John 3:19
And this is the condemnation…
Of him that believes not
in Christ; that is, this is the matter and cause of his
condemnation, and by which it is aggravated, and appears to be just:
that light is come into the world:
by which is meant, not natural or
corporeal light; though natural darkness is, by some, preferred to
this, being more convenient for their evil works; as by thieves,
murderers, and adulterers: nor is the light of nature designed, with
which every man is enlightened that comes into the world; which,
though but a dim light, might be of more use, and service, than it
is; and is often rejected, and rebelled against, by wicked men, and
which will be the condemnation of the Heathen world: but rather the
light of divine revelation, both in the law of God, and Gospel of
Christ; especially the latter is here intended; and which, though so
great a favour to fallen men, is despised, and denied by the sons of
darkness: though it may be best of all to understand it of Christ
himself, the light of the world, and who is come a light into it;
see (John 8:12) (12:46) , who may be called "light", because he has set
revelation in its clearest and fullest light; he has declared the
whole mind, and will of God concerning the affair of divine worship,
and the business of salvation: grace, and truth, are come by him;
the doctrines of grace, and the truths of the Gospel, are most
clearly brought to light by him; the types, and shadows of the law
are removed; and the promises, and the prophecies of the Old
Testament, are most largely expounded by him, and most perfectly
fulfilled in him: and besides; he is the author and giver of the
light of grace, by which men see themselves to be what they are,
lost and undone sinners; and see him to be the only able, willing,
suitable, sufficient, and complete Saviour: and he it is that now
gives the saints the glimpse of glory they have, and will be the
light of the new Jerusalem, and the everlasting light of his people
hereafter. He, by his incarnation, may be said to "come into the
world" in general, which was made by him, as God; and as he was in
it, as man; though he was not known by it as the God-man, Mediator,
and Messiah: and particularly he came into the Jewish world, where
he was born, brought up, conversed, lived, and died; and into the
Gentile world, by the ministry of his apostles, whom he; sent into
all the world, to preach the Gospel to every creature, and spread
the glorious light of it in every place:
and men loved darkness rather than light:
the Jews, the greater part
of them, preferred the darkness of the ceremonial law, and the
Mosaic dispensation, and even the traditions of their elders, before
the clear Gospel revelation made by Christ Jesus; and the Gentiles
also, for the most part, chose rather to continue in their
Heathenish ignorance, and idolatry, and to walk in their own ways,
and in the vanity of their minds, than to embrace Christ, and his
Gospel, and submit to his ordinances, and appointments; and the
generality of men, to this day, love their natural darkness, and
choose to walk in it, and to have fellowship with the works of
darkness, and delight in the company of the children of darkness,
rather than follow Christ, the light of the world; receive his
Gospel, and walk in his ways, in fellowship with his saints: the
reason of all this is,
because their deeds were evil;
which they chose not to relinquish;
and Christ, his Gospel and ordinances are contrary to them; for the
doctrine of the grace of God, which has appeared, and shone out in
great lustre, and splendour, in the world, teaches men to deny
ungodliness, and worldly lusts; and therefore it is hated, and
rejected, by men.