i DON BOSCO UTUME SALESIAN THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE AFFILIATED TO THE SALESIAN PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY- ROME KASEREKA MAYIMOTO Thierry, C.R.M THE CONCEPT OF “LIGHT” IN JOHANNINE LITERATURE AS A REVELATORY MEANS OF JESUS’ IDENTITY IN A SECULAR WORLD Supervisor Mr. Owinyo Maurice A Long Essay Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Baccalaureate Degree in Biblical Theology NAIROBI 2020
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DON BOSCO UTUME
SALESIAN THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE
AFFILIATED TO THE SALESIAN PONTIFICAL
UNIVERSITY- ROME
KASEREKA MAYIMOTO Thierry, C.R.M
THE CONCEPT OF “LIGHT” IN JOHANNINE
LITERATURE AS A REVELATORY MEANS OF JESUS’
IDENTITY IN A SECULAR WORLD
Supervisor
Mr. Owinyo Maurice
A Long Essay Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for
the Baccalaureate Degree in Biblical Theology
NAIROBI 2020
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DEDICATION
This work has been done in good memory of my beloved departed parents Muhindo
KANYAMA Emmanuel and KAVIRA KALUNGERO Henriette who consumed
themselves like candles to give light to others. Find in these few words the
expression of my sincere gratitude wherever you are…
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EPIGRAPH
“Just as one candle is able to light thousands of candles, so also one heart is able to
inspire and illumine thousands hearts. No one has reduced for having shared the
happiness s/he has.” (Thierry Kasereka).
“You are the light of the world…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see
your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14, 16.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My sincere gratitude to God source of life and light who unceasingly illumines me
and gives me knowledge and ability to achieve such a work. Special thanks to the Order
of Clerics Regular Minor through the formation team for having accepted me as I am and
for the support they have given that I may complete my philosophical as well as my
theological studies.
My heartfelt thanks goes to my supervisor Mr. Maurice OWINYO for his
assistance for the achievement of this precious and compact work. Without leaving
behind all the academic staff of Don Bosco Utume Salesian Theological College; in a
particular way Ms. Pauline. I would like to thank my fellow confreres Caracciolini living
here in Nairobi for their support during the time we have been together.
My deepest compliments go to Madam Catherine LUCIA, Mss. Violet Otieno and
Mbusa Bamuswekere Ghislain for every kind of assistance you have shown to me. And
lastly my heartfelt gratitude to my siblings: Basoki Zawadi, Kavira Tsongo Clarisse,
Steven Kanyama, Kavugho Tsongo Catherine, Kahambu Tsongo Patience and Katungu
Mayimoto Wivine.
Please find in these poor words my sincere appreciation!
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STUDENT’S DECLARATION
I, the undersigned declare that this long essay is my own work. Through my time, studies
and personal scientific research, this work has taken shape as a scientific paper. It is
submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in
theology. I declare that it has never been submitted to any college or University for
academic credit. All sources have been cited in full and acknowledged.
Signed:……………………………………………………..
Name of the Student: KASEREKA MAYIMOTO Thierry CRM
Date:…………………………………………………
This Long Essay has been submitted for examination with my approval as College
Supervisor.
Signed:…………………………………………….
Name of Supervisor:………………………………………
Date:…………………………………………..
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ABBREVIATIONS
Am. Amos
BC. Before Christ
Chap. Chapter
Dan. Daniel
Deut. Deuteronomy
Ecc. Ecclesiastes
etc. And so on
Ex. Exodus
Ez. Ezekiel
Gen. Genesis
i.e. Which means
Is. Isaiah
Jer. Jeremiah
Jn. John
Lam. Lamentation
Nah. Nahum
Neh. Nehemiah
Prov. Proverbs
Ps. Psalm
Rev. Revelation
RSV. Revised Standard Version
Sam. Samuel
V. Verse
vv. Verses
Zeph. Zephaniah
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Chapter I
The Concept of Light in the Old Testament
1.0. Introduction
The concept of light is not peculiar to Johannine literature. It occurs in so many
passages of the Bible starting from the Old till the New Testament. Some scholars of the
Bible have come to the conclusion that this concept occurs 146 times in the Old
Testament and 90 times in the New Testament (these without including concepts like
‘lights’, ‘lighted’, ‘daylight’ etc.).
In this particular chapter, we shall be assessing the concept of light in the Old
Testament especially in the Jewish festivals. Also we shall be looking at its aspects either
figuratively or literally and try to contrast it with its opposite the darkness. Light is
always understood in contrast to darkness. These two can also be interpreted in a
metaphorical sense in terms of “Chaos and Order” (of the world) or “Non-being and
Being”.
1.1. Background to the study
The biblical concept of light finds itself in relation to God. Light is for example
presented in the Bible as God himself; it is a revelatory means of God’s glory (that is
God’s manifestation). God is light and there is no darkness in him (1Jn 1:5). So, whoever
wishes to be called child of God has to walk in light. Once one comes to light, all
shadows of his/her life disappear and so all fears as well disappear within him/her.
Light reveals or makes clear things which were hidden so that if they were not
ordered, they may come to be ordered. This is exactly the idea of the story of creation in
the book of Genesis. In this story we are told that the world was void and covered with
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darkness. In other words, the world was in a total chaos, a total disorder or even more a
total confusion. Things were not arranged to the extent that nobody could be able to
differentiate what is what, it was just hubbub.
Therefore, God came in, God manifested his glory and power and so ordered things,
putting everything at a right place, separating waters from the surface of the earth and
creating dry space where plants, animals and human being can live, etc. But the thing
that we should underline here is that God created everything. He didn’t order them only.
And the first thing God made was the separation between darkness and light (Gn 1:3-5).
Through the “Logos” (Word), God created everything starting with light.
We can see here already the connection between the ‘Logos’ and the glory of God
which from the very beginning shines by casting out or defeating the darkness which was
covering the earth. This Logos is being manifested through the light which has been
created. (…)And God saw that it was good (…); God admired to see how light was
shining in the day and how things are moving from chaos to order.
In so many cultures, light is considered as positive thing while darkness is in most of
the cases taken as a negative thing. The book of Isaiah did not remain far from such a
consideration. It stresses (Is 5:20b) “woe to those who put or who consider darkness for
light and light for darkness”.
The book of Genesis portrays darkness as a disorder and chaos. The same idea is
found in Isaiah 42:6c whereby God says that He will turn before his people darkness into
light. Darkness can be interpreted as absence of light. Darkness is referred to in both
Ancient and New Testament in so many ways whether figuratively or literally.
Figuratively for example we see in Isaiah 9:2 “The people who walked in
darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has
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light shined”. This is actually the true character of the one who lives in a state of
darkness, under the power of sin, who shut up in the state of unbelief, those who boast
because they have learned a lot and try to think that beyond their knowledge there is
nothing. Such people are ignorant of themselves and therefore of their condition of sin.
They can’t see in a spiritual sense and yet they are aware of the limitations of human
beings and of science as well.
Again Proverbs 4:18-19 notes “But the path of the righteous is like a light of dawn
which shines brighter and brighter until full day, the way of the wicked is like a deep
darkness, they do not know over what they stumble.
While from a literal perspective, Exodus 10:21-23 says “Then the Lord said to
Moses, ‘stretch out your hand towards heaven that there may be darkness over the land
of Egypt, a darkness to be felt. (…), and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt
three days; they did not see one another (…), but all the people of Israel had light where
they dwelt”. Here in this passage, one might think of the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart.
And the same is being seen in our contemporary world where by, even when there is no
doubt about spiritual issues, people will find reasons to stay in ignorance and therefore in
darkness.
In the book of Job 17: 13-16 RSV it is said: “ If I look for Sheol as my house, if I
spread my couch in darkness, if I say to the pit ‘you are my father’ and to the worm, ‘my
mother’ or my ‘sister’ where is my hope? (…), will it go down to bars of Sheol?”
Darkness is thus likened to the inability of finding a way, a confusion. In this
perspective, Job 12:22, 24-25 RSV says: “He (God) uncovers the deeps out of darkness,
and brings deep darkness to light…. He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the
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people of the earth, and makes them wander in a pathless waste. They grope in the dark
without light; and make them stagger like a drunken man.”
And (Isaiah 59:9-10 RSV) stresses: “Therefore justice is far from us and
righteousness does not overtake us; we look for light and behold darkness, and for
brightness, but we walk in a gloom.”
Darkness can also signify the time of trial therefore Psalm 143:3 RSV says: “For the
enemy has pursued me; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in
darkness like those long dead.” (See also Ps 107:10).
The same idea in Job 30:26: “But when I looked for good, evil came; and when I
waited for light, darkness came.” (See also Job 19:8; 3:3-6; 23:16-17). Darkness can also
mean death and grave or Sheol (Ps 88:10-12; 49:19; Job 10:20-22).
Darkness is also taken as a sign of God’s punishment. In Exodus 10:21 we see God
telling Moses to stretch out his hand towards heaven so that there may be darkness over
the land of Egypt (…); and Ezekiel 32:8 RSV, God says: “All the bright of heaven will I
make dark over you, and put darkness upon your land, says the Lord.” See also Ps
105:28; Am 5:18,20; Joel 2:2; Zeph 1:15; Nah 1;8).We should not forget that even the
exile period for Israel was considered as a dark period (Jer 13:16).
Darkness is also a dwelling place for the wicked. Therefore, 1Samuel 2:9 RSV says:
“He (God) will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in
darkness.” Darkness becomes dangerous since it prevents one to see the steps he/she is
making. One cannot detect through it the obstacles that can lead him or her to stumble
(Prov 4:19; Jer 23:12; Is 59:10).
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The one forsaking the paths of uprightness walks in the ways of darkness (Prov
2:13). There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves (Job
34:22). Righteousness is when one experiences darkness and yet still trusting in God (Is
50:10). So the fact of being righteous cannot prevent one from experiencing darkness (Is
59:9; Lam 3:2); but by the end of the day the light will arise for the righteous one (Ps
112:4). Upon the darkness of Israel, light shall break forth like the dawn and his healing
(which is restoration) shall spring up speedily (Is 58:8, 10).
The coming of the Lord in the Old Testament is portrayed as the light of his glory
which comes to overcome the darkness of this world and so attract many people to him
(Is 60:1-3). It is through Jesus Christ [who will be incarnated into a virgin’s womb and
who comes to shine as greater light (Is 9:2) and who will suffer passion, death], that
salvation will bring light for the nations (Is 42:6; 49:6; 51: 4-5). This “light to the
nations” which Isaiah is talking about can be connected to Luke 2:32.
Light here is a symbol that represents knowledge, instruction and also true religion.
And one of the qualities of the Messiah is to be light, a light to the world or to his people.
This can be seen in Matthew 4:16 and can be compared with Isaiah 9:2. Again this is
similar to what John is trying to show in his gospel (1:4, 7, 9; 3:19; 8:12; 9:5; 12:35, 46).
So, one of the prophetic messages of Isaiah is that the religion of the Messiah shall
expand to the pagan areas and both pagans and Jews as well will share its privileges.
This light here will enlighten people with true and saving knowledge and will lead them
in the right path towards happiness from which they had gone astray. It is no wonder the
Jews celebrated the festival of light.
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Every night during the tabernacle festival (Sukkot1) there was a great ceremony
called “illumination of the Temple”, that included the lightning ritual of the four golden
lamps in the court of women. These lamps are huge candles (candelabras) called also
Menorah about seventy-five feet high.
They were lit in the Temple at night as to remind Israel of the pillar of fire which
was guiding them on their way in the desert (Is 4:5). These huge candles shine all night
long, giving light to the entire city.
The first chapter of Genesis (1:3-5) says: “And God said: let there be light, and there
was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the
darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness he called night…”
To the people of Israel, light plays a very important role. It symbolizes God’s
presence as we showed already. So, it has been said that on the night of Friday, the
mother or a senior girl of the household, could light two candles to welcome in the
Sabbath. This light is a sign of joy and hope.
The Sabbath ends with a service known as ‘Havdalah’ (which means separation), in
which spices, wine and twisted candles are used to invigorate or fortify the senses and
take the faithful through another week. Now, the kind of prayer that has to be said during
that celebration was to show the distinction between light and darkness. At the very end
they thank God for having created light of fire.
The story of the feast of Hanukkah does not appear clearly in the Old Testament
because the events for its inspiration occurred after the Torah were written. It however
appears in the New Testament when Jesus attended the Feast of Dedication.
1 Cf. A. Yee Gale, Jewish Feasts and the Gospel of John, (Wilmington, Delaware, 1989), 76.
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The events for the inspirations of the Hanukkah festival took place during a
particular phase where Jews were experiencing turbulence. We should remember that
around 200 BC, Judea fell under Antiochus III Seleucid king of Syria. This king gave to
the Jews the freedom of continuing the practice of their religion. Unfortunately, his son
Antiochus Epiphanes IV ordered the Jews to worship the gods of the Greeks. Therefore,
in 168 BC, he sent his troops to Jerusalem to massacre thousands of people and desecrate
the Temple by erecting an altar to Zeus and sacrificing impure animals such as pigs
inside the Temple.
Therefore, among the Jews rose a man called Mattathias who was a priest and who
had five sons. He led a rebellion which fought Antiochus and the Seleucid monarchy.
After the death of Mattathias in 166 BC; Judah his son who was known as Judah
Maccabee took the commandment of the rebellion. Within two years the Jews succeeded
to defeat Syrians and sent them out of the city Jerusalem. Then Judah called for the
cleansing of the Temple and rebuilt its altar and lit its menorah.
According to the Talmud (one of the Judaism’s most central text), Hanukkah (which
is the festival of light) is for Judaism the well-known symbol of light. Therefore, apart
from celebrating it with the purpose that has been shown above, this festival also
celebrates the miracle of light that took place in 165 BC.
For a gentle reminder, during the time Antiochus Epiphanes was ruling over
Seleucid Empire, expanded from Anatolia to the Hindus valley. Then, it was said that
when the Jews came back to the Temple, after having defeated Antiochus Epiphanes,
they found that the temple had been desecrated and the temple light extinguished. After
a long moment of research, they discovered a small sealed container of oil (a cruise) and
used it to re-light the Temple menorah (which are the 7 branches candlestick).
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Something strange is that the oil was enough for one day, but a miracle was operated in
the sense that for eight days it burnt without being extinguished.
So this was understood by the Jews as a confirmation by God that this festival of
light celebrates God’s presence. It therefore wondrously inspired the Jews sages to
proclaim a yearly eight-day festival. But, if you read 1Maccabee tells another version of
the story describing an eight day celebration that followed the re-dedication but making
no reference to the miracle of the oil.
Celebrating and anticipating the return of Shekinah glory of Israel, men could dance
and sing psalms of joy and praise before the Lord during the whole night. This festival is
to recall Israel what Yahweh promised to send the messiah for the renewal of Israel’s
glory, to restore their joy and release them from bondage of slavery. And this is exactly
what Jesus Christ meant in the Temple while being among his brethren (Jn 8:12). We
shall come to this in our second chapter. Jesus is actually the True light (i.e he is the
source of illumination to the point that all those who live in darkness may come out of it
and see light.
This was the reason for Jesus to come in the Temple in Jn 7. He went into the
Temple to illumine his brethren by teaching them on this festivity. We should remember
that it was again during such a festival that he taught them by declaring himself as being
the light and the living water portrayed and celebrated in this feast( Jn 8:12; 7:37-39).
During the time of Jesus the climax of the Sukkot feast was the ‘drawing of water’
ceremony. Reason why when Jesus will identify himself as being the light of the world
and the living water, in the Jews minds they could identify him as being in the lineage of
David (being Son of David) who was expected to come and deliver Israel from the
Roman oppression (Jn 7:14-30, 37-38; 8:12).
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The final day of celebration of the harvest represents the last stage of Yahweh’s plan
of salvation which is the second resurrection and judgement day. Those who were not
fitting for the first resurrection will now rise up to human life after the 1000 years (Rev
20:5-6) and will be judged at that moment, the moment of ‘great salvation’ or ‘many
hoshannas.’
Some will be judged for eternal life while others for eternal damnation (Rev 20:11-
15), the moment of separation of sheep from goats according, wheat from chaff as
described in Matthew’s gospel. And this time shall be the end of sin. Afterwards will the
glory of God illumine the city, the New Jerusalem, and pure water of the river of life will
flow from the throne of God and of the Lamb and the trees that grow by it shall be for
the salvation of the nations (Rev 21:22-24; 22:1-4).
1.2. Statement of the problem
The survey of the concept of light in the Old Testament reveals its significance in
the New Testament. We have come to realize that light plays a very important role
within the Jewish culture. The present study seeks to focus on the usage of this concept
in the Johannine literature. Our question will be how the literature uses the concept as
revelatory means to the identity of Jesus.
1.3. Significance of the study
You will realize with me that the man of the 21st century has lost faith. He is
vacillating blindly in some crisis like identity crisis, secularism, etc., without knowing
where he goes. He has even tried to make himself live a better life, a so called free life to
the extent of trying even to manipulate the lives of other beings for his/her own good.
There is no sense of sacredness anymore, only the facts justify the means.
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This work is done to awake our minds and conscience as Christians, that since we
have experienced God’s love through Jesus Christ, we may be light to those who are still
walking in darkness. We hope that whoever will read this work will be able to open up
his/her mind and heart and that he/she may come to know God manifested through Jesus
Christ, the dawn from on high, who came not to judge the world but to save it from the
power of darkness. And for us now as his disciples this work calls us to walk in light as
sons and daughters of the day, so as to shine (through love of one another) as lamps in
dark places until the day where God will be all in all.
1.4. Objectives of the study
This work is to help man of 21st century regain his sight and once again come to
know (recognize) the true identity of God and Jesus Christ whom He (God sent ) as the
savior and redeemer of the world. It will help this man to shift from a secular world, the
world of unbelief, to the world of belief. Finally it will open his mind to the realities of
above by giving him guidelines of being reflection of God’s light to this world which
vacillates in so many waves of this time like individualism and secularism, drawing
many to live like small monads.
In this particular study we shall assess the concept of light in both the Old Testament
and New Testament and contrast it to its opposite darkness. Then we shall examine how
light is a revelatory means for Jesus identity in Johannine literature, and at the end we
shall try to establish how as Christians and sons of God we should be lights to this world
which stagnating in the darkness of individualism, consumerism, secularism, etc.
1.5. Framework of the study
The work will be within the framework of biblical analytical-exegesis in order to
deepen more the spiritual and theological understanding of light.
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1.6. Ethical consideration
From the ethical point of view, this work is an alarm for the man of the 21st century
who has been drawn out by the waves of secularism and individualism to the extent that
nobody cares about another. Technology and social media have blinded us to the point
that instead of coming to the rescue of one in need, we keep taking pictures and post
them on social media as facts.
We are living in the world in which, like the blind man who was cured by Jesus in Jn
9. People hope that one might show them where to find God, where they can be led to
the one who can give light or sight to their eyes, open their mind and satisfy their desire.
The today’s world is in need of light, a true light that can illumine their minds and heart
as well in order to regain fellowship with God manifested through love of Neighbor.
We cannot say that the time of creation was the only time when light came from
God. The theme of light is very common all over the Old Testament. We know that
whenever God wanted to be manifested, light or fire were among things that could
accompany or precede his manifestation. We should recall the burning bush, the pillar of
fire in the desert as well as the shining face of Moses after the meeting with God.
In so many ways within the Old Testament the light shines over things which are in
darkness (Gen 1:3-4; 2Sam 22:29; Job 12:22 etc.). Light enables us to see (Ps 36:9; Job
12:25), through light things which were hidden are illuminated and so they come to be
known (Pr 20:27; Job 24:14-17; Dan 2:22).
Light shows the road we should take (Ps 43:3; 119:105; Job 29:3, Ecc 2:14, Neh
9:12). Whenever light is blot out nobody can see (Deut 28:29), nothing is revealed (Job
24:14-16) and people do live in trial and error because they don’t know where to go (Ps
82:5; Jer 13:16).
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God can give light to one area while withholding it from another. A clear example is
the plague of darkness and light on the Egyptian on one hand and on the Jews or Israel
on another hand (Ex 10:23). For life to continue there is necessity of light. Reason why
Job exclaimed saying that his eyes will look upon the light because of God’s salvation
(Job 33:28). Also we should understand that for Job, the withholding of light goes
together with death (Job 18:5-6).
In other words we can say that in the Old Testament light is from God through
natural sources that God made. And also we should recall that whenever God made. And
also we should recall that whenever God wants to reveal himself, any revelation is
followed by light. Light comes to us through heavenly bodies and also through man’s
creativity (local sources). Through light plants grow, thus there is necessity of light for
the life of the plants. It cast out darkness and reveals hidden things, it enables sight for
people. There is no wonder for using light in a metaphorical sense in reference to the
Divine and sometimes in reference to one who has experienced God.
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Chapter II
Light as Revelatory mean of Jesus’ Identity in John’s gospel
2.1. Introduction
Whenever green plants lack sunlight, they turn yellow and end up fading. This
means that even plants, if not all of them then the majority of them require light to live
and grow. And we as human beings, for our healthy living, need light.
In john’s gospel there is an inseparable link between light and life, and these two are
means to reveal Jesus. Their opposite (darkness and death) are associated with evil or
devil. In this particular chapter we shall see that whoever wishes to live must accept
Jesus as light and life. The gospel of John is one of the two major pillars of Christian
theology which gives a very interesting Christological background. It tackles the issue of
the identity and mission of Jesus as the Messiah, his nature and the significance of his
death.
In this particular chapter, we shall be assessing the concept of light while showing
how it constitutes a revelatory means for Jesus identity; and also the way the light is
connected to life, truth, way, and logos.
2.2. Background of John’s gospel
Allow me to say that John is a kind of a spiritual commentary of what Jesus taught
and did. This gospel is a kind of story of the real Jesus, a story of what God the Father
did through the person of Jesus. He, John, highlights a theological and spiritual meaning
of Jesus. In the Prologue we find a Christological confession and even more than that.
We see in the Prologue that the “Logos” pre-existed from all ages, turning into a loving
union with God (1:1-2). And the rest of the Prologue tells us about the ‘inbreak’ of the
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Logos as “light and life” (vv. 3-5, 9) “flesh” (v 14), “the fullness of a gift which is truth”