I used to assume John 1:4 & 9 described Jesus BECOMING the light of the world through his incarnation. Now it seems to me that Jesus is described as the light of the world, the "true light that gives light to EVERYONE", as his pre-incarnate, eternal identity.

According to John 1, Jesus is the always speaking Word & the always shining Light who became flesh (rather than the son of God who became God's word & light when he became flesh).

The distinction is meaningful.

OPTION 1: To say Jesus becomes our light through his incarnation suggests the ONLY way to experience God's light is through consciously encountering Jesus via Scripture & Christ-centred Church teaching.

OPTION 2: To say Jesus has always been light shining truth into the world is to anticipate divine light & truth in all people, cultures, & corners of the earth (though experienced most clearly & difinitively through the incarnated, historical, biblical Jesus).

This second option fits most closely with the apostle Paul's exegesis of Greek culture, history, and religion to lead people to Jesus in Acts 17.

This doesn't mean Jesus is one truth among many, but that Jesus, the light of truth, is shining his light everywhere always.

How encouraging!

IMPLICATION: Let us keep our eyes & ears attuned to signs of divine truth in every culture & every person's story, so that, like midwives, we can help people give birth to the realization that Jesus has always been pursuing, loving, & drawing us all closer.

To be clear, every glimpse of divine light in other corners of reality will be mixed with human imperfection & dark deception. This is one reason why we must learn from Jesus as revealed in Scripture - to know God's truth directly & to then discern truth from lies all around us.

We need not be threatened by other religions or worldviews or philosphies. Neither do we see them as all equally true. Rather, with anticipation, we simply approach all belief systems with open minded hope, ready to find glimpses of God that can lead our conversations to Christ.

Thank you for letting me process these thoughts "out loud". Happy Sunday.