JESUS: THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD (`O VIHSOUJ TO FWJ TOU KOSMOU JOHN 8,12; 12,46) AS A FULFILLMENT OF ISA 42,6 AND 49,6:AN EXEGETICAL-CHRISTOLOGICAL STUDY

Abstract

Jesus is variously titled by different people in the Fourth Gospel. For John the Baptist for example, he is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1,29.36). Andrew sees him as the Messiah (John 1,41). For Nathanael he is the Son of God, the King of Israel (John 1,49). Only on few occasions did Jesus arrogate any title to himself directly. In John 6,35.41 for example, Jesus describes himself as the bread of life. He is also the door of the sheep as we read in John 10,7. He is equally the Good Shepherd (John 10,11); the Resurrection and the Life (John 11,25). Light of the World is one of these few titles (John 8,12; 12,46. Cf. also John 1,5.9). Exploration into the meaning of this concept for John is the major preoccupation of this section. Its rapport with Isaiah’s idea of the Servant of God as light to the nations makes it necessarily an aspect calling for a deeper study.