Light

          The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. (John 12:45-47)

           Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” (John 9:39)

          Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. (Martin Luther King, Jr.) 

          Two days ago, I shared and wrote about John 9:39, in which Jesus said that He had come to the world to judge the world. Now today's verse says that he does not come to the world to judge the world but to save it. So, which is it? One of the challenges we face is determining whether Jesus was using the word “judge” in John 12 in the same way as He was using judgment in John 9.

          Both passages not only talk about judgment. They also talk about seeing and not seeing. When one tours a cavern, the guides often turn out the lights so that people can “see” what real darkness is. It’s being blind. So, Jesus coming into this world for judgment seems to result in turning on the Light for people who have been blinded by the darkness. It also results in those who hate the Light fleeing into the darkness. There is judgment even if Jesus doesn’t put the person on trial. Either the person can see, or he can’t. If she’s not in the light, she’s in the darkness. Jesus doesn’t choose. He observes. And yet, there is judgment because the darkness is driven away by the light.