Light of the World


Light of the World is a phrase Jesus used to describe himself and his disciples in the New Testament. The phrase is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and John. It is closely related to the parables of Salt and Light and Lamp under a bushel.
John 8:12 and

Gospel accounts

Referring to himself

In Jesus applies the title to himself while debating with the Jews and states:
Jesus again claims to be Light of the World in, during the miracle of healing the blind at birth, saying:
This episode leads into where Jesus metaphorically explains that he came to this world, so that the blind may see.
In the Christological context, the use of the title Light of the World is similar to the Bread of Life title in where Jesus states: “I am the bread of life: he who comes to me shall not hunger.” These assertions build on the Christological theme of where Jesus claims to possess life just as the Father does and provide it to those who follow him. The term “Life of the World” is applied in the same sense by Jesus to himself in.

Referring to his disciples

Jesus also used that term to refer to his disciples in :
This application of "light compared with darkness" also appears in which applies it to God and states: "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all".

Johannine Dualism

Examples of Dualistic concepts in the Gospel of John:
LightDarkness
KnownUnknown
Jesus ChristMoses
HeavenlyEarthly
AboveNot Above
SpiritFlesh
SightBlindness
InsidersWorld
DayNight

The following are antithetical quotes from John:
"In John's writings, walking in darkness does not mean committing acts of sin but rather, rejecting God's message of eternal life through Christ"
Those who define darkness as sin also define light as good and righteous. However, in the Gospel of John light is never defined as righteous. Light is defined as life, as seen in John 1:4, “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men”. Those have faith through Him will have eternal life. This “life” is a gift Jesus brought from God into a dying world.
In John, “darkness is present in the absence of light; the absence of eternal life,” and darkness referring to death, spiritually. Those who walk in darkness do not have eternal life because they are unknown to God. The only way to receive "life" is to be known of the light through God and his promises.

Extra-biblical sources

In the non-canonical Gospel of Thomas, a used similar phrase appears, "There is light within a man of light, and he lights up the whole world. If he does not shine, he is darkness".