Lesson 3: John 8:12; 9:5 “I am the Light of the World”

Festival of Booths/Tabernacles/Sukkoth

Context: Beginning at John 7, Jesus and his disciples are at the Festival of Booths (also called Harvest, Ingathering, Tabernacles—Sukkoth) in Jerusalem.  This festival, along with Passover and the Festival of Weeks, was one of three major pilgrimage festivals for Jewish people. It was celebrated for eight days, from roughly late September to early October, and was considered Israel’s joyous, autumnal, thanksgiving festival for the ingathering of the harvest from the threshing floor and the winepress (Exodus 23:16, 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:13-15). [Information culled from Harper Collins Bible Dictionary: Rev. Ed.]

In first century (Second Temple) Judaism, it was part of the Festival of Booths to use candles to commemorate/remember the rock that provided water in the wilderness and the pillar of fire that provided light and guidance (Exodus 13:21). These candles were lit on massive candelabras which were positioned at the Court of Women, the most frequented part of the temple complex.

• Open your bibles to 1 Corinthians 10:1-5. What do you think Paul means when he states that the rock in the wilderness that Moses struck for water was Christ?



Moses Strikes the Rock

• How does this inform our understanding of this festival? In 1 John 1:5, we read that God is light—This has helped to inform the Christian understanding of the Exodus from Egypt. This light points to the fire that guided and protected the people during the night. If the fire and the rock are both theophany’s (manifestations of God) who becomes the central character in the Festival of Booths?

Beginning at John 8:12, Jesus is returning to a discussion that he was having with temple authorities prior to the close of chapter 7. There is an interesting interruption that takes place at John 8:1-11 regarding the woman caught in adultery.

• Open your bibles and read John 7:40-52. This sets the stage for the particular actions and words of Jesus that he utters at 8:12.
• Where is the Christ (Messiah) to come from (verse 7:41)?
• This passage shows us that there is clearly disagreement between the people and many in the temple leadership. A Pharisee named Nicodemus comes to Jesus at 8:50-51. Who is this man? Why is he significant (hint—John chapter 3)?

Study

1. Read aloud John 8:12-20. The conversation at the end of chapter 7 was geared around whether Jesus was the Messiah/the Christ/the Anointed One. The Messiah is the long-awaited one of the Jewish people, who was sent from God, to save them from their adversaries. Lets take a look at some of the Old Testament expectations regarding this savior:

• Psalm 36:8-9; Isaiah 9:2, 42:6, 49:6; Malachi 4:2
• How do these passages inform Jesus’ claim to be the “Light of the World?”

Remember back to John 1:4, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” Throughout the Gospel According to John there is a dualism of contrasts: light and dark, love and hatred, from above and from below, life and death, truth and falsehood.

• How does Jesus claim not only to be the light of the world in general, but “I am” in particular, inform our understanding of messianic light?
• In verse 19, Jesus is challenged by the Pharisees regarding the identity of his father. How does Jesus respond to their question? How does Jesus answer inform/strengthen his authority to make his claim of Light?
• Early Jewish Believers in Jesus immediately saw this “I am” claim by Jesus to be one of fulfillment. Just as Jesus pointed to the manna in chapter 6 and claimed to be the true bread of life, here he points to the ritual candles of the festival and claims to be the fulfillment of that expectant hope.
• Why do you think it was important for Jesus to claim to be the fulfillment of these two spiritual practices?

2. Read together John 8:21-29. In these passages Jesus makes impressive passion claims regarding his life, death, and resurrection. Keeping the idea of candles in mind, how does Jesus statement at verse 28 ring true (key term in that verse is “lift up”)?

3. What else (besides seeing what Jesus does and doing tasks ourselves) does the Word say will help us never to walk in darkness but have the light of life? Read the following verses and share what you learn about light and/or walking in the light:

• Proverbs 4:18-19; Proverbs 6:23; Psalms 119:105; Psalm 119:130
So, it seems the Lord uses His Word to guide and direct us in light.

4. Later on in life, John (who wrote this gospel we’ve been reading from) wrote a few letters that are referred to in our Bibles as 1, 2 and 3 John.

Read 1 John 1:5-6. What is not in God? (Any darkness)

Read 1 John 1:8-10. What is darkness called in these verses? (Sin)

What should we do with our sin so we walk in the light and not in darkness? (Don’t deny or ignore it. Instead, confess it, receive forgiveness, and be purified.)