Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12 (ESV)
John recorded seven “I am” statements of Jesus.
- I am the bread of life – John 6:35
- I am the light of the world – John 8:12
- I am the gate for the sheep – John 10:7
- I am the good shepherd – John 10:12
- I am the resurrection and the life – John 11:25
- I am the way, the truth, and the life – John 14:6
- I am the true vine – John 15:1
Each of these metaphorical statements tells us something about Jesus and his work among us. Here in John 8:12, Jesus tells us that he is the light of the world. This harkens back to the prologue of John’s gospel. John 1:4 says, “In him [the Word] was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”
Throughout John’s gospel, light and darkness are used to represent spiritual sight. When we have the light, we can “see” Jesus as Lord and follow him. When we are in the dark, our “eyes” are blinded to spiritual truths, and we wander around lost.
How do we come into the light? In John 12:46, Jesus said he had “come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” When we believe in Jesus, putting our faith and hope in him, we leave the darkness behind and come into the light. Our eyes are opened to the truth that Jesus proclaimed (Mt. 13:10-17).
Like the pillar of fire and cloud that led the Israelites through their wilderness wanderings (Ex. 40:36-38), Jesus will be a light to all who follow him, guiding us in the way we should go and drawing us ever closer to the promised land that awaits us.
