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Understanding the Nature of God's Light Beyond Physical Phenomena

Scripture declares that God commanded light into existence on the first day of creation, separating it from darkness before the sun, moon, and stars were appointed on the fourth day [1, 7]. This sequence establishes that light in biblical theology transcends the physical luminaries that communicate it to earth. When Genesis records "Let there be light," the text presents light as the offspring of divine command itself, prior to any material source [2]. The separation of light from darkness precedes the creation of the sun by three days, indicating that the concept of divine light operates on a plane distinct from astronomical phenomena [1, 7].

Light as Divine Attribute

The New Testament explicitly locates God himself as dwelling "in light inaccessible" (1 Timothy 6:16), a formulation that places divine light beyond human approach or comprehension [2]. This inaccessibility is not merely spatial but ontological—the light in which God dwells belongs to his essential nature rather than to the created order. Paul's reference to God "who commanded the light to shine out of darkness" in 2 Corinthians 4:6 draws a parallel between the original creative act and the illumination of human hearts with gospel knowledge, suggesting that divine light operates both in physical creation and in spiritual revelation [10]. The apostle treats the certainty of God as author of physical light as equivalent to his authorship of gospel light, establishing continuity between natural and supernatural illumination [10].

The biblical writers consistently employ light imagery to describe not merely God's actions but his character. Psalm 119:105 presents God's word as "a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path," where the lamp functions as something believers may "set up by us, and take into our hands for our own particular use" [18]. This personal appropriation of divine light through Scripture indicates that God's light becomes accessible through revelation even while remaining transcendent in essence. The commandment itself is described as "a lamp kept burning with the oil of the Spirit," suggesting that divine light requires divine agency to maintain its illuminating function [18].

The Incomprehensibility of Divine Nature

Scripture repeatedly emphasizes the limits of human capacity to grasp God's essence. Job 11:7 poses the rhetorical question, "Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?" [5]. Ecclesiastes 7:24 declares that "whatever is—it is far beyond comprehension" [3]. These passages establish a framework in which divine attributes, including God's light, exceed human cognitive reach. Paul writes of "the love of Christ which is outside all knowledge," indicating that even revealed truths about God surpass complete human understanding [6]. The mystery of godliness is described as "great" precisely because it involves God manifested in flesh—the infinite entering the finite [4, 9].

John Chrysostom observes that "one name is not sufficient, nor two, nor three, nor more, to teach us what belongs to God," and that believers "must be content to be able even by means of many to apprehend, though but obscurely, His attributes" [14]. This patristic perspective acknowledges that multiple biblical images and titles accumulate to provide partial, mediated knowledge of divine reality. The light that proceeds from knowledge, Chrysostom notes, is followed by the life that results from it, suggesting that divine light functions epistemologically and existentially [14].

Natural and Supernatural Illumination

Biblical sources distinguish between natural light, extraordinary or miraculous light, and artificial light [1]. Natural light includes the regular operation of sun, moon, and stars appointed to govern day and night (Genesis 1:14-17; Jeremiah 31:35) [1]. Extraordinary light appears in events like the pillar of fire in Exodus 14:20, the light at Paul's conversion in Acts 9:3, and the light that filled Peter's prison cell in Acts 12:7 [1]. These miraculous manifestations demonstrate divine agency operating outside natural processes, yet the biblical writers do not treat them as violations of nature but as "plain and manifest exercise by a man, or by God at the call of a man, of those powers which belong only to the Creator and Lord of nature" [8].

John Gill notes that while certain things about God remain unknowable by natural light—including the Trinity, Christ as Mediator, the incarnation, and gospel doctrines—nevertheless "there are some things which may be known of God, without a revelation" [11]. This distinction preserves both natural theology and the necessity of special revelation. Romans 1:19 indicates that "that which may be known of God" is manifest in creation, yet this knowledge remains limited to certain divine attributes discernible through the created order [11]. The resurrection of the dead and the manner of acceptable worship lie beyond natural light's reach [11].

Light in Johannine Theology

The Gospel of John presents Christ as light entering a world characterized by darkness. John Gill interprets John 1:5—"the light shineth in darkness"—as referring to the darkness that "through sin, came upon the minds of men" [17]. This darkness encompasses ignorance about God's nature and perfections, about sin and its consequences, about Christ and salvation, about the Spirit's work, and about scriptural truth [17]. The darkness is not merely intellectual but moral and spiritual, resulting from humanity's banishment "from the presence of God, the fountain of light" [17]. Man was created as a knowing creature, but sin introduced and perpetuated this darkness across generations [17].

The johannine presentation of light emphasizes both revelation and life. Chrysostom notes that the Evangelist uses multiple names to convey Christ's identity because no single term suffices to communicate divine reality [14]. The addition of the definite article to "Word" distinguishes Christ from all other words, marking him as the unique divine utterance [14]. This linguistic precision reflects the broader biblical pattern of using accumulated imagery—light, word, life, truth—to approach what remains ultimately beyond full comprehension.

Symbolic and Typological Dimensions

Hebrew culture habitually described "all the more joyous emotions of the mind, all the pleasing sensations of the frame, all the happy hours of domestic intercourse" under imagery derived from light [2]. Passages like 1 Kings 11:36, Isaiah 58:8, Esther 8:16, and Psalm 97:11 employ light to signify blessing, favor, and felicity [2]. This cultural-linguistic pattern provided the foundation for light to typify true religion and the inheritance of the redeemed (Colossians 1:12; Revelation 21:23-25) [2]. The New Jerusalem requires neither sun nor moon because "the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof" [2].

Matthew Henry observes that "if there were wonders in the law, much more in the gospel, where Christ is all in all, whose name is Wonderful" [13]. The wondrous things in God's law are not merely surprising but excellent, highly esteemed, and previously hidden from the wise but revealed to babes [13]. The angels themselves desire to behold these wonders, indicating that divine light reveals realities of interest even to celestial beings [13]. The prayer "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law" (Psalm 119:18) acknowledges that spiritual sight requires divine action—the eyes must be opened by God to perceive what Scripture contains [13].

Physical Light as Analogy

Calvin addresses the relationship between physical and divine light in his commentary on Genesis, noting that the moon, though astronomers correctly identify it as an opaque body, should not be called a dark body [16]. Positioned above the element of fire, it must be a fiery and therefore luminous body, though its light is insufficient to reach earth without borrowing from the sun [16]. Calvin calls it "a lesser light by comparison" because the light it emits to us is small compared with the sun's infinite splendor [16]. This astronomical observation serves theological purpose: just as the moon reflects solar light, created realities reflect divine glory without possessing it inherently.

Paul's analogy in 1 Corinthians 15 distinguishes the glory of sun, moon, and stars, with each possessing different degrees of brightness [12]. John Gill notes that the sun is "the greater light, the fountain of light," whose glory exceeds other heavenly bodies, while the moon receives its light from the sun and consequently has inferior glory [12]. The stars, though bright and innumerable, have lesser glory "at least to our appearance" [12]. This gradation of physical lights provides a framework for understanding how created beings participate in and reflect divine light without being its source.

Chrysostom compares the eye's function in the body to the sun's role in the world: "quench the sun, and you destroy and confound all things; quench the eyes, and the feet, the hands, the soul, are useless" [15]. This analogy illustrates how light—whether physical or spiritual—enables function and purpose. When eyes are disabled, even knowledge becomes useless because the capacity to navigate and act is lost [15]. The comparison suggests that divine light similarly enables spiritual perception and action, without which theological knowledge remains inert.

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Light — God the only source of -- Jas 1:17. Created by God -- Ge 1:3; Isa 45:7. Separated from darkness -- Ge 1:4. Sun, moon, and stars appointed to communicate to the earth -- Ge 1:14-17; Jer 31:35. Divided into Natural. -- Job 24:14; Isa 5:30. Extraordinary or miraculous. -- Ex 14:20; Ps 78:14; Ac 9:3; 12:7. Artificial. -- Jer 25:10; Ac 16:29. Communicated to the body through the eye -- Pr 15:30; Mt 6:22. Described as White and pure. -- Mt 17:2. Bright. -- Job 37:21. Shining. -- 2Sa 23:4; Job 41:18. Diffusive. -- Job 25:3; 36:30. Useful and precious. -- Ec 2:13. Ag”
  2. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Light — The offspring of the divine command (Gen. 1:3). "All the more joyous emotions of the mind, all the pleasing sensations of the frame, all the happy hours of domestic intercourse were habitually described among the Hebrews under imagery derived from light" (1 Kings 11:36; Isa. 58:8; Esther 8:16; Ps. 97:11). Light came also naturally to typify true religion and the felicity it imparts (Ps. 119:105; Isa. 8:20; Matt. 4:16, etc.), and the glorious inheritance of the redeemed (Col. 1:12; Rev. 21:23-25). God is said to dwell in light inaccessible (1 Tim. 6:16). It fr”
  3. Ecclesiastes “Ecclesiastes 7:24 (LEB) — ⌞Whatever is—it is far beyond comprehension⌟. Who can discover it?”
  4. I Timothy “I Timothy 3:16 (Geneva1599) — And without controuersie, great is the mysterie of godlinesse, which is, God is manifested in the flesh, iustified in the Spirit, seene of Angels, preached vnto the Gentiles, beleeued on in the world, and receiued vp in glorie.”
  5. Job “Job 11:7 (BSB) — Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?”
  6. Ephesians “Ephesians 3:19 (BBE) — And to have knowledge of the love of Christ which is outside all knowledge, so that you may be made complete as God himself is complete.”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Darkness — Created by God -- Ps 104:20; Isa 45:7. Originally covered the earth -- Ge 1:2. Separated from the light -- Ge 1:4. Called night -- Ge 1:5. Caused by the setting of the sun -- Ge 15:17; Joh 6:17. Inexplicable nature of -- Job 38:19,20. Exhibits God's power and greatness -- Job 38:8,9. Degrees of, mentioned Great. -- Ge 15:12. That may be felt. -- Ex 10:21. Thick. -- De 5:22; Joe 2:2. Gross. -- Jer 13:16. Outer or extreme. -- Mt 8:12. Effects of Keeps us from seeing objects. -- Ex 10:23. Causes us to go astray. -- Joh 12:35; 1Jo 2:11. Causes us to stumble. -”
  8. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Miracles — A miracle may be defined to be a plain and manifest exercise by a man, or by God at the call of a man, of those powers which belong only to the Creator and Lord of nature; and this for the declared object of attesting that a divine mission is given to that man. It is not, therefore, the wonder, the exception to common experience, that constitutes the miracle, as is assumed both in the popular use of the word and by most objectors against miracles. No phenomenon in nature, however unusual, no event in the course of God's providence, however unexpected, is a ”
  9. King James Version “[KJV] 1 Timothy 3:16 — And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
  10. 2 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 4:6: For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness - The apostle refers here to Gen 1:3. For when God created the heavens and the earth Darkness was on the face of the deep; and God said, Let There Be Light; and there was light. Thus he caused the light to shine out of darkness. Hath shined in our hearts - He has given our hearts the glorious light of the Gospel, as he has given the world the glorious light of the sun. As sure, therefore, as God is the author of the light and the creator of the universe, so sure is he the author of the Gospel; it is no ”
  11. Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 1:19: Because that which may be known of God,.... There are some things which could not be known of God by the light of nature; as a trinity of persons in the Godhead; the knowledge of God in Christ as Mediator; the God-man and Mediator Jesus Christ; his incarnation, sufferings, death, and resurrection; the will of God to save sinners by a crucified Jesus; the several peculiar doctrines of the Gospel, particularly the resurrection of the dead, and the manner of worshipping of God with acceptance: but then there are some things which may be known of God, without a revelation”
  12. 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 15:38: There is one glory of the sun,.... Which is the greater light, the fountain of light, and whose glory exceeds that of the other heavenly bodies: and another glory of the moon; which is the lesser light, and receives its light from the sun, and consequently its glory is inferior: and another glory of the stars; which though very bright and sparkling, and are innumerable, have a lesser glory, at least to our appearance, than the sun and moon: the Jews have a notion (u), that "all the stars and the orbs are endued with a soul, and with knowledge, and unders”
  13. Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:18: Observe here, 1. That there are wondrous things in God's law, which we are all concerned, and should covet, to behold, not only strange things, which are very surprising and unexpected, but excellent things, which are to be highly esteemed and valued, and things which were long hidden from the wise and prudent, but are now revealed unto babes. If there were wonders in the law, much more in the gospel, where Christ is all in all, whose name is Wonderful. Well may we, who are so nearly interested, desire to behold these wondrous things, when the angels themselves ”
  14. CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: the light which proceeds from knowledge, and the life which follows it. In short, one name is not sufficient, nor two, nor three, nor more, to teach us what belongs to God. But we must be content to be able even by means of many to apprehend, though but obscurely, His attributes. And he has not called Him simply “Word,” but with the addition of the article, distinguishing Him from the rest in this way also. Seest thou then that I said not without cause that this Evangelist speaks to us from heaven? Only see from the very beginning whither he has dra”
  15. CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?” ( 1 Cor. xii. 16 .) For all indeed that is in us is a manifestation of the wisdom of God, but much more the eye; this it is that guides the whole body, this gives beauty to it all, this adorns the countenance, this is the light of all the limbs. What the sun is in the world, that the eye is in the body; quench the sun, and you destroy and confound all things; quench the 200 eyes, and the feet, the hands, the soul, are useless. When these are disabled, even knowled”
  16. CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 5.23: light to us. That it is, as the astronomers assert, an opaque body, I allow to be true, while I deny it to be a dark body. For, first, since it is placed above the element of fire, it must of necessity be a fiery body. Hence it follows, that it is also luminous; but seeing that it has not light sufficient to penetrate to us, it borrows what is wanting from the sun. He calls it a lesser light by comparison; because the portion of light which it emits to us is small compared with the infinite splendor of the sun. 72 72 The reader wi”
  17. John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 1:5: And the light shineth in darkness,.... Which, through sin, came upon the minds of men; who are naturally in the dark about the nature and perfections of God; about sin, and the consequences of it; about Christ, and salvation by him; about the Spirit of God, and his work upon the soul; and about the Scriptures of truth, and the doctrines of the Gospel. Man was created a knowing creature, but, not content with his knowledge, sins, and is banished from the presence of God, the fountain of light; which brought a darkness on him, and his posterity, and which is increased in t”
  18. Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:105: Observe here, 1. The nature of the word of God, and the great intention of giving it to the world; it is a lamp and a light. It discovers to us, concerning God and ourselves, that which otherwise we could not have known; it shows us what is amiss, and will be dangerous; it directs us in our work and way, and a dark place indeed the world would be without it. It is a lamp which we may set up by us, and take into our hands for our own particular use, Pro 6:23. The commandment is a lamp kept burning with the oil of the Spirit; it is like the lamps in the sanctuary”
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