The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 157

Ver. 36.-"Som of light." Thie rem1Lrkable expree&ion oco11n1 four titnee in the New T61!tament. In Lu~ xvi. 8 tbe Lord Jcl!UB contrasts with the children of this generation the sons of light. In this p3888.ge he holde out the pro&l)60t before thoee who belieYe on the Light that they will becomo eone of light. Paul 1 in Eph. v. 8 admonishes Christi1Lns to walk a.s children of light, and in 1 Thees. v. 5 11.seuree Christi11.n~ that they are all sona of light. The deeign11.tion is instructive and appropri11.to as indicating- !. 'l'HEm ORIGIN; FOR TH'E GoD OF LIGHT IS 'l'IIEIB FATHER. God is Light; he is the Author of natural light, for he first s&id, "Let there be light: and there was light." He too "bath shined into our hearts, to give the light of tho knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." II. THEIR ll,LUMINATION; FOB CHRIST BY THE HOLY SrrnIT ENLIGHTENS THEM. In the forty-sixth ve"™l it is recorded that Jesus said," I am come a Licrht into the·world that whosoever believeth on me may not abide in the darkness." N~t only does Christ as the Light of the world shine upon us in spirituRI. glory; but the Holy Spirit illumines the inner nature by opening the eyes of the understanding to perceive the truth and grace of heaven. • m THEm CHARACTER; FOR 'THEY ARE LIGHT IN THE Lonn. Christians possess the light of knowl.edge, distinguishing their st.ate from the darkness of ignorance; the light of lwliness, by which their condition contrasts with that of those who love and do. the works of darkness; the light of happiness and spiritual joy, for 'they are delivered ·from the gloom of despondency and of fear. · IV. 'l'HEIB CALLING AND WOB.X; FOB THEm msSION IS TO BHTh"E UPON A BENIGHTED WORLD. "Heaven doth 'With us as we 'With torches do- Not light them for themselves." It is distinctive of true Christians that they not only receive the light, but diffuse it abroad. They thus adom their profession, become the agents in the salvation of others,· and glorify their God. - V. THli:lll: FINAL GOAL AND ROHE; FOB THEY ABE PBKPilING FOR AND HASTENING' m."To THE HEAVEN OF LIGHT. There is a sense in which this present state is the night, which is fB.r spent ; the day is at hand. The fulness of light is where God is in his glory, and where he purposes that his people shall be with him, and see hie face. The prospect before the sons of light is none other than "the inheritance of the 'Baints in· light."-T. Vere. 44. 46.-79ie knowledge of the EfHmaJ, through (Jh:rm. The world's great want is to believe in God.; Men believe in power, in wealth, in pleasure, in prosperity, in science; that is to say, they believe that such things are desirable and attainable, and worth trying and toiling and suffering for. These are prized; and therefore sought. They are more or less good. Yet they cannot satisfy, they cannot bless, man; for he has a spiritual and imperishable nature, for which all earthly things are not enough, which they cannot meet and satisfy. Yet multitudes of men have found nothing better. Some believe that the good things of this world are man's highest good, and strive to bring down their sonls to this level Others know that this cannot be, and are most unhappy, because they are strangers to aught that is higher and better; because they are not convinced of their own spirituality and immortality; because they do not feel assured that there is in the universe a Being greater, holier, and more blessed than they are. It is the chilclish fashion of the day to doubt all eave what is often a most doubtfnl kind of knowledge-the knowledge which we have by sense.. What IJ'ien chiefly need is to believe in a Being who is both in and above all things seen and temporal; who adminillten and governs all; who is ever revealing himself in all things, .and to all his intelligent creation; who has purposes, and purposes of wisdom and of love, towards all his children in every pla.ce. In a word, •what they need ie to believe in God. Th.ii is faith, and faith iB the essence of religion. Faith in a living Person, conscious and moral; not in 1Lll impersonal intelligence (whatever that may be) inferior to Ollr8elves; but in a Father in heaven, in whom is every moral excellence which we admire in c,w- fellow-men, only in measure exceeding our imagination and 011. xrr. 1-60.] TUE GOSPEL ACCORDING 'fO BT. ,JOHN. 163