Episode 5 - The Light Shines in the Darkness
John 1:5
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
I’ve had the privilege of going on 10-day backpacking adventures with each of my sons at Philmont Scout Ranch in the Sangre de Christo range of the Rocky Mountains. There are a number of rules that every backpacker must know and follow for the purpose of safety. One of those rules is “No hiking while it’s dark.” Why? One reason is that you might fall down a mountain or go somewhere where it might be difficult for others to locate you and to direct help. Another reason is that it could be easier to inadvertently encounter dangerous wildlife such as bears or lions. The bottom line is that it’s dangerous to journey in darkness.
Conversely, having good light available means that our path is illuminated and we can more easily chart our course. The added benefit is that we can see the beauty of what is around us. When it comes to physical light, we understand that it’s good and we enjoy its benefits.
The creation of light in Genesis, chapter one is the first step in a solution to the problem of “darkness” and the chaotic condition of the earth mentioned in verse two of Genesis.
John 1:5 however does not appear to be talking about physical light. What does John mean by “the light shines in the darkness” when he has already established that his subject is “the Word” which is the God who created all things and in whom is life and is the light of mankind? It should be obvious that John, having turned the minds of his audience to the Creation story of Genesis 1, is using light as a metaphor for some quality or ability of the Word to illuminate something else for mankind. Perhaps it is “truth.”
If the “light shines in the darkness,” then “darkness,” borrowing from the Creation story, represents chaos among mankind. The chaos in the darkness should be understood as mankind’s condition in which they cannot journey through life safely without this light. It also means that they cannot enjoy the beauty that surrounds them. We need God’s light to illuminate our way in life. When God’s light is shining in our darkness, we can then see the beauty of God and what He is doing. We need to know Who God is and what He is like. We need a clear revelation of God. It would seem that the point here is that John is telling us that the Word is that revelation.
But, that’s not all. John then says that the “darkness has not overcome it (the light).” In the original language, the word that is translated “overcome” could also mean “understood.” So, what is it? Has the darkness not overcome the light or has the darkness not understood the light? Bible scholars will tell you that it’s not reasonable or safe to look up every possible meaning of a word or phrase and interpret it to mean all of the above. But, as we’ll see in the Gospel of John, the author clearly intends some “double-entendre.” That is he wants his audience to ponder both meanings. I believe that is happening here. As John unfolds his story, we’ll see that many people will not truly understand “the light.” We will also see that the darkness will not overcome the light. We’ll see how darkness not only represents a lack of understanding but also evil.
As for right now, take comfort in knowing that God has revealed himself to mankind. God wants people to walk safely in the light and to enjoy His beauty.