Who Jesus Really Is: Jesus is the Eternal Light (Part 2)

Dr Alfonse Javed
Oct 18
11 min read

Are you willing to stand for the truth? Are you willing to bear witness when you know it may cost you your name, your fame, or even your life? Or do you want to hop on the more convenient and acceptable social gospel that is inclusive and affirms all behaviors without allowing the Light of Christ to expose human sin and restore them?

John 1:6-13 - ⁶There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. ⁸He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

⁹The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹²But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Have you ever faced rejection— whether it’s being overlooked for a job that you worked really hard for, or abandoned or betrayed by someone you loved deeply, or simply feeling unseen and unwanted? Rejection stings because it attacks one of the deepest human needs: the need to be accepted, valued, and loved.

Psychologists tell us that rejection triggers the same part of the brain as physical pain. So, it literally hurts to be rejected. Yet as real and as painful as human rejection is, there’s a far deeper and more tragic kind of rejection that the human mind cannot comprehend— the human heart cannot perceive and the human soul cannot ignore the rejection that our Creator feels by His creation, which is the focus of the next set of verses in our verse-by-verse study of John.

The problem is that people living in spiritual darkness cannot see, sense, or perceive how desperately their souls yearn for salvation. They need to know that by rejecting the Light that came to save them, they reject the One who accepts, values, and loves them, and can give their lives meaning, hope, and new birth.

John 1:6-13 reveals to us the human need to recognize and receive the Light and not reject it. For this reason, verses 6-8, focused on the human witness to bear witness to the Light so that the world may know who Jesus really is. Yet, verses 9-11, which is our focused text today, says the world rejected the revelation of Light, including those who were waiting for the Light, Messiah Jesus.

The big idea is, if we want to be accepted, valued, and loved, then we need to recognize and receive the Light and not reject it by learning about the reality of the Light. We began to look at our responsibility as witnesses to the Revelation of the Light (John 1:6-8), the Rejection of the Light (John 1:9-11), and the Reception of the Light (John 1:12-13). We explored the first responsibility last time; today, we examine the issue of the rejection of the Light in verses 9-11, we will focus on the reality of the Light. So,

The Rejection of the Light: The Reality of the Light (John 1:9)

John 1:9-11 reads,“⁹The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.” Notice how these verses naturally divide into three truths about the Light: the reality, refusal, and resistance to the Light, verses 9, 10, and 11, respectively.

Today, we focus specifically on the reality of the Light in verse 9 and its application for us in our current cultural context.

The verse reads, “The true light which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” When we slow down, we see that verse 9 is divided into three sections, revealing the reality of the Light.

The Person of the True Light

First, verse 9 reveals the Person of the True Light. The first part of the verse, “the true light” is a reference to Jesus. In the earlier verses, Jesus is called the Light, but here He is called the true Light. The Greek word for “true,” alēthinon, is an adjective that describes the noun, Light. Here, it doesn’t mean “true” as opposed to “false,” but rather “ultimate,” “authentic,” or “genuine.” It describes the nature of the Light, which is the ultimate, genuine, and authentic original Light.

In one sense, this truth stands above all truths and shades of truths, and in another sense, this truth separates the real, genuine, and ultimate truth of the Light from all man-made false truths about the Light.

In the historical context, in John’s time, many claimed to bring light. For the Greeks, it was their philosophers and for the Jews, it was their prophets and teachers, but John, in this verse, says that Jesus is not the bringer of light, but He alone is the ultimate, authentic, and genuine Light. In other words, Jesus is not a reflection of light, but the very source of it. Every other light is borrowed; only His is original.

Just as a candle may light a small room, when the sun rises, every other flame fades away. Similarly, all lights fade away in the presence of the genuine, authentic, and ultimate Light. In the Bible, light refers to the revelation of God and God Himself. Christ didn’t come to share information about God, but to be the incarnation of God.

Application

Let’s stop chasing artificial lights such as success, spirituality, and relationships. None of them will satisfy us; only by walking in the True Light will we be fully satisfied. So, don’t be content with flickers of human imitation; go after the true Light.

The Power of the True Light

Second, verse 9 reveals the Power of the True Light. The second part of the verse says, “which gives light to everyone.” It doesn’t mean universal salvation; rather, it means everyone has been given the opportunity to see the truth, believe the truth, and be saved. The reality of the light is that Jesus has the power to reach everyone so that no one is left with an excuse. Romans 1 says His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, are clearly seen in creation so that people are without excuse.

Again with the illustration of sunlight, when it touches every corner of the earth, people have the option to open the windows and receive its warmth or close the blinds and choose the darkness. The light of Christ touches every fabric of the universe; it is available to all, but receiving or rejecting is up to each individual. The true light that shines awakens the conscience, convicts the heart, and calls every person toward Himself. According to Romans 1:19–20 even those who never open a Bible still experience the moral and spiritual illumination of the Creator.

Application

The power of the true light is in its reach to everyone, whether spiritually blind or not. We have all been given a choice to recognize the Light, and receive or reject the Light, but we can never say it was not available to us. Every sunrise, every moral conviction, every yearning for meaning is a reflection of that true Light that gives light to everyone.

The Purpose of the True Light

Third, verse 9 reveals the Purpose of the True Light. The third part of the verse says the true light “was coming into the world.” God’s Word tells us the purpose of the True Light was not just to shine from afar; He came into the world. God, the eternal Word, Life, and Light, in Jesus, stepped into time and space to show He is not a distant God but a personal one. In His divine pursuit, He did not abandon the darkness— He entered it. He didn’t send a message— He sent Himself. To those who face rejection, He came to show they are accepted, valued, and loved by God, who created them.

The illustration that of a doctor who doesn’t stay in the hospital waiting for patients but enters the disease-ridden village to bring healing. The Light of Christ descended into our deepest, darkest night to draw us back to the dawn of grace.

Application

Jesus came into our world; we must carry His light into ours. The mission of Jesus, the true Light, is the mission of the true followers of Jesus. It is to go willingly into dark places, broken homes, and hurting lives with the radiant true light of Christ.

Relevance in Our Cultural Context

The word, “true,” is the keyword in this verse to bridge John’s historical cultural context with ours. We live in a world where everyone has their own truth; people do not believe in absolute truth. The question is no longer what truth is, but do people really want the truth and can they handle the truth.

In the last few decades, right before my own eyes, the debate about truth has become the debate between the absolute truth and the relative truth. The absolute truth argument is that truth remains true regardless of how one thinks or feels about it. The relative truth argument is that truth changes based on one’s understanding.

The world cannot stand the idea of absolute truth and says that what may be true for you is simply not true for me. The problem with that is that without a standard of truth, truth becomes subjective. The result of that is right before our eyes: people are defining their own truth about ethics, identity, morality, sexuality, gender, faith, marriage, and family.

It is the idea of relative truth that allows them to create and live in their own reality rather than the reality of the true Light of Christ so that they can justify whatever they want to do. Christian values bother them and Christian ethics and morality, the definition of marriage and family, and the stance of sanctity of life hurt them to the point that they are willing to gun you down.

So, the question for the witnesses of the Light in this dark, gloomy world is, are you willing to stand for the truth? Are you willing to bear witness when you know it may cost you your name, your fame, or even your life? Or do you want to hop on the more convenient and acceptable social gospel that is inclusive and affirms all behaviors without allowing the Light of Christ to expose human sin and restore them?

Accepting the social gospel will appease the world but not the Word; you will be praised by the world but condemned by the Word; you will risk nothing in this world but lose everything in the World that is to come. James 4:4 says, “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

In every culture and in every era, followers of Jesus are sent by God not to be friends of the world but to be witnesses to bear witness of the Light which is Christ to the world. If you really want to be a friend, then speak the truth and shine the light. What friend will let a friend burn for eternity? The word, witness, as I said before, in Greek is the word martyr. In the first century in the Greco-Roman culture, martyrs of Christ were not friends of the world, or else they would not have been killed. They were martyred because they were considered intolerant of socially acceptable practices of sexual immorality, perversion, and pagan worship. They stood against the wave of relativism and subjective truth and raised the banner of the absolute truth of Christ that He is the Lord of all.

Closing Thought

As I close, are you willing to do the same in a culture where, in the name of tolerance, everything is tolerated but the truth? John 8:32 teaches that the truth will set them free; the truth— not their subjective, perverse, relative truth that, like a chameleon, changes its colors with the new shift in culture and sadly seeped into churches as well. The truth that sets people free is the absolute truth, which is permanent, constant, and objective, meaning it does not change, no matter what and it does not bend to anyone’s will, no matter who.

Action Step

Tomorrow is Diwali. In the Hindu religion, it is the celebration of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Other religions that celebrate the festival of lights are Jainism, Sikhism, and some Buddhists. The problem is that the Bible teaches people living in darkness cannot see, sense, or perceive light, so what they think is the light is nothing but an illusion and a shade of darkness.

There is an opportunity for the witnesses of Christ to introduce them to the true Light, the only Light, the Source of all Light, which is the person of Jesus. Share with them what Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Appeal

Take your witness seriously. Know the reality of the true light that He is the Person of Jesus Christ, who has the Power to reach every dark corner of the universe and your life, and that His Purpose is to expose your sins to save you from eternal darkness. Now that you know the reality of the true light you can make an informed decision to receive or reject the Light, which is Christ.

Inductive Bible Study: Observation, Interpretation, Application

Observation https://www.kathyhoward.org/10-observation-tips-for-better-bible-study/
Interpretation https://www.kathyhoward.org/4-tips-to-help-you-understand-the-bible/
Application https://www.kathyhoward.org/4-ways-you-can-apply-scripture-to-your-life/

Observation: What Does the Text Say?

1. Read John 1:9–11 aloud together. What key words or phrases stand out to you in these verses?

2. In John 1:9, John describes Jesus as “the true Light, which gives light to everyone.” What does the word, true, suggest about Jesus compared to other sources of light or truth in the world?

3. According to John 1:10, where was the Light and how did the world respond to Him? What contrast do you notice between the Creator (“the world was made through Him”) and creation (“the world did not know Him”)?

4. John 1:11 says, “He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.” Who are “His own,” and what does this tell us about the audience to whom John is referring?

Interpretation: What Does It Mean?

5. What does it mean that the Light “gives light to everyone?” Does this imply that everyone receives salvation or something else?

6. Why do you think the world failed to recognize its own Creator, even though He revealed Himself so clearly?

7. What does this passage teach us about human nature and spiritual blindness?

8. How does the rejection of Jesus by “His own people” reveal the difference between religious knowledge and spiritual understanding?

9. How does John 1:9–11 prepare us for the good news that follows in John 1:12–13?

Application: How Should We Respond?

10. How In what ways do people today still “reject the Light”? Consider both unbelievers and believers who resist God’s truth in certain areas of life.

11. What are some subtle ways we, as Christians, can fail to “recognize” Jesus in our daily decisions, relationships, or priorities?

12. How should this passage shape our attitude toward those who reject Christ?

13. What can we learn about God’s patience and grace from the fact that He continues to reveal His Light despite rejection?

14. How can you personally reflect the Light of Christ this week— in a place, relationship, or situation where He’s often rejected?

15. What practical step can your group take to help others recognize the true Light instead of rejecting Him?