Monday 20 July 2026

Psalm 77

Background
Incarnation can be difficult to understand or accept. One has to start by believing in God and then believe that the historical man Jesus was God.

Jesus’ divine nature was a subject of much controversy in the Early Church and at the Councils of Nicene (325 AD) and Chalcedon (451 AD). When congregations today say the Nicene Creed they state: "We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father."

They may not realise quite how much argument there was in the Early Church to get to this statement!

In John’s Gospel Jesus uses eight ‘I am’ statements to explain to his disciples and others who he is. ‘I am’ was the name that Moses was instructed to call God (Exodus 3:13-15). By saying "I am the light of the world" Jesus is making a claim to divinity and calling on those listening to follow him. It's risky and Jesus knows he is in a dangerous place at a dangerous time.

The Treasury of the Temple in Jerusalem during the festival of Tabernacles would have been a busy, intense time. Already during the festival people were asking "Is not this the man whom they are trying to kill?" (John 7:25) and the Pharisees and chief priests had sent the Temple police to arrest him (John 7:32).

When Jesus says "I am the light of the world" he is claiming to be the Messiah, to do the work that only God can do. His claim is met with hostility from the Pharisees and the argument in this passage brings out what John believes is the purpose and identity of Jesus. Jesus’ purpose on earth at that time is not to judge (verse 15) but it is for love (John 3:16). Jesus identifies himself to the Pharisees and does not spare their feelings, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also." (John 8:19)

To Ponder:

• What do you think about the statement ‘The way someone reacts to Jesus is in itself a judgement’?
• What do you think of these lines from TS Eliot’s poem 'The Dry Salvages'? "These are only hints and guesses, / Hints followed by guesses; and the rest / Is prayer, observance, discipline, thought and action. / The hint half guessed, the gift half understood, is Incarnation."

Prayer
God of light
Help me to recognise you shining
In scripture
In prayer
In the lives of other people. Amen.

Bible notes author: Dr Tom Lunt
Dr Tom Lunt is a Methodist local preacher, prison chaplain and lecturer. He lives with his wife Liz in East Sussex.