John 7:53-8:20
53 [[They went each to his own house, 8: but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”]]
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” 19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
Reflection
At the end of the first day of the Feast of Booths, four golden lamps were lit in the temple courts. Singing, celebration, music, and dancing continued through the nights of the feast, and the temple lights illumined the entire city. This is the context in which Jesus makes his startling claim to be the Light of the World.
Light is a rich Old Testament symbol. It was the first thing God created (Gen. 1:3). During the exodus, the people of God were led in their journey by a pillar of cloud and fire (Ex. 13:21–22). The psalmist taught that “the Lord is my light” (Ps. 27:1). The coming age of the kingdom would be a time when the Savior of Israel would be as “a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isa. 49:6), and a time when God himself would be his people’s light (Isa. 60:19–22; Rev. 22:5). Jesus was boldly saying, “The promised day of light has arrived, and I am the source.” He is the sun by which we see all things. (John 7:53–8:11 is missing from some of the earliest Greek manuscripts.)
Hebrews 6:1-12
6: Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits. 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.
9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Reflection
Although the writer issues a strong warning to his hearers about the dangers of turning away from Christ (see note on Hebrews 3:12–19), he is confident that those he addresses will not fall away (6:9). Why? He knows that God is just and will not forget the Hebrew Christians’ diligence, love, and service—all of which testify that they have truly entrusted themselves to Christ by faith.
The author here wants “each one” of his readers to persevere in their faith so that they can “have the full assurance of hope until the end” (v. 11). A failure to persevere proves that a person’s faith was never real. However, by persevering in service and love we demonstrate our faith in Christ through which we will “inherit the promises” of God (v. 12).
Psalm 27:1-3
27: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.
3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.
Following Christ consists of more than a prayer to receive Jesus, or an emotional experience at a weekend retreat. Following Christ requires a person to live a life of faith in him, turning from sin and trusting in Jesus day after day, surrendering our will to the will of our heavenly Father time and again. Pray for the strength to persevere in your faith, and trust that Jesus never loses any of those who have been entrusted to his care (John 10:28–29).