What does it mean that "in Him was life, and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4)?

The Son then, as “the Word” is the pure expression of the thoughts of God, the blessed Revealer in person of all that God is. In verse 3 creation is ascribed to Him, He who has given everything being, and without whom nothing could exist. ”In Him was life.” Here is life in its pure, eternal essence, inherent in Him, as it is not in us. Indeed, He is the very Source of life, that strange, mystifying entity that defies all human investigation. Even natural life is a complete mystery to science: how much more so that eternal life so manifested on earth in the person of our Lord! That life in Him was the light of men. True knowledge and understanding is impossible apart from Him. This is of course spiritual light, another marvelous mystery, far greater than the mystery of natural light.

But there is much more than the power of an eternal Being. For we come now to a thing higher and more intimate: not to what was brought into being9b through Him, but to what was in Him. "This is the true God and eternal life" (1 John 5:20). "In him was life." The only life here noticed is that which, being eternal, is capable of knowing, enjoying, serving, and worshipping God, suited to His presence, and to be there for ever. Believers have life; but it is in the Son, not in them, but in Him. Here, however, it is not pursued beyond its source in Him; its communication will soon follow in due course. The Spirit is occupied with the character of His person. Only He adds at this point the deeply interesting announcement, "and the life was the light of men" (verse 4).11 Not angels but men were the object. He does not say life, but light of men. The life was only for those that believe in His name: the light goes far beyond. That which makes manifest is light. So in Prov. 8, the beautiful introduction of Wisdom, Whom Jehovah possessed in the beginning of His way before His works of old, not more His delight than Wisdom's delights were with the sons of men. The arrangement of verses 3, 4, which Lachmann, Tregelles, and Westeott and Hort ["Notes on Select Readings," p. 73 f.] prefer (partly because of the absence of interpunction in some very ancient MSS., partly because some copies, versions, and fathers, expressly so take it), is ὃ γέγονεν ἐν αὐτῳ ζωὴ ἦν. So ACpmDGpmL, Vulg. Syrcu Sahid. But with Tischendorf and others [as Weiss and Blass]10 I unqualifiedly decide for a colon or full-stop after γέγονεν, and begin a new sentence with ἐν αὐτῳ ζωὴ ἦν. [So Weiss after CcorrEGHKM Syrpesch hcl.] There is an intended contradistinction between what was made or brought into being through the Word with life in Him, which is lost when the new sentence begins with ὃ γέγ . Is it not false doctrine so to reduce life in the Word? Further it is not Johannean, if grammatical, to take γέγονεν ἐν αὐτῳ as "made by him." Again, this life, which would mean the living universe (in itself a strange, unscriptural, and senseless phrase), must then be the light of men, contrary to the express teaching, just after, that the Word exclusively was the light. On the other hand, the phrase, as it usually stands, is in the fullest harmony with the style of the evangelist elsewhere, as Dean Alford has pointed out.

"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." (v. 4.) We have seen that without Him nothing was made that was made. Jesus of Nazareth was the Creator, glorious truth! Here we are taught that in Him was life, eternal life, and in Him only. This is the witness that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in the Son; it is not in the creature, save as a stream flowing in from unfathomable and eternal depths, God's gift in His own endless grace to once lost sinners. Elsewhere He is revealed as the Light - the lamp of the glory that lightens the heavenly city. The Lamb's effulgence is the light of the glory of God. In Him are all the promises, in Him all the counsels of God, as through Him also is their fulfilment. "The life was the light of men." This is what is called a reciprocal proposition; nothing else was the light of men. This was the true light. The "light within" is not that, but the power of darkness in the human soul. "Ye shall not surely die," said the serpent; "but your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God." The "light within" begins with the reception of "the lie," develops in rationalism (when they "saw that the tree was good for food ") and Gnosticism (" a thing to be desired to make one wise "). A Gnostic is one whose wisdom is the fruit of the "light within;" he is proud of it, because he thinks it is his own. In reality it "comes not from above; it is devilish."

(John 1:4). If verse 3 speaks of that which received being through the Word, verse 4 tells us of that which is in the Word. "n Him was life." With this statement we pass from the relation of the Word to the whole created universe to consider His relation to mankind. Thus the "life" spoken of can hardly be the natural life of creation. Truly, as the Creator, the Word is the source of the natural life, which, when given, whether in plants or animals, can propagate itself. This life is rather the spiritual life which becomes the light of men who already have the natural life. Life may be communicated to others, but life was never communicated to the Word — "In Him was life."

This life was the light of men. The Lord can say, "He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). The life in the Word was the perfect revelation to man of the invisible God. The light of nature will not reveal the heart of God. The light of reason cannot find out God by searching. It is only the light of the life in the Word become flesh that can declare God.

Light. — And this truth, however unpalatable it may be to some, is emphasized, shall we not say? by the words which follow: "and the life was the light of men." Men by nature were in darkness. Now this darkness, of which the Apostle will speak, was moral. "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5). Hence this darkness referred to is that which is contrary to the Divine nature, which is light and love (1 John 1:5; 4:8, 16). So "he that hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and knows not whither he goes, because that the darkness has blinded his eyes." On the other hand, "he that loves his brother abides in the light" (1 John 2:10-11). So wrote the Apostle in describing the effect of darkness, and the result of light when received in the soul. Turning back to the Gospel, we learn of the presence of the light upon earth, and how men come to share in it: "The life was the light of men"; or, as being a reciprocal proposition, one might understand it, "the light of men was the life." Unless, then, men participated in the life, they could not have the light within them; neither education, nor intellectual ability could make up for the lack of it. So to turn men from darkness to light was part of the commission entrusted to the Apostle Paul (Acts 26:18). Essential, therefore, to man's spiritual welfare is He who is the Word, all of us being dependent on Him for that life, without which there can be no light within. Humbling indeed is such teaching, and bringing down the pride of man.

The next verse (4) predicts of Him that which is yet more momentous: not creative power, as in verse 3, but life. "In him was life." Blessed truth for those who know the spread of death over this lower scene of creation! and the rather as the Spirit adds, that "the life was the light of men." Angels were not its sphere, nor was it restricted to a chosen nation: "the life was the light of men." Life was not in man, even unfallen; at best, the first man, Adam, became a living soul when instinct with the breath of God. Nor is it ever said, even of a saint, that in him is or was life, though life he has; but he has it only in the Son. In Him, the Word, was life, and the life was the light of men. Such was its relationship.

We cannot define what life is, but when we see it in manifestation we are able to tell the nature of the creature, person or being, whose life it is, and the life of God has been manifested in the world so that we may know His very nature. The Word who was God and with God poured forth from Himself all created life. He was the originator of every system and character of life in the universe, His own all powerful word was sufficient to do this, for He spake and it stood fast, but when we read, “In Him was life” something more is meant. “All creation was made by Him but it does not exist in Him. But in Him was life, in this He was in relation with a special part of creation, a part which was the object of the thoughts and intentions of God. This life was the light of men, it revealed itself as a testimony to the divine nature, in immediate connection with men — for ‘this life was the light of men' — as it did not with respect to any others at all” (J.N.D).

We proceed now to the spiritual sphere, what was in the Word, not made by Him: for "in Him was Life, and the Life was the light of men." Many indeed take life here in the most comprehensive way, "the Word being the Source of all life to the creature," but the latter clause of the verse, it is admitted, can only refer to spiritual life. And how could this be classed with that of plant or beast, for instance? or said to be in Him? He is the Author of it: in that sense, the Source, though it be not exactly the right word for it. Life in Him, the Eternal, is surely eternal life; and having shown sufficiently for his purpose here the relation of the Word to creation generally, John at once proceeds to his grand subject. Only the eternal life could be the light of men.

But there is another thing, besides the supreme act of creating all things (an act that characterises the Word) — there is that which was in Him. All creation was made by Him; but it does not exist in Him. But in Him was life. In this He was in relation with an especial part of creation — a part which was the object of the thoughts and intentions of God. This "life was the light of men," revealed itself as a testimony to the divine nature, in immediate connection with them, as it did not with respect to any others at all. But, in fact, this light shone in the midst of that which was in its own nature contrary to it, and evil beyond any natural image, for where light comes, darkness is no longer: but here the light came, and the darkness had no perception of it — remained darkness, which therefore neither comprehended nor received it. These are the relations of the Word with creation and with man, seen abstractedly in His nature. The Spirit pursues this subject, giving us details, historically, of the latter part.

But now another affirmation is made of the Word: “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4) “In Him was life,” that is life uncommunicated, life inherent, life without a beginning. “This is the true God, and ETERNAL LIFE” (1 John 5:20). He is the Fountain of life. He is the Source of life.