The true light that gives light to everyone

John 1:6-13

⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

(message)

John 1:5 says that the darkness has not comprehended or understood the light. Then, how on earth anyone will recognise and believe the light?

I. The world needed a witness to the light (6-8)

John 1:6-8 tell us about Witness (and Baptist) John sent from God to help us believe. John 1:5 (the darkness not understanding the light), John 1:10 (the world not recognising Jesus), John 1:11 (the world not receiving Jesus) show importance of witnesses and their evangelism. A witness can help those not recognising or receiving (v10-11) receive and believe (v12-13).

II. The true light that gives light to everyone (9-11)

John 1:9 declares the great news of “the true light that gives light to everyone” coming into the world. Here, ‘light’ is ‘life’ in the Word as already mentioned in John 1:4.

V10 (not recognising him) shows the world is ignorant, spiritually blinded and spiritually dead.

John 3:18-20 explains the reason of v10 and v11 as below.

¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. ¹⁹ This is the verdict: light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.

The reason is ‘They loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil’ (darkness would hide them, but light would expose them). ‘Evil doers will not come to the light in fear that the light will expose their evil deeds.’

III. The amazing gift: the right to become children of God (12-13)

See v12.

¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

V12 becomes possible through testimonies of witnesses (7,8). The right to become children of God became available and possible through Jesus. This right is the greatest gift. As shown in the Old Testament, God performed awesome miracles proving He is One and True God. He is the right object of worship for all mankind. Finding Him out is already so great blessing but the right to become His children is the greatest blessing. Children of God is born of God (13^d). They are not of

• natural descent (13^a): physical birth [2]
• human decision (13^b): self-determination [2]
• a husband’s will (13^c): the choice of another person [2]

References

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition). London: Hodder & Stoughton.

[2] Gangel, K. O. (2000). John (Vol. 4, p. 12). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.