In him [the Word] was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:4-5 (ESV)
As John introduces us to the Word (Jn. 1:1-18), he tells us that in him was life. This life is more than the physical life that we experience. We might understand that John is referring to self-existence, which is certainly true. Jesus–the Word–, unlike every living thing apart from God, had uncaused life and was not dependent on anything else. But John is referring to something other than that.
John began his gospel with a nod to the Genesis creation account–in the beginning, the Word created all that was created. In both the Genesis account and John’s nod to it, light is brought forth into the world.
John makes two significant changes, though. This light was not a part of the creation. It came from the life that is in the Word. It was integral to the nature of the Word.
A Spiritual Light
And this light was not the physical light we see with our eyes. In John’s gospel, light and dark are most often used in spiritual terms. The light that is in Christ is a spiritual light that shines on humanity, giving eternal life to all who believe (Jn. 3:16).
In John 1:9, he tells us that this light was coming into the world and would give light to everyone. But John 3:19-21 tells us that many preferred the dark and refused to come into the light. The light was available to all, but not everyone loved the light.
John goes on to tell us that the light shone in the darkness. And that the darkness could not overcome it. The light that Jesus brought to us shone brightly for a few short years. But was then attacked by the dark. I do not believe it is coincidental that John notes that it was night when Judas went out to betray Jesus (Jn. 13:30).
The darkness attacked the light with all its power and seemed to extinguish it. But its attempt failed. On the third day, Jesus returned to life. And that light that he gives blazed out even brighter as his apostles and others who love the light took it to the far reaches of the Roman world and beyond.
