Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Shineth (fainei). Linear present active indicative of fainw, old verb from faw, to shine (faos, fwv). "The light keeps on giving light."
In the darkness (en th skotiai). Late word for the common skotov (kin to skia, shadow). An evident allusion to the darkness brought on by sin. In 2 Peter 2:17 we have o zofov tou skotou (the blackness of darkness). The Logos, the only real moral light, keeps on shining both in the Pre-incarnate state and after the Incarnation. John is fond of skotia (skotov) for moral darkness from sin and fwv (fwtizw, fainw) for the light that is in Christ alone. In 1 John 2:8 he proclaims that "the darkness is passing by and the true light is already shining." The Gnostics often employed these words and John takes them and puts them in the proper place.
Apprehended it not (auto ou katelaben). Second aorist active indicative of katalambanw, old verb to lay hold of, to seize. This very phrase occurs in John 12:35 (ina mh skotia umav katalabh) "that darkness overtake you not," the metaphor of night following day and in 1 Thessalonians 5:4 the same idiom (ina katalabh) is used of day overtaking one as a thief. This is the view of Origen and appears also in 2Macc. 8:18. The same word appears in Aleph D in John 6:17 katelabe de autouv h skotia ("but darkness overtook them," came down on them). Hence, in spite of the Vulgate comprehenderunt, "overtook" or "overcame" seems to be the idea here. The light kept on shining in spite of the darkness that was worse than a London fog as the Old Testament and archaeological discoveries in Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, Crete, Asia Minor show.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
John 1:11
John 3:19
John 3:19
John 8:3
John 12:35
2 Peter 1:19
1 John 1:5
1 John 1:6
1 John 2:8
Revelation 1:16
DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.
E-mail this page
