LIGHT IS VICTORIOUS OVER DARKNESS

A Homily, discussing John 1:5, by Solomon Landers

καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ

κατέλαβεν--- New Testament Greek text

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness

has not overcome it.” – -English Standard Version

John 1:5 has always fascinated me. I read it first in the King
James Version, which says, “And the light shines in the
darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” What did
that mean, “the darkness comprehended it not”? Did it
signify that light does not understand darkness, or that those
who are in mental darkness do not understand the value of
the light? Or does it mean that, while also possibly meaning
something else?

Perhaps the King James Version got the term

“comprehended” in this verse from the Latin Vulgate
translation, which reads: “Et lux in tenebris lucet et tenebrae
eam non comprehenderunt.” However, the Latin for
“comprehend” did not just refer to mental activity. It also
meant to grasp, catch, seize, arrest. The Syriac version
translated the Greek text’s κατέλαβεν with the Syriac word
for “overcome” (Lamsa’s translation). The Sahidic Coptic
version (2nd-3rd century) used the Coptic word taho in its
translation of this verse. Taho means to catch up to,
reach, lay hold on. (Crum’s Coptic Dictionary, p. 455b)

The inspired writer of John 1:5 may have meant mental

grasping, but a more literal grasping is also possibly in
view: the grasping of conquest and victory. That is, the
forces of darkness initiate hostile actions against the
forces of light and enlightenment, but darkness meets with
failure. Darkness attempts to seize, arrest, overcome the
light, because the light is opposite to and inimical to the
very existence of the darkness.
Scientists postulate that roughly 70% of the Universe is
dark energy and that dark matter makes up about 25%.
All “normal” matter adds up to less than 5% of the
universe. With so much darkness in the physical world,
how precious is the light! Indeed, life itself depends on
that light. (“In him was life, and that life was the light of
men,“ John 1:4) The “muchness” of the darkness is,
nevertheless, incapable of overcoming the unique vitality
of the light. The ubiquity of the darkness does not ensure
its victory.

The Eternal God is also described as light, “in whom no

darkness dwells,” 1 John 1:5). His Son, Jesus Christ,
reflects that same light. (Hebrews 1:3) Christians are also
called to be “sons of light,” and to “shine as illuminators in
the world.” (Matthew 5:14, 16; John 12:36; Philippians
2:15)

Darkness cannot gain the victory by overpowering,

overcoming, arresting, or destroying the light. The light of
God’s truth is victorious over darkness. That is also a
powerful lesson implied by John’s words in his Gospel.