John 8:12a

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying,

“I am the light of the world.”

1. After Jesus’ offer that all who are thirsty should come to Him and drink (John 7:37-37), two events are inserted before we get back to Jesus speaking.

The first, John’s insert, is a ‘behind-the-scenes’ account of what’s happening with the Sanhedrin: they want Jesus arrested (7:40-52).

The second, not a part of John’s original text, is the story of the woman caught in the act of adultery (7:53-8:11).

These two stories interrupt the flow of the conflict which Jesus is having with His opponents. Try this, read John 7:37-39, then skip immediately to 8:12-13. What does this show you about the passage? What does it tell you about chapter breaks in general? What can you learn from this?

Day 2, pt. 1	John’s Insert	Added Later	Day 2, pt. 2
“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”	‘Meanwhile, back at the Sanhedrin’	The story of the woman caught in adultery	“I am the light of the world.”
John 7:37-39	7:40-52	7:53-8:11	8:12

2. Consider the scope of Jesus’ “I am the Light of the world’ statement? This would have upset the Jewish leaders of Jesus day; they were all about the Jewish nationalism.

What is Jesus claiming here? Was the ‘scope’ of Jesus’ claim (“of the WORLD”) new? Or is it what should have been expected of the Christ when He arrived? See Genesis 12:3, as well as Isaiah 42:1-6 & 49:5-6 (two important Messianic passages). What do they show us about Messiah’s scope?

3. According to Jewish thought in Jesus’ day, THREE things were understood to be the “light of the world”:

The Rabbis (teachers and interpreters of God’s Word);

The Torah (the five books of Moses, ‘the Law’); and

The Temple (God’s Presence dwelling with His people).

Think about these three things. Why would they be considered the “light of the world”? What would their response to Jesus claiming to be “THE Light of the world?” Consider these three things in relation to Jesus. How did Jesus being among them fulfill all three of these?

4. Think wide and narrow. How is Jesus “the Light of the world”? How has He been the Light to you? What does that mean? What does it mean for unbelievers? What does it mean for those who are already saved? What does it mean for those (saved and unsaved) who hide their sins?
5. Since I understand that Jesus is God, I have no problem that He claimed to be the “Light of the world.” What is puzzling is what He said to His followers in Matthew 5:14a: “You [plural] are the light of the world.” Huh? Which is true? Is it HE or WE? How are WE the light of the world? How can we BOTH be the light of the world? What is OUR light?
6. Is it possible that what’s said of Israel in Isaiah 60:1-3 could be true of us too?
7. Consider these passages carefully and discuss their importance to each follower of Jesus: Ephesians 5:8-16, 1 Thessalonians 5:5-8, Matthew 5:14-16, Romans 13:12-14. What do they teach us about the responsibilities which accompany being “light in the Lord”?