I Am the Light of the world!
John 8: 12 & John 9: 5
Context:
• John 7
• V1 – 13 Jesus is in the region of Galilee and His brothers are taunting
him: you want to be popular – go to the Feast of Tabernacles
where everyone is and get the recognition you want! He waits.
• V14 He slips into Jerusalem for the Feast and teaches in the Temple
half-way through the 7-day festival. Conflict arises between
Jesus and the religious leaders (Pharisees and Sadducees).
• V34-39 On the last day of the Feast, Jesus says, “if you are thirsty,
come and drink…you will never thirst again. Rivers of living
water shall flow from within – speaking of the infilling of the
Holy Spirit.
Chapter 8
• V1-11 Woman caught in adultery, Jesus says, “… Go and leave your life
of sin.”
• V12ff When He spoke again, He stated, “I am the light of the world,
whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have
the light of life.”
• A great debate happened again… 8:13 – 59 “Who are you and who do you
think you are, Jesus?”
Chapter 9
• V1-12 Jesus heals a man who was born blind – His disciples asks,
“Who’s fault caused the man’s blindness?”
• V5 Jesus heals the man and again states, “I am the Light of the
world.”
• All this, remember, happened right after the Feast of Tabernacles was
celebrated…
The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)
• Established to commemorate Israel’s escape from Egypt
• One of 3 Festivals the Israelites were required to return to Jerusalem
• They were required to build a dwelling to live in for 7 days – no leaven
allowed…
Exodus 13 & 14
• Remember the 10 plagues and Pharoah finally letting the Israelites leave
after the angel passed over Egypt killing every first-born from homes that
did not have the blood of the lamb on their doorposts.
• While the Israelites were leaving, Pharoah changed his mind… the Israelites
shouted and saw themselves as “ready for battle”
• But God led them “out of the way” then towards the Red Sea. V17 because
“if they face war, they may run back to Egypt…”
• By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them …
and a pillar of fire by night to give them light, so they could travel by day or
by night.
• Exodus 13: 23 “Neither the pillar of cloud
nor the pillar of fire left its place in front of
the people
• Chapter 14
• V8 The Egyptians “marched boldly”
• V10 The Israelites were terrified!
Remember earlier?
• V13-14 Moses said, “Do not be afraid.
Stand firm and you will see the deliverance
the Lord will bring you today! The Lord will
fight for you; you need to be still.”
Exodus 14: 15 - 31
• The angel of the Lord with both
the pillar of cloud and fire
moved to behind the Israelites
causing darkness on the
Egyptian soldiers and the pillar
of fire gave the people light all
night.
• V21 Moses stretched his hand over the
Sea and the Lord drove the water back
all night creating a path of dry ground
for the Israelites to walk through
• V24 And the Lord looked down from
the pillar of light…
• As long as they were covered by the
cloud and followed the light they were
saved…
• Feast of Tabernacles establish to
commemorate that day…
• It was with this background that
Jesus declare Himself the Light
of the World…
• As the pillar of light protected
and led the Israelites, Jesus is
here as the Pillar of Light for our
daily lives…