life. Show me the promise you give to your followers: they will not walk in darkness but have the light of life. You do not offer your light to those who admire you from a distance; you give it to those who follow you. To follow you is to leave the darkness behind and walk in your light, to have light for the way, light for the living of my days. Those who do not follow you remain in the dark; but those who follow you have the light of life. The light is your own light, given to those who follow you. Let me rest in that, for you are the light of the world, and following you, I do not walk in darkness but have the light of life. I can try to find my own light, to make my own way through the darkness by my own wisdom, and still find myself stumbling; but you are the light of the world, and you promise that those who follow you will have the light of life. Keep me from trying to make my own way through the darkness by my own light; help me follow you, Lord, the light of the world, that I may not walk in darkness but have the light of life.