Light of the World

Biblical Texts

"The light of the world" appears as a central expression in two places in the New Testament.

• John 8:12: Jesus says, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). This is one of the "I am" sayings in the Gospel of John. In John 9:5 he repeats the statement and then opens the eyes of the man born blind.
• Matthew 5:14: In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his disciples, "Ye are the light of the world." Drawing on the images of a city set on a hill and a candle placed on a candlestick, he then tells them to let others see "your good works" and glorify God (Matthew 5:14–16).

Background

The Greek word for "light" is phōs, and the word for "world" is kosmos. The setting of John 7–8 is the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2). The Mishnah, a later Jewish text, records that great lamps were lit in the temple's Court of the Women during the Feast of Tabernacles. Many interpreters read Jesus' words in connection with this lamp-lighting ceremony, although the text does not mention the ceremony directly.

Meaning in the Whole of Scripture

In the Old Testament, light represents God's presence and salvation. Isaiah says that God will make his servant "a light to the Gentiles," so that his salvation may reach "unto the end of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6; 42:6).

The New Testament takes up this promise.

• Simeon calls the infant Jesus "a light to lighten the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32).
• Paul and Barnabas cite Isaiah 49:6 as the basis for their mission to the Gentiles (Acts 13:47).
• Matthew presents Jesus' ministry in Galilee as the "great light" seen by the people who sat in darkness (Matthew 4:15–16).
• The prologue of John's Gospel calls Jesus "the true Light" (John 1:9).
• Paul calls believers "lights in the world" (Philippians 2:15).
• Revelation depicts the New Jerusalem, whose lamp is the Lamb (Revelation 21:23).

Interpretation and Issues

• Relationship between Jesus and the disciples: John's Gospel calls Jesus the light of the world, while Matthew's Gospel gives the title to the disciples. Many interpreters regard the disciples' light as light received from Jesus, sometimes comparing it to the moon reflecting the light of the sun. This analogy is an interpretive explanation and does not appear in the text.
• Declaration and command: Matthew 5:14 does not say "become the light" but declares "ye are the light." For this reason, many sermons explain that the believer's identity comes first and that good works follow from it.
• How the light shines: Some interpretations emphasize good works as evidence of personal piety and evangelism, while others broaden the reading to include social responsibility and public life. Where the emphasis falls varies among churches and theological traditions.
• Textual issue: The passage of the woman taken in adultery (John 7:53–8:11) is absent from some early manuscripts. For this reason, many scholars read 8:12 as continuing directly from the Feast of Tabernacles scene in chapter 7.
• Hunt's painting: The Light of the World, by the nineteenth-century English artist William Holman Hunt, depicts Jesus holding a lantern and knocking at a closed door. It is said to have been inspired by Revelation 3:20, and commentators commonly note that the door has no handle on the outside. The scene is not directly related to the content of John 8:12.

In the Korean Church

"The salt and light of the world," a phrase combining the salt and light of Matthew 5:13–16, is frequently used in the Korean church. It commonly serves as a church motto or a retreat theme, and preachers often cite it to make the point that believers should bear witness to their faith through their lives.