Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Today’s Scripture Reading 
John 8:12–20

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Then the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid.” Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid. I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf.” Then they said to him, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” He spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come. (NRSV)

Reflection

So let me get this straight: Jesus just says that he’s the light of the world and we’re just supposed to take his word for it?

I can understand the Pharisees’ skepticism. Like most humans, they want proof. And not just proof in the way that Thomas wanted physical evidence when he met Jesus after his resurrection. The Pharisees have their own methods for verifying testimony. If the proper steps are followed, they can know if a thing is true or false. In our society, we have developed many of these methods as well. From law to science to mathematics, these systems allow us to have certainty in what we believe because we have followed the proper steps. At least until the next bit of information comes along and we get to start all over again.

I get the feeling that Jesus is poking fun at this system in his response, with a convoluted non-answer that ends with “Oh, my Father? You don’t know him, he’s from a different plane of existence.”

My own faith journey has led me to believe that proof of God is something that will always be just out of reach. My mind will always ask questions, I will have my doubts, and I will look for more. But ultimately I’ve grown comfortable in this ambiguity of the unknown. For me, that’s largely what faith is about: learning to be comfortable despite a lack of certainty.

So when Jesus says “I am the light of the world,” I guess I am just taking his word for it.

Prayer

Lord, give me faith to trust in your light. Lead me from the darkness, and help me to share your light in this world. Amen.

Written by Jared Light, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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