How do you feel about this short verse in the Book of John?

Question

"And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehendeth it not." John 1:5

Answer 1

I love it in both its versions. The Light by which the world came into being shines out in the darkness and the darkness cannot fathom it. When we walk in the light as He is in the light then we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Christ cleanses us from all our sins. And meanwhile the baffled world looks on, uncomprehendingly.
But the other, more recent, rendering is that of a light which the darkness has never succeeded in putting out. That is amazingly comforting. No matter how intent the works of darkness are in extinguishing the work of God in our hearts, they have never succeeded and will never succeed. That light will continue to burn until finally Our Lord returns and we shall have a new heaven and a new earth where no light will be needed, as the Lord will give us light. Revelation 22:5.

Answer 2

It covers what is happening now, as it happened then. Jesus is the light and this world is flooded in darkness. Some accept Jesus (light) and the ones that don't are still in darkness. See below

4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,[a]
and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.[b]

[b]John 1:5 Or and the darkness has not understood it.

Answer 3

A better translation is this: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." John 1.5, New Revised Standard Version.

As is nearly always the case, it's hard to interpret one single verse standing alone. You have to put it in context by reading what comes before and after. In this case, the "light" refers to Jesus. Read verses 1-14 to get the whole story. And then, later on in John, Jesus said, "I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

When you understand that Jesus is the light that "shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not ovecome it," then you see that the darkness refers to the power of sin and death. Those who walk with, or follow, Jesus, will "never walk in darkness," because they will have eternal life.

Answer 4

You have to take it in context. This is part of the prologue to the Gospel of John. He starts with: "In the Beginning, was the Word" (vs. 1). So he starts, the very beginning of world. Then says that "Word" was life and introduces the metaphor of light "that life was the light of men" (vs. 4).

Therefore, the Word, Life, Light (and by extension of the metaphor, Truth) was avaliable from the very beginning, but it was not understood. That is *why* Christ had to come. It's *why* the Incarnation had to happen. He then starts in verse 6 to talk about Christ's coming, beginning with John the Baptist, who prepared the way.

Does that make sense?

Answer 5

Jesus is the Light of the World. His own did not accept Him. They were to show the world the Savior. Darkness is the word used for spiritual blindness. This world is dark and some still do not accept Christ as the Light they to live in spiritual darkness.

Answer 6

The light is Jesus (John 8:12), the darkness is those who do not believe in Him. They do not understand Him or His teachings.

Answer 7

People will reject the truth and don't understand it.
We so often want to think we know all the answers when we don't.
We think that G-d is on our side. When the better question are we on G-d's side.

Need an example. 9/11 consparicy theorist who no matter how much truth they get they can't comprehend it so they just stick to their false beliefs of darkness.

Answer 8

First--the author of John was a disciple of Jesus. so many people think the book of john was written by John the Baptist.

I think this verse means that the light(Jesus and his teachings) is so foreign to human nature that most people don't want to follow it so they block it out or out-think it.

Answer 9

That compares those who are saved by God's grace that know and follow His word (God's spiritual light, enlightening one's heart to His Word by His grace and mercy) and those who are not saved - unbelievers (darkness, meaning they are blind to God's truth and therefore, have no spiritual knowledge or understanding of His word). Those who are born again, saved by the grace of God, know the truth; they have the 'light' within them, which is God's Holy Spirit, that gives them wisdom and understanding of His will and Word. Those who are not saved are 'in the dark', therefore, they do not know the truth of His word and cannot comprehend it unless God reveals the truth to them when or if an unbeliever repents and surrenders their life to Christ. Then and only then, when one is saved will a person see spiritually. When a person is saved through God's grace, then he/she is sealed through salvation in Christ and no one can take 'the light' away from us. We are sealed until the day of redemption - the day of judgment. Darkness cannot overcome us

Answer 10

literally it means that sometimes no matter how true some facts maybe some peole wll not accept them irrespective of the facts provided.
according to the Bible it means that Jesus is the light of the world and although people know this they assume that its false and ignore that its true. they will not accept this truth no matter what.