In a previous post, we noted that Daniel Akin believes “light” signifies God/Jesus as the “source of life/eternal life.” In this follow-up post, we will see that Akin also believes that “light” signifies the eternal life that he gives to believers through faith.
Though Akin concludes the description of God as “light” refers to God being the source of life (1 John 1:5), Akin argues that the other times 1 John uses “light,” John is signifying “the eternal life revealed by Jesus,”[1] and this phrase seems signify the eternal life that man possess as a result of faith in Jesus. So, for example, Akin conclude that to “walk in the light” (1:7) does not signify walking in “the source of life”; rather, he concludes that this means to walk in the “eternal life that Jesus has revealed to man,” that is, the eternal life he gives man (“the light brought by Jesus”).[2] In other words, contrasting this with John’s use of the darkness metaphor, to “walk in the light” is to be “walking in the ‘fullness of life (revealed by Jesus, the Source of life),’” and to walk in the darkness is to be “walking ‘in the realm/state of death.’”[3] And more specifically, “walking in the ‘fullness of life [eternal life]’” consists of loving one’s spiritual brother and sister, and “walking ‘in the real/state of death’” consists of hating one’s spiritual brother and sister.[4]
Akin’s evidences for this view come from both 1 John and John. From 1 John, he argues that 1 John 2:8-19 supports this view for four reasons. First, since 2:8b says, “The true light is already shining,” Jesus cannot be the referent for this instance of the usage of “true light” because, according to Akin, the light is “shinning from past to present.”[5] Akin seems to think that since the “light” is presently “shining” and Jesus is not present physically, then the “light” cannot signify Jesus here. Second, since John contrasts “light” with “darkness,” he is most likely contrasting works of righteousness created by the eternal life given by Jesus with the “realm of death.”[6] Akin could be clearer with this point, but he essentially seems to argue that since light is associated with good works and darkness with evil works in this section, for the “true light to be already shining” (2:8) is for one’s eternal life to do what it is supposed to do—create works of righteousness. And darkness, then, signifies spiritual death as opposed to spiritual, eternal life, and possessing that produces works of evil. Third, he argues for this signification of “light” since, according to Akin, John assumes the “realization” of the “love commandment” (2:8) in a Christian is grounded in his Christian readers already having eternal life (“light”) “realized” in them.[7] Essentially, Akin believes that since John’s Christian audience is already obeying the love commandment, they then are allowing the light, which is eternal life given to believers, to shine in them. Fourth, Akin argues that 2:9-14 is an explanation of 2:8, and in 2:9-14, “light” signifies eternal life given by Jesus;[8] thus, “true light” in 2:8 signifies the eternal life that Jesus gives, not Jesus himself.
Akin also examines a few passages from the Gospel of John to make his point that the term “light” also signifies the “eternal life revealed by Jesus,” as opposed to Jesus himself. First, he argues from John 3:19, arguing that the contrast between “darkness” and “light” in 3:19 (“loved the darkness rather than light”) is the reason that “light” signifies the “eternal life revealed by Jesus” and not Jesus himself, “the source of life,” although he does argue the first reference to light in this verse (“The light has come”) is a reference to Jesus (see especially footnote 98).[9] Second, Akin argues that 3:16-21 is an extended commentary on Jesus’ teaching to Nicodemus on the necessity of new birth. Thus, the metaphors of being “born again” (Nicodemus episode, John 3:1-15) and “coming to the light” (3:16-21) both refer to receiving eternal life as revealed by Jesus.[10] Finally, Akin concludes his argument by examining John 8:12, which reads: “Then Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” Essentially, Akin interprets the first mention of light (“I am the light of the world”) as referencing Jesus as the “source of life,” but the second mention (“the light of life”) signifies the eternal life Jesus brings/reveals/gives to people.[11] His reasoning is that this verse is a commentary on Jesus’ words in 7:37-39 in which Jesus offers the Holy Spirit, or “streams of living water” to drink, to those that believe.[12] The Holy Spirit is the the "internal Source of eternal life" for the believer, keeping a Christian attached the thee "source of eternal life," Jesus Christ.[13] Thus, because 8:12 is a commentary on 7:37-39, Akin seems to associate the Holy Spirit's gift of living water in 7:37-39 with the “light of life” in 8:12, and therefore the image of light is associated with the eternal life given by Jesus.
____________________________
[1]Akin, 1 John, 69. As a reminder, Akin differentiates between “eternal life” and regular life. In some instances (e.g. John 1:4 and 1 John 1:5) the term “light” signifies regular life or God as the source of regular life; however, Akin seems to believe this is the exception, not the rule.
[2]Ibid., 69-70.
[3]Ibid., 69.
[4]Ibid., 69-70.
[5]Ibid., 70.
[6]Ibid., 70.
[7]Ibid., 70.
[8]Ibid., 70.
[9]Ibid., 67-69, note 98.
[10]Ibid., 67-68.
[11]Ibid., 68.
[12]Ibid., 68.
[13]Ibid., 68.
No comments:
Post a Comment