John 12:46 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

NIV: I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

NASB: I have come as Light into the world, so that no one who believes in Me will remain in darkness.

CSB: I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me would not remain in darkness.

NLT: I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.

KJV: I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

NKJV: I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.

When speaking at an earlier festival, Jesus referred to Himself as "the light of the world" (John 8:12). The metaphor of light versus darkness was crucial to Hebrew thinking. Light was symbolic of goodness, knowledge, and truth. The imagery of someone who lacks light is that of a person who makes mistakes—they stumble and become lost—as well as one who is in danger—they can fall or be taken by surprise. 2 Corinthians 4:4 explains that Christ came into the world to be the Light, and those who do not see Him that way are "blinded."

As Jesus indicated when speaking to a crowd in Jerusalem, this means that the things Jesus said and did are meant to lead people to truth (John 12:30). Those who reject that knowledge must do so deliberately (John 5:39–40; 12:37–43). To "remain in darkness" is not merely to choose ignorance. It means to decide to remain away from God, forever (Matthew 25:30). Those who do not believe in Christ are turning away from the only means of salvation (John 14:6). The end result of that is facing the wrath of God (John 3:36) and paying one's own eternal penalty for sin (Revelation 20:11–15).

John 12:44–50 is the last public statement Jesus makes prior to His crucifixion. This is a sincere ''plea'' to the people. In relatively few words, Jesus summarizes His purpose, and states that He alone provides the means of salvation. From this point forward, Jesus will focus His efforts on preparing the disciples for what comes next. Those lessons, leading up to Jesus' arrest and crucifixion, make up the bulk of the next few chapters of the gospel of John.

Jesus is treated to an honorary dinner at the home of Lazarus, whom He has recently raised from death. At this dinner, Lazarus' sister, Mary, anoints Jesus with expensive oil. Jesus then enters Jerusalem to great fanfare, stoking fears that His popularity will attract the anger of the Roman Empire. That anger even inspires a murder plot against Lazarus. After being approached by non-Jewish seekers, Jesus offers a final plea for people to understand His ministry. In effect, these are the last public words spoken by Jesus in the gospel of John.

In the prior chapter, Jesus spectacularly raised Lazarus from death in front of a crowd of witnesses. This inspired local religious leaders to commit to having Him killed. Here, after a celebratory dinner where Jesus is anointed with oil, He will fulfill prophecy by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, celebrated with shouts of ''Hosanna'' and a massive crowd. This leads to a group of curious non-Jews approaching Him. Christ then offers a final plea for belief in Him and His message. After this, His ministry will turn to preparing the disciples for His impending death and resurrection. The next several chapters of the gospel of John are almost entirely made up of his teachings to these men.

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls “signs”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.