Yohanes 8:12

Jesus as the Light of the World

8:12 Then Jesus spoke out again, ¹  “I am the light of the world. ²  The one who follows me will never ³  walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Yohanes 11:11

11:11 After he said this, he added, ⁴  “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. ⁵  But I am going there to awaken him.”

Yohanes 16:30

16:30 Now we know that you know everything ⁶  and do not need anyone ⁷  to ask you anything. ⁸  Because of this ⁹  we believe that you have come from God.”

Yohanes 19:9

19:9 and he went back into the governor’s residence ¹⁰  and said to Jesus, “Where do you come from?” But Jesus gave him no answer.

Yohanes 19:20

19:20 Thus many of the Jewish residents of Jerusalem ¹¹  read this notice, ¹²  because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the notice was written in Aramaic, ¹³  Latin, and Greek.

[8:12]  ¹ tn Grk “Then again Jesus spoke to them saying.”

[8:12]  ² sn The theory proposed by F. J. A. Hort (The New Testament in the Original Greek, vol. 2, Introduction; Appendix, 87-88), that the backdrop of 8:12 is the lighting of the candelabra in the court of women, may offer a plausible setting to the proclamation by Jesus that he is the light of the world. The last time that Jesus spoke in the narrative (assuming 7:53-8:11 is not part of the original text, as the textual evidence suggests) is in 7:38, where he was speaking to a crowd of pilgrims in the temple area. This is where he is found in the present verse, and he may be addressing the crowd again. Jesus’ remark has to be seen in view of both the prologue (John 1:4, 5) and the end of the discourse with Nicodemus (John 3:19-21). The coming of Jesus into the world provokes judgment: A choosing up of sides becomes necessary. The one who comes to the light, that is, who follows Jesus, will not walk in the darkness. The one who refuses to come, will walk in the darkness. In this contrast, there are only two alternatives. So it is with a person’s decision about Jesus. Furthermore, this serves as in implicit indictment of Jesus’ opponents, who still walk in the darkness, because they refuse to come to him. This sets up the contrast in chap. 9 between the man born blind, who receives both physical and spiritual sight, and the Pharisees (John 9:13, 15, 16) who have physical sight but remain in spiritual darkness.

[8:12]  ³ tn The double negative οὐ μή (ou mh) is emphatic in 1st century Hellenistic Greek.

[11:11]  ⁴ tn Grk “He said these things, and after this he said to them.”

[11:11]  ⁵ tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaw) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for death when speaking of believers. This metaphorical usage by its very nature emphasizes the hope of resurrection: Believers will one day “wake up” out of death. Here the term refers to death, but “asleep” was used in the translation to emphasize the metaphorical, rhetorical usage of the term, especially in light of the disciples’ confusion over what Jesus actually meant (see v. 13).

[16:30]  ⁶ tn Grk “all things.”

[16:30]  ⁷ tn Grk “and have no need of anyone.”

[16:30]  ⁸ tn The word “anything” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[16:30]  ⁹ tn Or “By this.”

[19:9]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “into the praetorium.”

[19:20]  ¹¹ tn Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the residents of Jerusalem in general. See also the note on the phrase Jewish religious leaders” in v. 7.

[19:20]  map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[19:20]  ¹² tn Or “this inscription.”

[19:20]  ¹³ tn Grk “in Hebrew.”