1 John 1:5: "God is light" (Part 4)

Old Testament View on Light:


Akin argues that the description “God is light” means that God is the source of life, and he argues that "light" signifies the eternal life God gives to people. It seems Akin’s argument is cogent, for the most part. The best resource to get an idea into what light could signify is the Old Testament, since Jesus was the fulfillment of Old Testament hopes and since Jesus’ and John’s audience were saturated in the Old Testament. As this study reveals, in the Old Testament, the term “light” has a variety of significations. Now, this study is not necessarily a comprehensive study, as this discussion will not dissect every single verse listed under each category, and some might disagree with how this discussion has categorized the various significations of light, but that is ok.

It should also be noted that a critique of Akin’s view will come after the Old Testament view of “light” is finished, as that discussion will help one see how Akin is both correct in some ways and incorrect in others.

(1) The first signification is simply the literal meaning: light is simply the source of vision during the day or the night; it makes things visible (Gen. 1:17). It is the sun, moon, etc.


(2) Light signifies something or someone that reveals something unknown that only God knows (Job 12:22; John 3:20):

Job 12:22: “He reveals the deep things of darkness, and brings deep shadows into the light.”

This verse is straightforward: the light reveals what was previously in the dark.[1] In other words, the light reveals something unknown that one was unaware of previously (“dark”). Now, some may not appreciate the vague words “something” or “something unknown,” but the verses and image lend itself to this lack of clarity. It is unclear as to what is revealed in “the light.”[2]

John 3:20: “For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed.”

Interestingly, as this discussion will show, “light” can have a secondary signification in any single instance, and John 3:20 seems to be a prime example for this category. While the primary signification will be discussed further along, it is clear here that “light” signifies that which exposes something unknown (to others), evil deeds.


(3) Light signifies wisdom/knowledge (Dan. 2:22; Ecc. 2:13-14): This verse, Daniel 2:22, could also potentially be listed under category two above, but it relates to this category better. Either way, both categories are similar. In this category, light signifies “something unknown” itself rather than something or someone that reveals said “something unknown.”

Praising God’s wisdom and power, Daniel says: “He [God] reveals deep and hidden things. He knows what is in the darkness, and light resides with him.” Essentially, Daniel is saying that God knows and reveals information that humanity does not and cannot know and is unaware of, and that God has that knowledge that is unknown within him.[3] In other words, God is knowledgeable and wise.


(4) Light signifies a temporary blessing or reward (Ps. 112:4): Psalm 112:4 reads, “In the darkness a light shines for the godly, for each one who is merciful, compassionate, and just.” In the context of this verse, the psalmist praises the one who obeys the commands of God, saying that he will be rewarded with temporary blessings (e.g. wealth and power). Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that the imagery of light signifies temporary blessing as well—it is a metaphor to further describe the blessings for the one who obeys God.


(5) Light signifies God’s immanence/presence with his people (Ex. 13:21; 14:24; 19:18):[4] Exodus 13:21 reads, “Now the LORD was going before them . . . by night in a pillar of fire to give them light.” In this verse and the book of Exodus, fire (a source of light, Ex. 13:21) often signifies God’s presence. God encountered Moses in the burning bush; God “confuses” the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire (Ex. 14:23); on Mount Sinai, God appears to Israel and Moses in the form of a fire (Ex. 19:18). The fire was not only a guide or a literal, physical light, but God was in some sense in it (“The LORD had descended on it in fire”-Ex. 19:18). Thus, it signifies his presence.


(6) Light signifies that which acts as a guide (sometimes that guide is the law or God’s word) (Ex. 13:21; Prov. 6:23; Job 22:28; 29:3; Ps. 119:105): The fire, or light, in Exodus 13:21 signified God’s presence; however, the fire also served the function of providing a "light" for the Israelites as they traveled by night. Thus, "fire" here functions as a guide to land of Israel; and the "light" the fire provides signifies that which guides. A similar signification occurs during Eliphaz’s speech to Job in Job 22:28, which reads, “Whatever you decide on the matter, it will be established for you, and the light will shine on your ways [added emphasis].” This use of the term light lends itself to the image of someone providing light for Job as walks a path so that he will not follow the wrong way. In his commentary on Job, Robert Alden agrees, “Job used a similar figure of a divinely illuminated path when he described the days prior to the present troubles (29:2-3; cf. Prov 18-19).”[5]

The same image comes to mind in Job 29:3, as God provides light as Job in walking in a dark place; it guides him along his way. Psalm 119:105 presents light in the same way—it guides people; God’s word is the light that guides the Psalmist on how to follow God.

Finally, in Proverbs 6:23, the writers says, “For the commandments are like a lamp [added emphasis], instruction is like a light [added emphasis], and rebukes of discipline are like the road [added emphasis] leading to life.” The author of the proverb is apparently using synonymous parallelism[6] to describe the father’s words (“commands of your father”—6:20) to his son; his words are a lamp, light, and road. The metaphors of a lamp and road to describe the father’s words to his son convey the concept that his words are a source of guidance,[7] just as a person needs a lamp in the dark to find his way to a destination (as Israel needed the pillar of fire in the dark) or a person needs a road to go from point A to point B. And since light is parallel to these images, it is safe to conclude that the metaphor of light in this instance signifies guidance. In addition, the author of the proverb explicitly states as much by saying that the father’s words are a “road leading to life,” which conveys the image of a road being a tool to get from one point to another—it is a guide. It is also interesting to note that this guide leads to life. In a way, this verse can fit into category seven (7) as well, as it is a light that leads to life—it is a source of life.

The other three significations for light will be saved for the next post, as they are the longest and more pertinent to John's usage of "light."


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[1]Robert L. Alden, Job, Vol. 11, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1993), 155. Alden is a little too brief in his commentary of this verse, but he seems to agree with me, as he cites two verses, Amos 5:8 and Daniel 2:22, that are closer the signification I argue for.

[2]It is evil deeds, for example, or maybe some bit of information (or maybe something else). I do not want to qualify the signification if it is hard to specify the metaphor any further.

[3]Stephen R. Miller, Daniel, Vol. 18, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994), 87.

[4]Douglas K. Stuart, Exodus, Vol. 2, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2006), 327.

[5]Alden, Job, 238.

[6]Synonymous parallelism is a Jewish poetic device that repeats a concept in one line with different imagery and/or words in the following line. It is often found in Old Testament wisdom and poetic literature.

[7]Duane A. Garrett, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Vol. 14, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1993), 100.