Scripture often uses light as a symbol of the people of God, and especially the manner in which believers are able and required to reflect the glory of God in a dark world of sin.
The people of God as the light of the world
Matthew 5:14–16 See also Psalm 37:5–6; Proverbs 4:18, Proverbs 13:9; Isaiah 58:8–10, Isaiah 60:1–5, Isaiah 62:1; Daniel 12:3; Luke 2:32; Acts 13:47
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Examples of believers acting as light to the world
Moses on Mount Sinai: Exodus 34:29–30, Exodus 34:35; 2 Samuel 23:3–4 the righteous ruler, fully realised in Jesus Christ; Job 29:21–25 Job as a counsellor; John 5:35 John the Baptist; Acts 6:15 Stephen; Philippians 2:15 the Philippian church
God is the source of the light of his people
God and his law as the source of light
Psalm 27:1, Psalm 118:27 See also Judges 5:31; Job 11:13–17, Job 22:27–28; Psalm 19:8, Psalm 34:5, Psalm 56:13, Psalm 97:11; Proverbs 6:23; Ecclesiastes 8:1; Isaiah 60:19–20; John 1:5
Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— whom shall I dread?
The LORD is God; He has made His light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
The gospel of forgiveness as a source of light
Acts 26:17–18 See also Job 33:28–30; Psalm 112:4; Isaiah 9:2, Isaiah 29:18; Matthew 4:16; John 3:19–21; Ephesians 1:18, Ephesians 5:27; Hebrews 6:4, Hebrews 10:32
I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’
The people of God are called to live in his light
Ephesians 5:8–14; 1 John 1:7 See also Psalm 36:9, Psalm 89:15; Isaiah 2:5; Luke 16:8; John 9:4, John 12:35–36; Romans 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:5–6; 1 John 2:8–10
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. Test and prove what pleases the Lord. Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that is illuminated becomes a light itself. So it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.