Jesus Is the Light and Life

 

Jesus is the Light and Life of the world.[1] In Jesus was life, and His life gave light to all humankind – both men and women.[2] Jesus is the Author of Life, Bread of Life, and Giver of Life as He holds the keys to life and death.[3] The prophet Isaiah saw Jesus’s glorious Light in the Old Testament.[4] The Gospel writer John called Jesus the bread or manna of God that came down from heaven who gives nourishing and abundant life.[5] Jesus gives new life and a rebirth for those who believe and look to Him in faith as Lord.[6] Jesus is the Lifegiving Spirit.[7]

 

Both God the Father and Jesus have and give life and light to the world as One.[8] Like His Father – the Sovereign LORD God, Jesus is the Light and Life of the world.[9] Jesus is the radiance and brightness of God’s glory and the exact representation of God’s being.[10] The apostles of Jesus saw Jesus’s light and life.[11] Even more, the Apostle Paul personally saw the great Light of Jesus on the Damascus Road.[12] The living LORD God sent His Son Jesus as a Light to shine in this dark world so that all who put their trust in Him will no longer remain in Satan’s darkness but live in His gracious Light.[13] Satan cannot overtake Jesus’s Light.[14] Jesus’ great light shined through the darkness, and the darkness could NEVER conquer, quench, nor accept Jesus’ light.[15]

 

Jesus is the great Light, the Day, and Sun of Righteousness predicted by the Old Testament prophets that came from heaven with healing rays, righteousness, and peace.[16] The Holy Scriptures call Jesus the great and glorious Daylight, Morning Dawn, and Sunlight in the beginning of creation, and He shines like His Father – the Sovereign LORD God.[17] Jesus has NO darkness within Him as He is good and separated from darkness of the Night.[18] One day, the New Jerusalem will need no sun or moon because the glory of God will give the city light, and this light is the Jesus the Lamb.[19] Darkness and the Night are all associated with the Evil One – Satan and Satan’s evil minions.[20] Satan is the god of this world and those who reject Jesus as Lord.[21] Jesus is NOT the sun because the living LORD God created the sun on the fourth day.[22] The Holy Scriptures are clear: God forbids the worship of all the forces of heaven — the sun, moon, and stars as these are just created things and NOT the Creator.[23]

 

The Holy Bible teaches that Jesus gives real and abundant life to everyone that obeys and follows Him as Lord.[24] Through faith in Jesus, WE FIND TRUE, ABUNDANT, SPIRIT-FILLED, and a RESTORED LIFE both NOW and for all ETERNITY because Jesus is the Author and Savior of Life.[25] This is the testimony, that God gives us life now and eternal life, and this life is through faithfulness and obedience to His Son, Jesus.[26] Truly knowing and understanding the living LORD God and His Son Jesus mean accepting, obeying, and faithfully depending upon the Father and His Son Jesus as LORD.[27] Everyone who believes and obeys Jesus has everlasting life and light from God.[28] Followers of Jesus are called to walk daily in this new life and light.[29]

 

Even more, we are saved from God’s wrath and judgment through faith in His Son, Jesus.[30] Whoever has the God’s Son Jesus has life; whoever does not have Jesus does not have life but God’s wrath and judgment.[31] This is the way to the real and eternal life: knowing and believing in the Heavenly Father – the one and only true living God – and His Son Jesus as the Christ sent from His Father.[32]

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[1] John 1:4-5, 9; John 4:14; John 8:12; John 9:5; see also Isaiah 9:1-2; Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 49:6; Luke 2:32.

[2] John 1:4-5; see also Genesis 1:3; John 11:25-26; 1 John 1:5; 1 John 5:11-12.

[3] See e.g., John 1:4; John 3:15-16, 36; John 4:14, 36; John 5:21; John 6:27, 33, 35, 39-40, 47-48, 50-51, 53-54; 68; John 8:12; John 10:10, 25, 28; John 11:25-26; John 14:6; Acts 3:15; Acts 5:31-32; 1 Corinthians 15:22, 45; Revelation 1:18.

[4] See e.g., Isaiah 9:1-2; Isaiah 40:5; Isaiah 60:1-3, 19-20.

[5] See John 6:35.

[6] See John 3:3-8, 14-17.

[7] See e.g., John 5:21; 1 Corinthians 15:45.

[8] see Deuteronomy 6:4-6; Psalm 36:9; Psalm 104:2; John 5:26; John 10:30, 38; John 11:25; John 17:2-3, 11, 21; Colossians 3:4; 1 Timothy 6:13-16; 1 John 1:1, 5.

[9] See e.g., Psalm 104:1-2; John 1:1-5; John 8:12; John 9:5; John 12:46; John 14:6; 1 Timothy 6:16.

[10] See e.g., John 1:14; John 17:5, 22, 24; Hebrews 1:3.

[11] See e.g., 1 John 1:1-4.

[12] See e.g., Acts 9:3-5; Acts 22:6-8; Acts 26:13-15.

[13] See e.g., John 1:4; John 3:19; John 8:12; John 9:5; John 12:35-36, 46.

[14] See e.g., John 1:5; John 3:19

[15] See e.g., John 1:5; John 3:19-20; John 8:12.

[16] See e.g., Isaiah 9:1-2; Isaiah 42:6-7; Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 53:5; Isaiah 60:1-2, 19-20; Malachi 4:2; Matthew 4:14-16; Luke 1:78-79; Luke 2:32; Matthew 17:1-2; Acts 26:22-23; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8; 2 Peter 1:19; Revelation 1:16.

[17] See e.g., Genesis 1:3-5; Habakkuk 3:3-4; Matthew 17:2; Luke 1:78-79; John 1:5; John 8:12; 2 Corinthians 4:4-6; Revelation 22:5.

[18] See e.g., Genesis 1:3-5; 1 John 1:5-7; John 12:46.

[19] Revelation 21:23-24; Revelation 22:5; see also Isaiah 60:19-20; 1 Timothy 6:16.

[20] See e.g., John 3:19-21; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 5:11, 13; Ephesians 6:12.

[21] See e.g., 2 Corinthians 4:4.

[22] See e.g., Genesis 1:14-19; Deuteronomy 4:19.

[23] See e.g., Deuteronomy 4:19; Deuteronomy 17:3; 2 Kings 17:16; Isaiah 40:26; Romans 1:24-25.

[24] See e.g., John 1:4-5; John 10:10-11, 27-28; John 11:25-26; John 17:3.

[25] See e.g., John 1:4-5; John 3:15-16; John 4:14; John 5:21; John 6:39-40, 44; John 10:9-10; John 11:25; John 14:6; John 20:30-31; Acts 3:15; Acts 4:12; Acts 5:31; 1 Corinthians 15:22.

[26] John 1:4; see also John 17:3; 1 John 4:9; 1 John 5:11.

[27] See e.g., Jeremiah 9:23-24,

[28] See e.g., John 3:16, 18, 36; John 6:47-48.

[29] See e.g., Ephesians 5:8, 14-15; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8; 1 John 1:5-7.

[30] See e.g., John 5:24; John 6:47.

[31] See e.g., John 3:15-16, 18, 36; John 6:47; 1 John 5:11-12, 20.

[32] See Jeremiah 10:10; John 5:44; John 17:2-3; John 20:30-31; Romans 16:27; 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 John 5:20.

Jesus Was Human

Jesus was fully human with a human nature.[1] The New Testament writers presented Jesus as a historical person and a human being that lived during the Roman governance of Israel’s lands. The Gospel and other New Testament writers include Roman leaders and events in their writings to date the chronological events of Jesus and His apostles.[2]

 

The Incarnation of Jesus (coming into the world as a human) is at the heart of Christianity and the New Testament. Jesus undeniably existed in a true human body on earth. As a human, Jesus had a human genealogy as a descendant of Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Israel (Jacob), and David.[3] Moreover, Jesus was born a Jewish boy to a human mother, Mary.[4] He had a human birth, and He was conceived in Mary’s womb.[5] Jesus’ human birth affirmed His humanity as He was born as all human babies were born.[6] The birth of Jesus was natural through Mary, who was a virgin.[7] However, Jesus’s conception was supernatural by the Holy Spirit of God.[8] Thus, Jesus was both fully Man and fully God – the God-Man – united in His Body.[9]

 

Jesus had a natural human body with hands and feet, and He grew and became strong.[10] As He grew older, Jesus increased in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man.[11] The Holy Scriptures reveal that Jesus never married. For the first thirty years of His life, Jesus lived a human life and worked as a carpenter.[12] Jesus was known in His hometown as a carpenter’s son because Jesus’s human father Joseph was a carpenter.[13] Likewise, the Gospels declare that Jesus had other brothers and sisters.[14] The Holy Bible names Jesus’s brothers as James, Joses (Joseph), Judas, and Simon.[15]

 

In every respect, Jesus’s body was just like that of any other human.[16] Jesus was heard, seen, and touched in human flesh.[17] Moreover, Jesus became tired and weary, thirsty, hungry, tearful, sorrowful, tested, and tempted.[18] Jesus had a full range of human emotions because He had a human soul.[19] Jesus was amazed and marveled, agonized, and suffered with sorrow and pain like all humans.[20] Thus, Jesus experienced hunger, anxiety, doubt, disappointment, and surprise just like humans.[21] Significantly, Jesus was tempted in every way just as we humans.[22] This means that Jesus also faced every single type of temptation that humans face. Because Jesus suffered when He was tempted, Jesus is able to help us when tested and tempted.[23] Even more to the point, Jesus was able to die like other humans.[24] Notably, Jesus rose and resurrected from the dead in a physical human body.[25] Because Jesus lived as a human, He fully understands our experiences, pains, and struggles.[26] The Book of Hebrews stresses that if Jesus had not experienced human weakness, temptation, and pain, He would not be qualified to help humans go through their own human limits and struggles.[27]

 

However, the Holy Bible states clearly that even in His humanity Jesus did not sin and He was sinless.[28] Jesus lived a perfect human life! He obeyed His Heavenly Father in everything, even to the point of giving His life on Calvary’s Cross for our sins.[29] Jesus was an obedient and humble Servant of His Father – the living LORD God.[30] Even more, Jesus lived a life of complete and wholehearted obedience, faithfulness, and service to His Heavenly Father – Yahweh.[31] The New Testament portrays Jesus as a Man who went about doing good and helping others in need because the fullness of God was with Him.[32] Jesus never lied, cheated, coveted, disobeyed His Father, committed adultery, murdered, nor did He commit any of the many other sins noted in the Old Testament.[33] Jesus did not yield to Satan’s temptations and, in fact, He resisted and defeated evil because He knew and obeyed His Father’s commandments.[34] Indeed, Jesus is the Word of God that became human flesh.[35]

 

None of the four Gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) offered a physical description of the earthly Jesus. However, the prophet Isaiah teaches in his Suffering Servant prophecy about Jesus that there was nothing beautiful or majestic in the physical appearance of Jesus while on earth.[36] The people who saw Jesus considered Him an ordinary man. Jesus was fully human in every way, but He was also God.[37]

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[1] See e.g., John 1:14; Romans 8:3; Philippians 2:7-8; Hebrews 2:14, 17-18; Hebrews 4:15.

[2] See e.g., Luke 3:1-2; Acts 12:1; Acts 18:12.

[3] See Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 1:32, 69; Luke 3:23-38; Romans 1:3-4; 2 Timothy 2:8; Revelation 22:16.

[4] See e.g., Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-27, Luke 1:31-35; Romans 9:4-5; Galatians 4:4.

[5] See Matthew 1:18, 20, 25; Luke 2:1-7.

[6] See Luke 2:6-7; Philippians 2:6-7.

[7] See Matthew 1:20-25.

[8] See Matthew 1:18, 20; Luke 1:31-35.

[9] See e.g., Isaiah 53:3; John 1:1-3, 14, 18; John 10:30, 38; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Philippians 2:6-7; 1 Timothy 2:5.

[10] See e.g., Matthew 26:12; Luke 2:40; Luke 24:40; Romans 8:3; 1 John 4:2-3.

[11] See e.g., Luke 2:52; Colossians 2:2-3.

[12] See Mark 6:3.

[13] See Matthew 13:55.

[14] See e.g., Matthew 12:46-47; Matthew 13:55-57; Mark 3:31-35; Mark 6:3; Luke 8:19-21; John 7:2-4.

[15] See Matthew 13:55-56; Mark 6:3.

[16] See e.g., Luke 24:39; Philippians 2:7-8; Hebrews 2:17-18.

[17] See e.g., John 1:4, 14; John 19:38-40; 1 John 1:1; 1 John 4:2-3, 14.

[18] See e.g., Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 4:1-2; Luke 19:41; John 4:6-7; John 11:33-35; John 19:28-30; Hebrews 4:15.

[19] See Matthew 26:38; Luke 23:46.

[20] See e.g., Matthew 8:10; Mark 14:32-42; Mark 15:34; Luke 12:50; Luke 22:40-46; Hebrews 2:17-18; Hebrews 5:7-10; 1 Peter 3:18.

[21] See e.g., Mark 2:15; Mark 14:33; Luke 2:40; Luke 7:9; Hebrews 2:9, 17; Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 12:2.

[22] See Hebrews 4:15.

[23] See e.g., Romans 6:6–7; Colossians 2:13–14; Hebrews 2:18.

[24] See e.g., Matthew 27:50; Luke 23:46; Luke 24:46.

[25] See Luke 24:39-42; John 20:17.

[26] See e.g., Luke 22:28; Hebrews 4:15.

[27] See Hebrews 2:17-18; Hebrews 4:15-16; Hebrews 5:2, 7-9.

[28] See e.g., 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 1:19; 1 Peter 2:21-22; 1 John 3:5.

[29] See e.g., Matthew 26:39, 42; John 14:31; John 15:10; Romans 5:19; Philippians 2:8; Hebrews 3:1-2; Hebrews 5:7-9; Hebrews 12:1-2.

[30] See e.g., Matthew 12:17-21; Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; Philippians 2:6-8.

[31] See e.g., John 5:30; John 6:38.

[32] See e.g., Matthew 9:36; Mark 1:41; Mark 8:2; Luke 23:19; John 3:2; Acts 2:22; Acts 10:38.

[33] See e.g., John 12:49-50; John 15:10; John 18:38; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22.

[34] See e.g., Matthew 4:1–11; Luke 4:1-13.

[35] See e.g., John 1:1-3, 14; Romans 8:3; 1 John 4:2-3; 2 John 7.

[36] See Isaiah 52:14; Isaiah 53:2-3.

[37] See e.g., John 1:1-3, 14, 18; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Philippians 2:6-7; Hebrews 2:17.