Language
ἐν αὐτῷ (in Him )ἐν (in) combined with the dative pronounαὐτῷ (him) indicates a position or state within. It implies that life is inherently present within the Logos, not merely given by or through Him but existing intrinsically in His being.- Colossians 2:9, “For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.”
ζωή (life )βίος refers to biological life, whileζωή encompasses a broader, fuller sense of life. In John’s Gospel,ζωή signifies spiritual and eternal life that Jesus gives to believers at the moment they believe in Him.- John 11:25-26, “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?'”
ἡ ζωή ἦν τὸ φῶς (the life was the light )ζωή ) and “light” (φῶς ), indicating their inseparable connection in Christ. The subjectἡ ζωή (the life) is followed by the verbἦν (was), which in the imperfect tense conveys continuous action, meaning “the life continually was.” The predicateτὸ φῶς (the light) emphasizes that the life inherent in Christ serves as the illuminating light for humanity. This light reveals truth and dispels spiritual darkness, signifying that the life Christ offers brings enlightenment and guidance to all.- John 8:12, “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.'”
Insights
- He has life in Himself
- “He is not just the true God but also the living God. God is life; He swears by Himself when He says, ‘As I live.'”
- All Life in Creation Comes from Him
- “He not only made all matter in creation, but also all life in creation comes from and is sustained by Him. It was the Word of God that created living creatures (Genesis 1:20; Acts 17:25). He is the Word that sustains human life more than bread (Matthew 4:4).”
- Rational Creatures Have Their Light from Him
- “The life in man, which is the light of humanity, comes from Him. Life in man is greater and nobler than in other creatures; it is rational, not merely animal. When man became a living soul, his life was light, making him distinct and dignified above perishing beasts. The spirit of a man is the candle of the LORD (Proverbs 20:27), and it was the eternal Word that lit this candle. The light of reason and the life of sense both come from Him and depend on Him.”
- Fit to Undertake Our Salvation
- “This proves He is qualified to undertake our salvation, as fallen humanity, under the power of death and darkness, needs spiritual and eternal life and light. Who better to bring the light of divine revelation than the one who gave us human reason? And if natural life was in His Son, we should readily accept the gospel record that He has given us eternal life, and that life is also in His Son!”
John MacArthur: “John introduces the reader to contrastive themes that occur throughout the Gospel. ‘Life’ and ‘light’ are qualities of the Word that are shared not only among the Godhead (5:26) but also by those who respond to the gospel message regarding Jesus Christ (8:12 9:5 10:28 11:25 14:6). John uses the word ‘life’ about 36 times in his Gospel, far more than any other NT book. It refers not only in a broad sense to physical and temporal life that the Son imparted to the created world through his involvement as the agent of creation (1:3), but especially to spiritual and eternal life imparted as a gift through belief in him (3:15 17:3; Ephesians 2:5)…” (MacArthur Study Bible).
Cross-References
“The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself. Therefore, when there is a question about the true and full meaning of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), that meaning must be searched out and ascertained by other places that speak more clearly.” (WCF 1.9)
- John 8:12, “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.'”
- This statement by Jesus directly relates to John 1:4, where the “life” in Christ is described as the light that guides people out of darkness, representing spiritual truth and salvation.
- John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'”
- Jesus proclaims Himself as the embodiment of life, aligning with John 1:4, where His life is presented as the source of light for all mankind, essential for knowing God.
- 1 John 1:5, “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
- This reinforces the truth in John 1:4 that God, who is light, brings life through Christ, with no mixture of darkness, making His light pure and transformative.
- 1 John 5:11-12, “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
- This verse underscores that true life is found in Christ, resonating with John 1:4’s declaration that life itself resides in Him, and that this life brings light to humanity.
- Psalm 36:9, “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.”
- This psalm beautifully parallels John 1:4 by connecting life and light, showing that in God’s presence, life flows abundantly, and His light illuminates truth.
- Psalm 119:130, “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.”
- This psalm highlights the illuminating power of God’s Word, much like John 1:4, where Christ’s life gives light, symbolizing wisdom and spiritual insight to humanity.
Tri-Perspectivalism
“In the ‘normative perspective,’ we ask the question, ‘What do God’s norms direct us to believe?’ In the ‘situational perspective,’ we ask, ‘What are the facts?’ In the ‘existential perspective,’ we ask, ‘What belief is most satisfying to a believing heart?’” (John Frame, Theology in Three Dimensions)
- Jesus as the Source of Life – John 1:4 states, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” This reveals a core truth: Jesus Christ is the essence and source of all life. He is not only the Creator but also the foundation of life itself. According to Scripture, all life comes from God, and Jesus, as the incarnate Word, is the sovereign Lord who grants life. Whether physical or spiritual, life originates from Him. Therefore, we must depend on Him for our very existence and walk in the light of His life (cf. Genesis 2:7then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. (Genesis 2:7); Acts 17:28for “In him we live and move and have our being”; as even some of your own poets have said, “For we are indeed his offspring.” (Acts 17:28)).
- The World Needs Jesus’ Light – John emphasizes that this life is “the light of men,” indicating that after humanity fell into darkness, only Christ’s light can save them. We live in a world clouded by sin, where people’s hearts are darkened and unable to find true meaning in life on their own. However, Jesus’ life becomes the light that shines in the darkness, illuminating all who follow Him. In our situation, the church, as Christ’s body, must bear witness to this light, spreading the life and light of Jesus to the world (cf. Matthew 5:14-16“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)).
- Union with Christ to Receive Life and Light – Personally, this verse challenges us to consider: Have we truly received life from Jesus? Being a Christian is not merely about external actions but about being united with Christ’s life. His life illuminates our hearts, granting us eternal life, and empowers us to shine that light on others. Therefore, life is not just a state of existence but the result of an intimate relationship with Christ. To walk in His light means to depend on Him daily, seeking His guidance and provision in every aspect of life (cf. John 15:5I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)).
Illustrations
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