Light of The World
In the New Testament Bible Jesus is quoted in Matthew 5:14 as saying “You are the light of the world …” So what exactly would this mean? Are we a sun of God? Are we describing the light of consciousness? Is it a beacon of hope and navigation for people who have become lost? Well, since we can’t exactly ask him, and no personal witnesses remain among us, we have to do the best we can to read between the lines.
If you have read any of my previous articles, you’ll know I search among ancient Wisdom, reason, and science for answers that validate our spiritual beliefs and opinions. This quote happens to be one of my favourites from New Testament scripture.
So, how is it that WE are the “light of the world.” Let’s begin with the word “light” from the original Greek in which the New Testament was written in. Strong’s Concordance lists the word directly related this verse as #5457 and it’s full definition in English is “light, a source of light, radiance.” Now, let’s consider some of the other English words for this Greek word "PHOS …. in the Greek alphabet it would appear this way: φως.
Used as a NOUN: φως - light, limelight σέλας - light φανός - lamp, light, lantern, cresset φωτιά - fire, light
Used as a VERB: φωτίζω - illuminate, lighten, illumine, light ανάπτω - kindle, fire, light καταβαίνω - light
Used as an ADJECTIVE: ανάλαφρος - light, tripping ανοικτός - open, light, overt ελαφρός - light, slight, gentle, buoyant, feathery, flippant φωτεινός - light, illuminated, luminous, luminiferous
As you can see, the Greek language is far more descriptive and intricate than English. In fact, the English New Testament Bibles of today, were reduced DOWN to Latin from Greek, and then reduced once again DOWN to the English. Fortunately for me, I spoke Greek before I spoke English and my knowledge of Greek (not as deep as from the old country) but nonetheless, has helped me tremendously with my studies and research.
Now let’s go science, metaphysics, and quantum physics and leave all these definitions aside for a moment. If WE are the light of the world, then where would that light be located? It would most certainly have to be located within us … in order to shine as light would shine. Here’s where it gets a little deeper.
Even though our sensory receptors like sight, hearing, etc. are located on the “outside” of us … the actual experience of all we perceive and experience happens INSIDE of us. Our sensory receptors send what we see, hear, taste, smell, and feel to the assigned sensory centers in our brain. The “outside” world of “matter” is merely the lowest vibrating frequency of electrical energy. So all of life, is experienced in our heads. There is no escaping this. We are imprisoned in our mind and brain. Therefore, and logically, the entire universe comes from the INSIDE out … not the other way around.
If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to hear it, would it make a sound? NO. Because you need ears and auditory sensory perception … the hearing center of a brain inside of a head to experience the sound. Otherwise, there is silence. To a person who has no hearing, the world is silent … because the experience of the sounds come from INSIDE their head. Inside THEM.
All of our life’s experiences are taking place and being defined … inside the darkness of our skull which will NEVER be exposed to light from an OUTSIDE world. It’s all electrical energy all the way down to a cellular level … to the mitochondria power supply of every living thing. And EVERYTHING has consciousness and is alive … even rocks and other inanimate objects. There are protons, electrons, neurons, photons, hydrogen, oxygen, and so many things that “come without observation” as the Kingdom does. It’s all in our heads. The light comes FROM US and not to us. A blind person cannot see the light because his blindness is in his head … the vision center of the brain. Therefore, the LIGHT comes from within, not without.
The entirety of the universe comes from within us and joins all things as One. The universe, time, etc … is going THAT way not this way. John 17:21 has Jesus quoted as saying “that they may all be ONE, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us …” This entire universe comes from within, and WE are the light of the world. We make the sun shine. We make the Moon glow. As hard as it is to believe this, it is scientifically, spiritually, and philosophically correct. So, shine on my friend … the earth needs you!
Just a thought …
~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.
