Jesus was born into a Jewish family. He could have had an amazing career or married and had a family. The choices were before Him as He grew and became a man. Still, Jesus chose one purpose, despite the means necessary to do so, and was the light of the world.
One Purpose
One desire drove Jesus forward. He yearned to glorify His Father in heaven. This one purpose directed His choices. When the choice weighed heavy, His purpose held Him. It became the objective of His prayer, one His Father heard and answered by saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” The crowd heard it. Some thought it thundered while others insisted it was the voice of an angel. Jesus said the voice came not for His sake but for theirs.
Despite the Means
Jesus further explained that if He was lifted up, He would draw all peoples to Himself. John writes, “This He said signifying by what death He would die.” The Jews understood being lifted up as death by crucifixion. At the same time, it reminded them of when Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. When the people looked at Moses, they were rescued from the bite of the serpent. Jesus, in like manner, would be lifted up and He would draw all peoples to Himself. It was time for the judgement of the world and the casting out of the ruler of the world.
The people understood from the law, that the Christ would live forever, so how could this man speak of death. Besides, who was this Son of Man? It was a stumbling block to them.
The Light
Jesus then spoke of a temporary light. It was a blinding light. “Walk while you have the light, believe in the light,” He told them “that, you may become sons of light.” If you don’t stay in the light, the darkness will overtake you and you won’t know where you are going.
In the first chapter of John, he identifies Jesus as the true light of the world. Now with the death of Jesus at hand, they must believe the light in order to be sons of light. They must believe in Jesus.
After these words, Jesus departed. He was hidden from them. God gave Him the privacy He needed after giving the lesson. Jesus chose one purpose, despite the means necessary to do so, and was the light of the world.
