public part of the temple. Four golden candelabra stood there, each with four golden bowls, each one filled from a pitcher of oil by a youth of priestly descent. These were lighted on the first night of the Feast of Tabernacles. It is not unlikely that they may have suggested our Lord’s figure, but the figure itself was familiar both from prophecy and from tradition. According to tradition, Light was one of the names of the Messiah. See Isa. ix. 1; xlii. 6; xlix. 6; Ix. 1-3; Mal. iv. 2; Luke ii. 32.
Walk in darkness (repurratices év Th oxotia). This phrase is peculiar to the Gospel and First Epistle.
Shall have (é€e). Not only shall see it, but shall possess it. Hence Christ’s disciples are the light of the world (Matt. v. 14). Compare lights, or, properly, luminaries (pwornpes), & name, applied to believers in Philip. ii. 15.
13. Thou barest record of thyself. Rev., witness. A technical objection, evading the real purport of Jesus’ declara- tion. The Rabbinical writings declared that no man could give witness for himself.
14. Though (xav). Lit., even 2.
| know (ofa). With a clear inward consciousness. See on ii. 24.
Whence | came and whither | go. Two essential facts of testimony, viz., origin and destiny. “ The question was one about His own personal consciousness, of which only Himself could bear witness” (Lange). “If the sun or the day could speak, and should say: ‘I am the sun!’ and it were replied, ‘No, thou mayest be the night, for thou bearest witness of thyself!’ how would that sound? Argue it away if thou canst” (“ Ber- lenburg Bible,” cited by Stier, “ Words of the Lord Jesus”).
And whither I go. The best texts read, 7, or.