He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." The Pharisees therefore said to Him, "You bear witness of Yourself. Your witness is not true." Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, my judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me." Then they said to Him, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also." These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.

- John 8:12-20

In yesterday's reading, we understood Jesus to be at the Feast of Tabernacles. The crowds dispute over Him - some believe he is a holy man, some a deceiver. The temple leadership is already scheming for a way to get rid of Him. When the temple guards, sent to arrest Jesus, heard Him preach, they could not do so. See No one ever spoke like this Man! Today's reading continues at the Feast, but a little further on in the gospel from the place where yesterday's left off. The section the lectionary skips is that of the restoration of the adulterous woman, which can be read here.

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." My study bible notes, "I am the light of the world: During the Feast of Tabernacles, torches were lit in the temple court, and singing and dancing continued each night. In this context Jesus is the One who gives the light of life. In the New Testament God is light (1 John 1:5); the followers of Jesus are the light (Matt. 5:14); and believers shine as lights in the world (Phil. 2:15). In these and other references in John, God is the source of this uncreated, life-giving light (see 1:4-10; 3:19; 12:35,36)." In this use of the symbolism of light, Jesus expresses Himself as a kind of beacon; when we walk in that light, we have the light of life itself. He supplies us with the light not only of eternal life, but which adds life, strength, help, growth, support, love and every sense of life to our lives.

The Pharisees therefore said to Him, "You bear witness of Yourself. Your witness is not true." Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, my judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me." My study bible notes here: "In the face of resistance and disbelief Jesus continues to proclaim His relationship with the Father. The Pharisees either were unable to understand Jesus' words or were simply astonished that Jesus was claiming God as His own Father." An astonishing claim indeed! And one which will lead to the charges of blasphemy with which He will be eventually condemned. It is truly remarkable, this picture we are given of Jesus, and His outspoken proclamations of His identity. He doesn't hide a thing, but speaks boldly and repeatedly about His relationship to the Father. Let us examine what he says: "Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going." He speaks of his own authority, which is true - because He knows Himself, but they know nothing of Him. "You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, my judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me." They are seeking to judge and condemn Him - but it is Jesus' judgment that is true, because it comes from the Father who gives true righteousness. "It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me." His two witnesses are Himself and the Father. These are Jesus' two authoritative sources for His declarations of Himself. Extraordinary indeed! Jesus never shrinks here from declarations bound to provoke, outrage, baffle, and lead to accusations of demon-possession or insanity - and ultimately, blasphemy. And yet, the picture of this man is also humble, compassionate and that of a leader who leads by love, and whose command is love..

Then they said to Him, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also." My study bible notes: "Because the Son and the Father share the same nature, one cannot be known apart from the other. St. John Chrysostom writes: 'Indeed, if He were not of the same nature as the Father, He would not have spoken as He did.' " Jesus alignment of "knowing" Himself and the Father makes a clear equivalence here. He is saying that they do not know Him, so they also cannot know the Father. His presence is a stand-in, so to speak, for the Father's - so that we know both.

These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come. Clearly, Jesus' speech here is so far beyond any concept of what others would have to teach that it is important that we understand that no one could arrest Him. Even though His words are clearly extraordinary, at which the leadership will take strong offense, He is not yet arrested - and this is remarkable indeed. So we understand the boldness of Jesus, that he fails or falters at nothing when it comes to teaching His bold and fearless declarations of Himself and what He is doing here in the world. He doesn't shrink, He doesn't quit. He goes on to stronger declarations and more powerful speeches about His identity, and His Sonship with the Father. Anyone else making such statements would indeed seem insane, unwell, outrageous, blasphemous. But somehow this Man is not. We know the rest of the story. We understand the depth of His words. We are with Peter, who has confessed when other disciples departed, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." The words we have are still the light of the world, the light of life. As in the reading in John's Gospel when Peter made his confession, Jesus' words are "hard sayings." That is, they are extraordinary. They require faith. They are hard to believe; they go against what we understand from our worldly perceptions. And yet, and yet... "to whom shall we go?" For us, they remain the words of eternal life, that give light to our lives and add to them life in abundance - and all that can mean.