I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life

 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 recent readings, Jesus is at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem.  The readings associated with events at this festival cover several chapters in John.  Yesterday, we read that on the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."  But this he spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.  Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, "Truly this is the Prophet."  Others said, "This is the Christ."  But some said, "Will the Christ come out of Galilee?  Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?"  So there was a division among the people because of Him.  Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.  Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why have you not brought Him?"  The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!"  Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are you also deceived?  Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him?  But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed."  Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?"  They answered and said to him, "Are you also from Galilee?  Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee."  And everyone went to his own house.

  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." In yesterday's reading, Jesus spoke about the gift of the Holy Spirit, which He likened to rivers of living water.  This teaching was given in the context of the last day of the Feast, in which water was drawn from the pool of Siloam, in part to commemorate the water flowing from a rock struck by Moses.  In addition to this ceremony, the great lamps in the outer court of the temple were lit at the conclusion of the Feast of Tabernacles.  Jesus' words and teaching here reflect this image of light.  He declares Himself to be the fulfillment and the divine object of all celebration of light, says my study bible.  Images of light frequently appear in John's Gospel, and of course in Jesus' teachings in the other Gospels as well.  My study bible points out that in the Scriptures, God the Father Himself is light (1:4-9, 1 John 1:5), and this light is an attribute which God bestows on His followers (Matthew 5:14, Philippians 2:15).  Christ will illustrate this claim in the following chapter, by performing the great sign of illuminating the eyes of a man born blind (9:1-7, see especially verse 5).   Our lectionary readings skip over 8:1-11, the story of the woman taken in adultery.

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."   Jesus is once again challenged to provide witnesses to His testimony.  Earlier, in chapter 5 (see this reading), Jesus gave four witnesses to His identity:  John the Baptist, the works that He does which are given to Him by God the Father, God the Father Himself, and the Scriptures.  In the Jewish tradition, a valid testimony required two witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:6).  Here, He gives two witnesses:  Himself, as His judgment is true and He knows His own origins and His future which the leadership do not, and also the Father who bears witness of Him. 

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.  As we have previously noted, everything with Jesus goes back to the relationship to the Father.  My study bible says that because the Son and the Father share the same divine nature, one cannot be known apart from the other (see 14:7-11). 

Jesus does nothing apart from the Father.  He cannot even be known, truly, apart from the Father.  In all things they are one:  in nature, but also in will -- the human Jesus serves always the will of the Father, as will be illustrated throughout the Gospel.  Jesus teaches, "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."  This is an important instruction for all of us about the nature of judgment.  True judgment is from God.  Jesus is once again speaking about the difference between a worldly judgment, that judges based upon appearances (or the flesh), and a judgment that comes from God.  Prayer and humility are essential for good judgment, for discernment, for righteous judgment.  Earlier, Jesus has said to these men, "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."  The lectionary has skipped over the story of the woman caught in adultery and brought before Jesus (8:1-11).  My study bible mentions that this story is not found in several ancient manuscripts; neither does is it covered in the extensive commentaries by St. John Chrysostom, and certain other Father.  But it is still sealed by the Church as inspired, authentic, canonical Scripture, and thus bears the same authority as all other Scripture.  It's worth reading the story in conjunction with Jesus' teaching here.  It serves as an obvious way of showing what it is to judge with righteous judgment and in accordance with the Father, rather than the flesh.  It serves as an illustration of Jesus' teaching regarding walking in darkness or the light.  In the most powerful statement we can find anywhere, Jesus says, "I am the light of the world." John's Gospel declares this so right at the beginning (1:4-5).  In the lighting of the great lamps in the temple outer court at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles, we remember the light that led the Israelites through the darkness as they moved toward the promised land (Exodus 13:21).  Jesus is telling them and us that he is that light of the world.  And then He goes further, "He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."  If we really wish to have good judgment, He's saying, if we really wish to know what we are doing, and to live truly righteous lives, we need His light to do so.  He is here to provide that light for us.  There is no separation between Himself and the Father, but He is here for us to guide the way, to be that great lamp of the Father in the world.  And that's really what we have to remember.  So much comes down to what we ask ourselves about what we really want in life.  Do we want this light?  Do we feel that we need it?  Is it necessary for us?  Jesus is like the pillar of fire leading the Israelites in the darkness.  Everything depends on what we think we need, what our humility is, and where our desires truly are for a righteous life, a  life of righteous and true judgment.  Everything depends upon it.  Can we make that decision for a righteous life? Or do we think we know it all?  Jesus tells the leadership here that He knows where He comes from and where He is going.  How many of us can truly say the same without His light?