Light of the World

"Light of the World" (Greek: φώς τοῦ κόσμου Phṓs tou kósmou) is a phrase used by Jesus to describe himself and his disciples in the New Testament. The phrase is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew (5:14–16) and John (John 8:12). It is closely related to the parables of salt and light and lamp under a bushel, which also appear in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.

In John 8:12 Jesus applies the title to himself while debating with the Jews and states:

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

Jesus again claims to be the Light of the World in John 9:5, during the miracle of healing the blind at birth, saying:

This episode leads into John 9:39 where Jesus metaphorically explains that he came to this world, so that the blind may see.

In the Christological context, the use of the title Light of the World is similar to the Bread of Life title in John 6:35 where Jesus states: "I am the bread of life: he who comes to me shall not hunger." These assertions build on the Christological theme of John 5:26 where Jesus claims to possess life just as the Father does and provide it to those who follow him. The term "Life of the World" is applied in the same sense by Jesus to himself in John 6:51.

Light is defined as life, as seen in John 1:4, "In him was life; and the life was the light of men". Those who have faith in him will have eternal life. In John's Gospel, "darkness is present in the absence of light; the absence of eternal life," and darkness refers to death, spiritually.

Jesus also used that term to refer to his disciples in Matthew 5:14: