GOD’S WORD OF LIGHT (6)

“For it is the GOD who COMMANDED LIGHT to SHINE out of DARKNESS, who has SHONE IN OUR HEARTS…”– 2 Corinthians 4:6a

GOD’S WORD of LIGHT is a Commanded Word that will always prevail over and SHINE out of DARKNESS: “For it is the GOD who COMMANDED LIGHT to SHINE out of DARKNESS, who has SHONE IN OUR HEARTS to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor.4:6). The same Word of God which commanded light to shine out of darkness at the beginning of creation has released into our hearts the Light of the Knowledge of His Glory, as displayed in the Face of Jesus Christ!

Paul had been defending himself from charges of practicing falseness (vv.1-2). To counter these arguments, he emphasized his sole mission: to deliver the true gospel of Jesus and to proclaim that Christ is Lord (v.5). He recognised that this mission entailed endeavouring to liberate the spiritually blind and perishing, “whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (v.4). Verse 6 summarizes the message Paul preached in universal terms, as he quoted God at creation, saying, “Let light shine out of darkness” (Gen.1:3. Paul then related the creation narrative to redemption’s reality. Only the Light of the Gospel can penetrate the darkness of unbelief in Jesus. Only God’s Word of Light can pierce and transform dark hearts!

This reality of redemption was actually Paul’s personal experience on the road to Damascus when a literal “light from heaven” shone around him and the Voice of the Lord – the Word of Light – dawned on him (Acts 9: 3-7). God shone the light into Paul's heart, which he also began to disseminate and shine to all who would listen to the gospel of salvation from sin through faith in Jesus. Paul describes the gospel as the “LIGHT of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” In the previous chapter, he had spoken of God's glory reflected in the face of Moses. As a reflection, that glory faded as soon as Moses left the presence of the Lord (2Cor.3: 7-15). However, the Glory shining from the Face of Christ, never fades. He is the Light – the Eternal Source! To see and know His Glory is to share in God's Glory for eternity.

"Light" is a common theme in the Bible, a metaphor used by the Hebrew thinkers to represent everything good and valuable. It's especially tied to the ideas of revelation, knowledge and guidance, since the people of Israel were uniquely gifted by God with His Word (Exo.20:22). In Paul's era, the Hebrews valued “light”; Greeks valued “knowledge”; while Romans prized “glory” as their cultures of philosophy. Paul's statement here incorporated all of these: light, knowledge, and glory. In a sense, this implies that Christ is the ultimate fulfilment of anything and everything we could ever want. He is “The Truth” all of humanity needs and seeks, even though many are blinded to their need by sin.

Most crucial to the Gospel is the revelation that the LIGHT is a PERSON – JESUS. God gave humankind a Person – His Person, rather than an idea or philosophy, as our salvation. The Light, Knowledge, and Glory are reflected “in the face” of Christ. Rather than humanity trusting in self, self-effort, or work, God intended us to seek a relationship with His Son: “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life” (Jh.8:12). To us followers of the Light, Paul wrote: “For you were once darkness, but now YOU ARE LIGHT IN THE LORD. Walk as children of light” (Eph.5:8).