John Chapter 8: Agape Bible Study Link and Handout

John Chapter 8 - Light of the World Discourse

Click on the Read More Link for the Chapter 8 Handout.

HANDOUT CHAPTER 8

John 8:12-20: The Light of the World Discourse [Jesus’ witness to Himself]
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Verses 12-20 cover three basic topics:

1. Jesus as “The Light”
2. Jesus’ witness to himself
3. The question of judgment

There is also an obvious parallel between this discussion of Jesus and the Pharisees and His earlier verbal duel with them in chapter 7:

John Ch. 7		John Ch. 8
7:27-28	Where did Jesus come from?—His origins	8:14
7:33-35	Where is Jesus going?	8:21
7:24	Judgment by human standards	8:15
7:28	Knowing Jesus and the One who sent Him	8:19
7:30	The inability to arrest Him because the hour had not yet come	8:20

John 8:12 “When Jesus spoke to the people again, he said: ‘I am the light of the world; anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark but will have the light of life.”

Once again we have Jesus identifying Himself with the significant and symbolic words: I AM, ego ami, which reminds us of Yahweh’s revelation of Himself to Moses 3 times as I AM in Exodus 3:13-14. In John’s Gospel Jesus will use these words 26 times and in 7 different metaphors [each used with a predicate nominative]:

1 - 6:35	“I AM the bread of life”
2 - 8:12	“I AM the light of the world”
3 - 10:7	“I AM the gate for the sheep”
4 - 10:11	“I AM the good shepherd”
5 - 11:25	“I AM the resurrection and the life”
6 - 14:6	“I AM the way and the truth and the life”
7 - 15:1	“I AM the true vine”

In Matthew’s Gospel the disciples are told “You are the light of the world.” There is no contradiction because the disciples, like John the Baptist, are the light of the world only as they reflect Jesus Christ, the true Light.