Again therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying: I am the light of the world: he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

“(Hom. lii. 2) As they had brought Galilee as an objection against Him, and doubted His being one of the Prophets, as if that was all He claimed to be, He wished to shew that He was not one of the Prophets, but the Lord of the whole earth: Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the Light of the world: not of Galilee, or of Palestine, or of Judæa.”

“(Tract. xxxiv. 2) The Manichæans suppose the sun of the natural world to be our Lord Christ; but the Catholic Church reprobates such a notion; for our Lord Christ was not made the sun, but the sun was made by Him: inasmuch as all things were made by Him. (c. 1:3) And for our sake did He come to be under the sun, being the light which made the sun: He hid Himself under the cloud of the flesh, not to obscure, but to temper His light. Speaking then through the cloud of the flesh, the Light unfailing, the Light of wisdom says to men, I am the Light of the world.”

“After the Evangelist has shown Christ teaching, he here consequently shows, first, the illuminative power of his teaching; second, he sets forth what is said concerning it, at the place, "The Pharisees therefore said to him: Thou givest testimony of thyself." Concerning the first he does three things. First he sets down the privilege of spiritual light; second, its effect, at the place, "he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness"; third, its fruit, at the place, "but shall have the light of life." Now the privilege of spiritual light is set down with respect to Christ, who is light; and as to this he says, "Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying: I am the light of the world." This can be connected in one way to what was said immediately before. For because he had said, "Neither will I condemn thee," and so on, absolving her of the crime, therefore, lest anyone should doubt whether he himself could absolve and forgive sins, he deigns to show more openly the power of his divinity, saying that he is the light which drives away the darkness of sin. In another way it can be connected to what he said above in chapter 7:52, "Search the Scriptures, and see that a prophet doth not rise up out of Galilee." For because they reckoned him a Galilean, and as it were dependent on a particular place, they were rejecting his teaching; therefore the Lord shows that he is the universal light of the whole world, saying, "I am the light of the world," not of Galilee, nor of Palestine, nor of Judea. The Manichees, however, as Augustine says, understood this falsely. For because their imagination was concerned only with sensible things, they were unable to extend themselves to intellectual and spiritual things; they believed that above corporeal things nothing existed in the nature of things, and hence they said that God was a body, and a certain infinite light, and they thought that this sun visible to the eyes of the flesh was the Lord Christ; and on this account they held that he himself had said, "I am the light of the world." But this cannot stand, and the Catholic Church condemns such a fiction. For this corporeal sun is a light which the sense can attain; and therefore it is not the supreme light, which the intellect alone attains, which is the intelligible light proper to the rational creature. Of this light Christ speaks here, "I am the light of the world." Of this it is said above, in 1:9, "That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world." Now this sensible light is a certain image of that intelligible light: for every sensible thing is, as it were, something particular, whereas intellectual things are, as it were, something total. Just as this particular light has an effect upon the thing seen, inasmuch as it makes colors actually visible, and also upon the one seeing, because through it the eye is strengthened to see, so that intelligible light makes the intellect knowing. For whatever light there is in the rational creature is wholly derived from that supreme light; above, 1:9, "enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world." Likewise it makes all things actually intelligible, inasmuch as all forms are derived from it, through which things have that whereby they are known, just as all the forms of artifacts are derived from the art and reason of the artisan; Psalm 103:24, "How great are thy works, O Lord! Thou hast made all things in wisdom." And therefore he rightly says, "I am the light of the world": not the sun made, but he through whom the sun was made. Yet, as Augustine says, the light which made the sun was itself made under the sun, and is covered with the cloud of flesh, not that it might be obscured, but that it might be tempered. By this is also excluded the heresy of Nestorius, who said that the Son of God was united to man only by indwelling. For it is agreed that he who uttered these words, namely "I am the light of the world," was a man. Unless, therefore, he who was speaking and was seen to be a man were personally the Son of God, he would not have said "I am the light of the world," but rather "in me dwells the light of the world." Now the effect of this light is to expel darkness; hence he says, "he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness." And because this light is universal, it therefore universally expels all darkness. Now darkness is threefold, namely, of ignorance; Psalm 81:5, "They have not known nor understood: they walk on in darkness." And this is a darkness of reason in itself, insofar as it is beclouded by itself. Likewise, darkness of guilt; Ephesians 5:8, "You were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord." And this is a darkness of human reason not from itself, but from appetite, inasmuch as, being ill-disposed through the passions or a habit, it desires something as good which nevertheless is not truly good. Likewise, the darkness of eternal damnation; Matthew 25:30, "And the unprofitable servant cast ye out into the exterior darkness." But the first two are in this present life; the third belongs to the end of the way. He, therefore, who follows me, "walketh not in darkness," of ignorance, because "I am the truth"; nor of guilt, because "I am the way"; nor of eternal damnation, because "I am the life." And therefore he consequently adds the fruit of the teaching, namely, "but shall have the light of life": for he who has this light is outside the darkness of damnation. He says, however, "he that followeth," because just as whoever does not wish to err in darkness must follow him who carries the light, so whoever wishes to be saved must follow Christ, who is the light, by believing and loving; and thus the apostles followed him, Matthew 4:20. Now because bodily light can fail through its setting, it happens that he who follows it falls into darkness. But this light, which knows no setting, never fails; and therefore he who follows it has an unfailing light, namely, of life. For visible light does not give life, but assists from without the operations of bodily life; but this light gives life, because we live inasmuch as we have intellect, which is a certain participation of that light. But when that light shall shine forth perfectly, then we shall have perfect life; Psalm 35:10, "For with thee is the fountain of life; and in thy light we shall see light"; as if to say: then we shall have life itself perfectly when we shall see that very light through its species. Hence it is said, John 17:3, "Now this is eternal life: that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." But it must be noted that what he says, "he that followeth me," pertains to merit; but what he says, "shall have the light of life," pertains to reward. Consequently, when he says, "The Pharisees therefore said to him," and so on, he shows these three things which he said of himself, and first the first; second the second, at the place, "Again therefore Jesus said to them"; third the third, at the place, "Amen, amen I say to you, if any man keep my word, he shall not see death for ever." Now the first thing he said was "I am the light of the world," which troubled the Jews; and therefore he first sets down the contradiction of the Jews; second, their refutation, by manifesting the truth of his own saying, at the place, "Jesus answered, and said to them," and so on. Now it is manifest concerning the first that what he said in the temple he said in the sight of the crowds, but here in the presence of the Pharisees. And therefore the Pharisees themselves said to him: "Thou givest testimony of thyself, thy testimony is not true"; as if they were to say: from this very fact, that thou bearest witness of thyself, thy testimony is not true. For among men it is neither acceptable nor fitting that a man should praise himself; Proverbs 27:2, "Let another praise thee, and not thy own mouth": because a man is not made commendable by this, but if he is commended by God; 2 Corinthians 10:18, "For not he who commendeth himself is approved, but he whom God commendeth": because God alone knows him perfectly. But no one can sufficiently commend God, except himself; and therefore it is necessary that he bear witness of himself, and also concerning men; Job 16:20, "Behold my witness is in heaven." And so the Jews were being deceived. Consequently, when he says, "Jesus answered, and said to them," and so on, the Lord repels their contradiction, and first by the authority of the Father; second he removes the contradiction that arose concerning the Father, at the place, "They said therefore to him: Where is thy father?" Now the contradiction of the Jews proceeded by a certain consequence, and therefore he first shows their consequence does not hold; second he proves that his own testimony is true, at the place, "I judge not any man," and so on. Concerning the first he does two things. First he shows the falsity of their consequence; second he adds the cause of their deception, at the place, "But you know not whence I come, or whither I go." Now their consequence was that from this very fact, that Christ bore witness of himself, his testimony was not true. But the Lord says the contrary, namely that from this it is true. Hence he answered, and said to them: "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is true": and this because "I know whence I come, and whither I go"; as if to say, according to Chrysostom, because I am from God, and am God, and the Son of God. Now God is "true": Romans 3:4. He says, however, "I know whence I come," that is, I know my own origin, "and whither I go," namely, to the Father, whom no one can know perfectly except the Son of God; Matthew 11:27, "Neither doth any one know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal him." Now whoever knows by affection and by intellect whence he comes and whither he goes cannot but speak the truth, for he comes from God and goes to God; and God is truth: how much more, then, does the Son of God, who perfectly knows whence he comes and whither he goes, speak the truth? Consequently, when he says, "But you know not whence I come, or whither I go," he shows the cause of their error, which is ignorance of the divinity of Christ; for because they were ignorant of it, they judged of him according to his humanity. Thus there was a twofold cause of error in them. One, that they were ignorant of his divinity; the other, that they judged of him according to his humanity alone. And therefore as to the first he says, "You know not whence I come," that is, my eternal procession from the Father, "or whither I go." Above: "he is true that sent me, and the things I have heard of him, these same I speak in the world"; Job 28:20, "Whence then cometh wisdom?"; Isaiah 53:8, "Who shall declare his generation?" As to the second he says, "You judge according to the flesh," namely concerning me, thinking me to be only flesh, and not God. Or "according to the flesh," that is, wickedly and unjustly. For just as to live according to the flesh is to live wickedly, so too to judge according to the flesh is to judge wickedly. Consequently, when he says, "I judge not any man," he shows that his testimony is true, and that it is false that he alone bears witness of himself. And because mention has been made of judgment, he shows first that he is not alone in judging; second, that he is not alone in bearing witness, at the place, "and in your law it is written," and so on. Concerning the first he does three things. First he sets down the deferral of judgment; second the truth of judgment; and third the reason for that truth. He sets down the deferral of judgment indeed when he says, "I judge not any man"; as if to say: you judge wickedly, but "I judge not any man"; above, 3:17, "For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him." Or, "I judge not any man," namely according to the flesh, as you judge; Isaiah 11:3, "He shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes, nor reprove according to the hearing of the ears." But yet at some time I shall judge; because "the Father hath given all judgment to the Son"; above, chapter 5:22. And then "my judgment is true," that is, just; Psalm 95, "he shall judge the world with equity"; Romans 2:2, "we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against them that do such things." In this the truth of the judgment is shown. He shows the reason for the truth when he says, "because I am not alone." Now what he said above, 5:22, "the Father judgeth not any man," is to be understood as apart from the Son, or because the Father will not appear visibly to all in the judgment; and therefore he says, "I am not alone," because I am not forsaken by him, but am together with him; below, 14:10, "I am in the Father, and the Father in me." Now this saying excludes the error of Sabellius, who said that the person of the Father and of the Son is one, and that they differ only according to names. For if this were so, he would not have said, "I am not alone," but rather "I, and he who sent me," but he would have said: I am the Father, and I myself am the Son. Distinguish, therefore, the persons, and know that the Son is other than the Father. Consequently, when he says, "and in your law it is written," and so on, he shows that he is not alone in bearing witness; nor does testimony, however, differ as judgment does: hence he does not say, I do not bear witness. First, therefore, he introduces the law; second he concludes the proposition, at the place, "I am one that give testimony of myself." He says, therefore, "in your law," and given to you, Ecclesiasticus 24:23, "Moses commanded a law"; "it is written," Deuteronomy 19, "that the testimony of two men is true": for it stands thus there, "In the mouth of two or three shall every word stand." But, according to Augustine, this saying, "the testimony of two men is true," raises a great question. For it can happen that two should lie. For chaste Susanna was pressed hard by two false witnesses, as is found in Daniel 13:5ff. Even the whole people lied against Christ. The answer is this: this saying, "the testimony of two men is true," is to be understood as meaning that it is to be held as true in judgment. The reason for this is that in human acts true certitude cannot be had; and therefore that is taken which can be had more certainly, which is through a multitude of witnesses: for it is more probable that one should lie than that many should; Ecclesiastes 4:12, "a threefold cord is not easily broken." Nevertheless, by this saying, "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word stand," he leads us back, according to Augustine, to a consideration of the Trinity, in which there is a perpetual stability of truth, from which all truths are derived. He says, however, "of two or three," because in Sacred Scripture sometimes three persons are named, sometimes two, with whom also the Holy Spirit is understood, who is the bond of the two. If, therefore, the testimony of two or three men is true, my testimony is true, because both I bear witness of myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness of me; above, 5:36, "I have a greater testimony than that of John." But this does not seem to pertain to the matter proposed. First, indeed, because the Father of the Son of God is not a man; whereas he himself says, "the testimony of two men is true." Second, because there are two witnesses of something when they bear witness concerning some third thing; but if one bears witness concerning one, there are not two witnesses. Since, therefore, Christ bears witness of himself, and likewise the Father of Christ, it seems that there are not two witnesses. But it must be said that Christ here argues from the lesser. For it is manifest that the truth of God is greater than the truth of man. If, therefore, they believe the testimony of men, much more should the testimony of God be believed. 1 John 5:9, "If you receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater." Likewise he says this in order to show that he is consubstantial with the Father, and does not need testimony from another, as Chrysostom says. Consequently, when he says, "They said therefore to him: Where is thy father?" he removes the question that arose concerning the Father, and first he sets down the question of the Jews; second he sets down the response of Christ; third he indicates the assurance of the one responding. Now the question of the Jews proposed to Christ was about the Father, where he was: hence they said to him, "Where is thy father?" For they understood Christ to have a human father as they themselves had; and therefore, because they had heard him say, "I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent me," and here they saw him alone, they say, "Where is thy father?" Or it must be said that they speak here with a certain irony and contempt; as if they were to say: why do you so often bring in your father to us? Is he of such great power that his testimony should be believed? For he is unknown and ignoble. They understood this of Joseph; nevertheless they were ignorant of the Father. Psalm 113:2, "Lest at any time the Gentiles should say: Where is their God?" Now the response of Christ is hidden, at the place: "Jesus answered: You neither know me, nor my Father." For because they sought not out of a desire to learn but out of malice, therefore Christ does not open the truth to them; but he shows, first, their ignorance; second, how they might arrive at knowledge of the truth. He shows their ignorance indeed when he says, "you neither know me"; as if to say: do not ask about the Father, because you do not know me. For because you think me a man, therefore you seek my father as a man; but because you do not know me, neither can you know the Father. But against this: above, 7:28, he said, "You both know me, and you know whence I am." It must be said that they knew him according to his humanity, but not according to his divinity. It must be known, however, according to Origen, that some, taking an occasion of error from this saying, said that the Father of Christ was not the God of the Old Testament; for the Jews knew him, according to that saying of Psalm 75:1, "In Judea God is known." But to this there is a fourfold response. First, that the Lord therefore says the Jews are ignorant of the Father because they conduct themselves after the manner of those who are ignorant, inasmuch as they do not keep his commandment. And this response pertains to act. Second, they are said to be ignorant of God because they do not cleave to him spiritually through love: for he who knows something cleaves to it. Third, because even if they knew him through faith, they did not have full knowledge of him. Above, 1:18, "No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." Fourth, because in the Old Testament the Father became known under the aspect of the omnipotent God, Exodus 6:3, "I appeared to them in God almighty, and my name Adonai I did not show them," but not under the aspect of Father; hence, although they knew him as God, they did not know him as the Father of the consubstantial Son. Now he says that he himself is the way of arriving at knowledge of the Father: hence he says, "if you knew me," as if to say: because I speak of my Father as hidden, it is necessary first that you should know me, and then perhaps you will know my Father. For the Son is the way to knowledge of the Father. Below, 14:7, "If you had known me, you would without doubt have known my Father also." For, according to Augustine, what is "if you knew me" but "I and the Father are one"? It is a everyday manner of speaking, when you see someone resembling another, that you say: if you have seen this one, you have seen that one, not indeed that the Father is the Son, but that he is like the Father. He says, however, "perhaps," not in doubt, but by way of reproach, as if you were to be indignant with your servant, and say: do you scorn me? Consider that perhaps I am your lord. Now the assurance of Christ in responding is shown by the Evangelist, when he says, "These words Jesus spoke in the treasury." And first indeed from the place where he was teaching, namely in the treasury and in the temple. For "gaza," in the Persian tongue, means riches, and "phylaxe" means to keep; hence "gazophylacium" is set down in Scripture for a chest where riches are kept; and it is taken in this way in 4 Kings 12:9, that "Joiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the top, and set it by the altar at the right hand of them that came into the house of the Lord: and the priests that kept the doors put therein all the money that was brought to the temple of the Lord." But sometimes it stands for the house where riches are kept; and it is taken in this way here. Second, from the fact that those who had been sent to seize him could not do so, because he himself was unwilling: hence he says, "and no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come," in which he should suffer; not a fated hour, but one predestined by his own will from eternity. Hence Augustine says, "his hour was not yet come," not the hour in which he would be compelled to die, but that in which he would deign to be slain. But note, according to Origen, that whenever a place is designated in which the Lord did something, this happens on account of a mystery. In the treasury, therefore, which is the place of riches, Christ taught, so as to give it to be understood that the coins, that is, the words of his teaching, bear the image of the great King stamped upon them. Note also that when he was teaching, "no man laid hands on him," because his words were more powerful than those who wished to seize him: but when he willed to be crucified, he was silent.”

“The rest of the chapter is taken up with debates between Christ and contradicting sinners, who cavilled at the most gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth. It is not certain whether these disputes were the same day that the adulteress was discharged; it is probable they were, for the evangelist mentions no other day, and takes notice (Joh 8:2) how early Christ began that day's work. Though those Pharisees that accused the woman had absconded, yet there were other Pharisees (Joh 8:13) to confront Christ, who had brass enough in their foreheads to keep them in countenance, though some of their party were put to such a shameful retreat; nay perhaps that made them the more industrious to pick quarrels with him, to retrieve, if possible, the reputation of their baffled party. In these verses we have, I. A great doctrine laid down, with the application of it. 1. The doctrine is, That Christ is the light of the world (Joh 8:12): Then spoke Jesus again unto them; though he had spoken a great deal to them to little purpose, and what he had said was opposed, yet he spoke again, for he speaketh once, yea, twice. They had turned a deaf ear to what he said, and yet he spoke again to them, saying, I am the light of the world. Note, Jesus Christ is the light of the world. One of the rabbies saith, Light is the name of the Messiah, as it is written, Dan 2:22, And light dwelleth with him. God is light, and Christ is the image of the invisible God; God of gods, Light of lights. He was expected to be a light to enlighten the Gentiles (Luk 2:32), and so the light of the world, and not of the Jewish church only. The visible light of the world is the sun, and Christ is the Sun of righteousness. One sun enlightens the whole world, so does one Christ, and there needs no more. Christ in calling himself the light expresses, (1.) What he is in himself - most excellent and glorious. (2.) What he is to the world - the fountain of light, enlightening every man. What a dungeon would the world be without the sun! So would it be without Christ by whom light came into the world, Joh 3:19. 2. The inference from this doctrine is, He that followeth me, as a traveller follows the light in a dark night, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. If Christ be the light, then, (1.) It is our duty to follow him, to submit ourselves to his guidance, and in every thing take directions from him, in the way that leads to happiness. Many follow false lights - ignes fatui, that lead them to destruction; but Christ is the true light. It is not enough to look at this light, and to gaze upon it, but we must follow it, believe in it, and walk in it, for it is a light to our feet, not our eyes only. (2.) It is the happiness of those who follow Christ that they shall not walk in darkness. They shall not be left destitute of those instructions in the way of truth which are necessary to keep them from destroying error, and those directions in the way of duty which are necessary to keep them from damning sin. They shall have the light of life, that knowledge and enjoyment of God which will be to them the light of spiritual life in this world and of everlasting life in the other world, where there will be no death nor darkness. Follow Christ, and we shall undoubtedly be happy in both worlds. Follow Christ, and we shall follow him to heaven. II. The objection which the Pharisees made against this doctrine, and it was very trifling and frivolous: Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true, Joh 8:13. In this objection they went upon the suspicion which we commonly have of men's self-condemnation, which is concluded to be the native language of self-love, such as we are all ready to condemn in others, but few are willing to own in themselves. But in this case the objection was very unjust, for, 1. They made that his crime, and a diminution to the credibility of his doctrine, which in the case of one who introduced a divine revelation was necessary and unavoidable. Did not Moses and all the prophets bear witness of themselves when they avouched themselves to be God's messengers? Did not the Pharisees ask John Baptist, What sayest thou of thyself? 2. They overlooked the testimony of all the other witnesses, which corroborated the testimony he bore of himself. Had he only borne record of himself, his testimony had indeed been suspicious, and the belief of it might have been suspended; but his doctrine was attested by more than two or three credible witnesses, enough to establish every word of it. III. Christ's reply to this objection, Joh 8:14. He does not retort upon them as he might ("You profess yourselves to be devout and good men, but your witness is not true"), but plainly vindicates himself; and, though he had waived his own testimony (Joh 5:31), yet here he abides by it, that it did not derogate from the credibility of his other proofs, but was necessary to show the force of them. He is the light of the world, and it is the property of light to be self-evidencing. First principles prove themselves. He urges three things to prove that his testimony, though of himself, was true and cogent. 1. That he was conscious to himself of his own authority, and abundantly satisfied in himself concerning it. He did not speak as one at uncertainty, nor propose a disputable notion, about which he himself hesitated, but declared a decree, and gave such an account of himself as he would abide by: I know whence I came, and whither I go. He was fully apprised of his own undertaking from first to last; knew whose errand he went upon, and what his success would be. He knew what he was before his manifestation to the world, and what he should be after; that he came from the Father, and was going to him (Joh 16:28), came from glory, and was going to glory, (Joh 17:5). This is the satisfaction of all good Christians, that though the world know them not, as it knew him not, yet they know whence their spiritual life comes, and whither it tends, and go upon sure grounds. 2. That they are very incompetent judges of him, and of his doctrine, and not to be regarded. (1.) Because they were ignorant, willingly and resolvedly ignorant: You cannot tell whence I came, and whither I go. To what purpose is it to talk with those who know nothing of the matter, nor desire to know? He had told them of his coming from heaven and returning to heaven, but it was foolishness to them, they received it not; it was what the brutish man knows not, Psa 92:6. They took upon them to judge of that which they did not understand, which lay quite out of the road of their acquaintance. Those that despise Christ's dominions and dignities speak evil of what they know not, Jude, Jde 1:8, Jde 1:10. (2.) Because they were partial (Joh 8:15): You judge after the flesh. When fleshly wisdom gives the rule of judgment, and outward appearances only are given in evidence, and the case decided according to them, then men judge after the flesh; and when the consideration of a secular interest turns the scale in judging of spiritual matters, when we judge in favour of that which pleases the carnal mind, and recommends us to a carnal world, we judge after the flesh; and the judgment cannot be right when the rule is wrong. The Jews judged of Christ and his gospel by outward appearances, and, because he appeared so mean, thought it impossible he should be the light of the world; as if the sun under a cloud were no sun. (3.) Because they were unjust and unfair towards him, intimated in this: "I judge no man; I neither make nor meddle with your political affairs, nor does my doctrine or practice at all intrench upon, or interfere with, your civil rights or secular powers." He thus judged no man. Now, if he did not war after the flesh, it was very unreasonable for them to judge him after the flesh, and to treat him as an offender against the civil government. Or, "I judge no man," that is, "not now in my first coming, that is deferred till I come again," Joh 3:17. Prima dispensatio Christi medicinalis est, non judicialis - The first coming of Christ was for the purpose of administering, not justice, but medicine. 3. That his testimony of himself was sufficiently supported and corroborated by the testimony of his Father with him and for him (Joh 8:16): And yet, if I judge, my judgment is true. He did in his doctrine judge (Joh 9:39), though not politically. Consider him then, (1.) As a judge, and his own judgment was valid: "If I judge, I who have authority to execute judgments, I to whom all things are delivered, I who am the Son of God, and have the Spirit of God, if I judge, my judgment is true, of incontestable rectitude and uncontrollable authority, Rom 2:2. If I should judge, my judgment must be true, and then you would be condemned; but the judgment-day is not yet come, you are not yet to be condemned, but spared, and therefore now I judge no man;" so Chrysostom. Now that which makes his judgment unexceptionable is, [1.] His Father's concurrence with him: I am not alone, but I and the Father. He has the Father's concurring counsels to direct; as he was with the Father before the world in forming the counsels, so the Father was with him in the world in prosecuting and executing those counsels, and never left him inops consilii - without advice, Isa 11:2. All the counsels of peace ( and of war too) were between them both, Zac 6:13. He had also the Father's concurring power to authorize and confirm what he did; see Psa 89:21, etc.; Isa 42:1. He did not act separately, but in his own name and his Father's, and by the authority aforesaid, Joh 5:17, and Joh 14:9, Joh 14:10. [2.] His Father's commission to him: "It is the Father that sent me." Note, God will go along with those that he sends; see Exo 3:10, Exo 3:12 : Come, and I will send thee, and certainly I will be with thee. Now, if Christ had a commission from the Father, and the Father's presence with him in all his administrations, no doubt his judgment was true and valid; no exception lay against it, no appeal lay from it. (2.) Look upon him as a witness, and now he appeared no otherwise (having not as yet taken the throne of judgment), and as such his testimony was true and unexceptionable; this he shows, Joh 8:17, Joh 8:18, where, [1.] He quotes a maxim of the Jewish law, Joh 8:17. That the testimony of two men is true. Not as if it were always true in itself, for many a time hand has been joined in hand to bear a false testimony, Kg1 21:10. But it is allowed as sufficient evidence upon which to ground a verdict (verum dictum), and if nothing appear to the contrary it is taken for granted to be true. Reference is here had to that law (Deu 17:6), At the mouth of two witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death. And see Deu 9:15; Num 35:30. It was in favour of life that in capital cases two witnesses wee required, as with us in case of treason. See Heb 6:18. [2.] He applies this to the case in hand (Joh 8:18): I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me bears witness of me. Behold two witnesses! Though in human courts, where two witnesses are required, the criminal or candidate is not admitted to be a witness for himself; yet in a matter purely divine, which can be proved only by a divine testimony, and God himself must be the witness, if the formality of two or three witnesses be insisted on, there can be no other than the eternal Father, the eternal Son of the Father, and the eternal Spirit. Now if the testimony of two distinct persons, that are men, and therefore may deceive or be deceived, is conclusive, much more ought the testimony of the Son of God concerning himself, backed with the testimony of his Father concerning him, to command assent; see Jo1 5:7, Jo1 5:9-11. Now this proves not only that the Father and the Son are two distinct persons (for their respective testimonies are here spoken of as the testimonies of two several persons), but that these two are one, not only one in their testimony, but equal in power and glory, and therefore the same in substance. St. Austin here takes occasion to caution his hearers against Sabellianism on the one hand, which confounded the persons in the Godhead, and Arianism on the other, which denied the Godhead of the Son and Spirit. Alius est filius, et alius pater, non tamed aliud, sed hoc ipsum est et pater, et filius, scilicet unus Deus est - The Son is one Person, and the Father is another; they do not, however, constitute two Beings, but the Father is the same Being that the Son is, that is, the only true God. Tract. 36, in Joann. Christ here speaks of himself and the Father as witnesses to the world, giving in evidence to the reason and conscience of the children of men, whom he deals with as men. And these witnesses to the world now will in the great day be witnesses against those that persist in unbelief, and their word will judge men. This was the sum of the first conference between Christ and these carnal Jews, in the conclusion of which we are told how their tongues were let loose, and their hands tied. First, How their tongues were let loose (such was the malice of hell) to cavil at his discourse, Joh 8:19. Though in what he said there appeared nothing of human policy or artifice, but a divine security, yet they set themselves to cross questions with him. None so incurably blind as those that resolve they will not see. Observe, a. How they evaded the conviction with a cavil: Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? They might easily have understood, by the tenour of this and his other discourses, that when he spoke of his Father he meant no other than God himself; yet they pretend to understand him of a common person, and, since he appeals to his testimony, they bid him call his witness, and challenge him, if he can, to produce him: Where is thy Father? Thus, as Christ said of them (Joh 8:15), they judge after the flesh. Perhaps they hereby intend a reflection upon the meanness and obscurity of his family: Where is thy Father, that he should be fit to give evidence in such a case as this? Thus they turned it off with a taunt, when they could not resist the wisdom and spirit with which he spoke. b. How he evaded the cavil with a further conviction; he did not tell them where his Father was, but charged them with wilful ignorance: "You neither know me nor my Father. It is to no purpose to discourse to you about divine things, who talk of them as blind men do of colours. Poor creatures! you know nothing of the matter." (a.) He charges them with ignorance of God: "You know not my Father." In Judah was God known (Psa 76:1); they had some knowledge of him as the God that made the world, but their eyes were darkened that they could not see the light of his glory shining in the face of Jesus Christ. The little children of the Christian church know the Father, know him as a Father (Jo1 2:13); but these rulers of the Jews did not, because they would not so know him. (b.) He shows them the true cause of their ignorance of God: If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. The reason why men are ignorant of God is because they are unacquainted with Jesus Christ. Did we know Christ, [a.] In knowing him we should know the Father, of whose person he is the express image, Joh 14:9. Chrysostom proves hence the Godhead of Christ, and his equality with his Father. We cannot say, "He that knows a man knows an angel," or, "He that knows a creature knows the Creator;" but he that knows Christ knows the Father. [b.] By him we should be instructed in the knowledge of God, and introduced into an acquaintance with him. If we knew Christ better, we should know the Father better; but, where the Christian religion is slighted and opposed, natural religion will soon be lost and laid aside. Deism makes way for atheism. Those become vain in their imaginations concerning God that will not learn of Christ. Secondly, See how their hands were tied, though their tongues were thus let loose; such was the power of Heaven to restrain the malice of hell. These words spoke Jesus, these bold words, these words of conviction and reproof, in the treasury, an apartment of the temple, where, to be sure, the chief priests, whose gain was their godliness, were mostly resident, attending the business of the revenue. Christ taught in the temple, sometimes in one part, sometimes in another, as he saw occasion. Now the priests who had so great a concern in the temple, and looked upon it as their demesne, might easily, with the assistance of the janizaries that were at their beck, either have seized him and exposed him to the rage of the mob, and that punishment which they called the beating of the rebels; or, at least, have silenced him, and stopped his mouth there, as Amos, though tolerated in the land of Judah, was forbidden to prophesy in the king's chapel, Amo 7:12, Amo 7:13. Yet even in the temple, where they had him in their reach, no man laid hands on him, for his hour was not yet come. See here, 1. The restraint laid upon his persecutors by an invisible power; none of them durst meddle with him. God can set bounds to the wrath of men, as he does to the waves of the sea. Let us not therefore fear danger in the way of duty; for God hath Satan and all his instruments in a chain. 2. The reason of this restraint: His hour was not yet come. The frequent mention of this intimates how much the time of our departure out of the world depends upon the fixed counsel and decree of God. It will come, it is coming; not yet come, but it is at hand. Our enemies cannot hasten it any sooner, nor our friends delay it any longer, than the time appointed of the Father, which is very comfortable to every good man, who can look up and say with pleasure, My times are in thy hands; and better there than in our own. His hour was not yet come, because his work was not done, nor his testimony finished. To all God's purposes there is a time.”

“Jesus answered and said unto them,.... In vindication of himself, and his testimony: though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true; which seems contradictory to what he says, in Joh 5:31, and may be reconciled thus; there he speaks of himself as man, and in the opinion of the Jews, who took him to be a mere man; and also as alone, and separate from his Father, as the context shows; therefore his single testimony, and especially concerning himself, could not be admitted as authentic among men; but here he speaks of himself as a divine person, and in conjunction with his Father, with whom he was equal; and therefore his testimony ought to be looked upon, and received as firm and good, giving this as a reason for it: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; that he was truly the Son of God, the only begotten of the Father, and had his mission and commission from him into this world; and which, as he knew himself, he was able to make known, and make appear to others, by his credentials, the doctrines taught, and the miracles wrought by him; which proved him to be what he said he was, the light of the world; and he knew that when he had done his work he came about, he should go to his God and Father, and take his place at his right hand: but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go; they took him to be the son of Joseph, and that he came out of Galilee; in which they were mistaken; and when he talked of going away, they did not understand him, nor know whither he was going; they ask if he was going to the dispersed among the Gentiles, to teach them? and at another time, whether he would kill himself? they knew not, that through a train of sufferings and death, he must, and would enter into his glory: the Persic version inserts another clause without any foundation; "but ye know not from whence ye come, and whither ye go", and then follows the former; there might be a truth in this, they did not know their true original, that they were from beneath; nor whither they were going, to what dismal abode, when they expected to enter, and enjoy the kingdom of heaven.”

“Then spake Jesus again unto them - Allowing the story about the woman taken in adultery to be authentic, and to stand here in its proper place, we may consider that our Lord, having begun to teach the people in the temple, was interrupted by the introduction of this woman by the scribes and Pharisees; and now, having dismissed them and the woman also, he resumes his discourse. I am the light of the world - The fountain whence an intellectual light and spiritual understanding proceed: without me all is darkness, misery, and death. The Divine Being was, by the rabbins denominated, The light of the world. So in Bamidbar Rabba: "The Israelites said to God, O Lord of the universe, thou commandest us to light lamps to thee, yet thou art The Light of The World: and with thee the light dwelleth." Our Lord, therefore, assumes here a well known character of the Supreme Being; and with this we find the Jews were greatly offended. Shall not walk in darkness - He shall be saved from ignorance, infidelity, and sin. If he follow me, become my disciple, and believe on my name, he shall have my Spirit to bear witness with his, that he is a child of God. He shall have the light of life - such a light as brings and supports life. The sun, the fountain of light, is also the fountain of life: by his vivifying influences, all things live - neither animal nor vegetative life could exist, were it not for his influence. Jesus, the Sun of righteousness, Mal 4:2, is the fountain of all spiritual and eternal Life. His light brings life with it, and they who walk in his light live in his life. This sentiment is beautifully expressed and illustrated in the following inimitable verse (all monosyllables except one word) of that second Spenser, Phineas Fletcher. Speaking of the conversion of a soul to God, he says: - "New Light new Love, new Love new Life hath bred; A Life that lives by Love, and loves by Light: A Love to him, to whom all Loves are wed; A Light, to whom the sun is darkest night: Eye's Light, heart's Love, soul's only Life he is: Life, soul, love, heart, Light, eye, and all are his: He eye, Light, heart, Love, soul; He all my joy and bliss." Purple Island, Can. I. v. 7. Some suppose our Lord alludes to the custom of lighting lamps or torches, on the first day of the feast of tabernacles. But as these words seem to have been spoken the day after that last and great day of the feast, mentioned Joh 7:37, they may rather be considered as referring to the following custom: It has already been observed, that the Jews added a ninth day to this feast, which day they termed, The feast of joy for the law; and on that day they were accustomed to take all the sacred books out of the chest where they had been deposited, and put a lighted candle in their place, in allusion to Pro 6:23 : For the commandment is a Lamp (or Candle) and the law is life: or to Psa 119:105 : Thy word is a Lamp unto my feet, and a Light unto my path. If this custom existed in the time of our Lord, it is most likely that it is to it he here alludes; as it must have happened about the same time in which these words were spoken. See Buxtorf. Synagog. Jud. c. xxi. As the Messiah was frequently spoken of by the prophets under the emblem of light, see Isa 60:1; Isa 49:6; Isa 9:2, the Pharisees must at once perceive that he intended to recommend himself to the people as the Messiah, when he said, I am the light of the world. The rabbins think that the Messiah is intended in Gen 1:8, And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. "From this we may learn that the holy and blessed God saw the light of the Messiah and his works before the world was created; and reserved it for the Messiah, and his generation, under the throne of his glory. Satan said to the holy and blessed God, For whom dost thou reserve that light which is under the throne of thy glory? God answered: For him who shall subdue thee, and overwhelm thee with confusion. Satan rejoined, Lord of the universe, show that person to me! God said, Come and see him. When he saw him, he was greatly agitated, and fell upon his face, saying, Truly this is the Messiah, who shall cast me and idolaters into hell." Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 6. This is a very remarkable saying; and, as it might have existed in the time of our Lord, to it he might have alluded in the verse before us. The thing itself is true: the Messiah is the light of the world, and by him Satan's empire of idolatry is destroyed in the world, and the kingdom of light and life established. See several similar testimonies in Schoettgen.”

“FURTHER DISCOURSES OF JESUS--ATTEMPT TO STONE HIM. (John 8:12-59) I am the light of the world--As the former references to water (Joh 4:13-14; Joh 7:37-39) and to bread (Joh 6:35) were occasioned by outward occurrences, so this one to light. In "the treasury" where it was spoken (see on Joh 8:20) stood two colossal golden lamp-stands, on which hung a multitude of lamps, lighted after the evening sacrifice (probably every evening during the feast of tabernacles), diffusing their brilliancy, it is said, over all the city. Around these the people danced with great rejoicing. Now, as amidst the festivities of the water from Siloam Jesus cried, saying, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink," so now amidst the blaze and the joyousness of this illumination, He proclaims, "I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD"--plainly in the most absolute sense. For though He gives His disciples the same title, they are only "light in the Lord" (Eph 5:8); and though He calls the Baptist "the burning and shining light" (or "lamp" of his day, Joh 5:35), yet "he was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light: that was THE TRUE LIGHT which, coming into the world, lighteth every man" (Joh 1:8-9). Under this magnificent title Messiah was promised of old (Isa 42:6; Mal 4:2, &c.). he that followeth me--as one does a light going before him, and as the Israelites did the pillar of bright cloud in the wilderness. but shall have the light of life--the light, as of a new world, a newly awakened spiritual and eternal life.”