THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Journeying to Jerusalem, the holy city with the Temple at the center, Jesus prepared his disciples for his execution by a Roman conqueror, egged on by the Jewish authorities. In these two sections he prepared the way for a revelation of a Gospel far more extensive and far more shocking than many of his disciples and wider Jewish audiences could imagine. Forty years later, Jerusalem and its Temple would lie in ruins, but this Gospel would still go out because it was for all people. Jesus would send his followers to make disciples of all nations, far beyond the boundaries of their native land. He reminded them that Jonah went to the people of Nineveh and they repented and that a Gentile queen came to Solomon, listened and responded. These were judgments on his generation who asked for a sign but could not see the signs in Scripture nor the ones before their eyes.

“I am the light of the world” (John 8:12), Jesus told his followers, and John developed the theme of light in a dark world (John 1:4–9). Here, Luke describes Jesus’ teaching using the imagery of light. Our source of light to live by comes from Jesus. Those listening, familiar with the imagery of light in the Old Testament, would begin to understand that Jesus was using those verses to describe himself: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light… to us a son is given” (Isa. 9:2,6). Eyes full of light are healthy, Jesus tells them, but the Greek word healthy in this context implies generous. If the light of the Gospel has dawned on us, then we cannot and must not keep it to ourselves. Not until after the resurrection would the full, wonderful, life-transforming light of truth dawn.

Look up some of the verses that speak of light and make them your prayer.