John 1:5 (WEB)
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it.
Catechism · 1
“Communion with the Holy Trinity and fraternal communion are inseparably the fruit of the Spirit in the liturgy.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Jn 1:3-7.
Fathers and councils · 37
Origen
- Origen, Against Celsus VII.51Book VII
“And if our actions are worthy of Him who taught His disciples, “Ye are the light of the world,” and of the Word, who says, “The light shineth in darkness,” then we shall be light to those who are in darkness; we shall give wisdom to those who are without it, and we shall instruct the ignorant.” — editor's note: John i. 5.
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Gregory of Nyssa
“…wonderful character of the mystery in this respect,—that “God was manifested in the flesh,” that “the Word was made flesh,” that “the Light shined in darkness,” “the Life tasted death,” and all such declarations which the heralds of the faith are wont to make, whereby is increased the marvellous character of Him Who…” — editor's note: S. John i. 5 (not verbally).
Read the whole comment“Nay, it is attested by the Gospel that, even when it had place in darkness, the light remained unapproachable by the contrary element: for “the Light,” he says, “shined in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.”” — editor's note: S. John i. 5 (A.V., following the Vulgate). The word κατέλαβε is perhaps better rendered by “overtook.” “As applied to light this sense includes the further…
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Irenaeus of Lyons
“For he styles Him a “light which shineth in darkness, and which was not comprehended” by it, inasmuch as, when He imparted form to all those things which had their origin from passion, He was not known by it.” — editor's note: John i. 5.
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Augustine of Hippo
“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehendeth it not.”” — editor's note: John i. 1–5.
Read the whole comment“But what mystery there was in, “The Word was made flesh,” I could not even imagine.” — editor's note: We have already seen, in note 1, sec. 13, above, how this text (1) runs counter to Platonic beliefs as to the Logos. The following passage from Augustin’s De…
Read the whole comment“Whereas John, on the other hand, soars like an eagle above the clouds of human infirmity, and gazes upon the light of the unchangeable truth with those keenest and steadiest eyes of the heart.” — editor's note: See also Tract. 36, on John i. 5. [This figure of Augustin has controlled all the subsequent symbolism respecting the Evangelist John, and has been constantly…
Read the whole comment“…light, wherewith He enlightens every man that cometh into this world, and in virtue of which He shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehends Him not.” — editor's note: John i. 5–9.
Read the whole comment““For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God” (since “the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not”), it “pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe,” and that the Word should be made flesh, and dwell among us.” — editor's note: John i. 5, 14
Read the whole comment“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.”” — editor's note: John i. 1–14
Read the whole comment“The light then shineth in darkness; but if the darkness comprehend it not, let them first be illuminated by the gift of God, that they may be believers, and let them begin to be light in comparison with the unbelievers; and when this…” — editor's note: John i. 5
Read the whole comment“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”” — editor's note: John i. 1–5.
Read the whole comment“Behold, both here He is now, and here He was, and here He is always; and He never departs, departs no-whither.” — editor's note: John i. 5.
Read the whole comment“Hence the Lord saith, and saith truly, “Though I bear witness of myself, my witness is true; because I know whence I came and whither I go.”” — editor's note: John i. 5.
Read the whole comment“But while the Lord thus spake, for the light was shining in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not, “there was a dissension again created among the Jews for these sayings, and many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad: why hear ye him?”” — editor's note: Chap. i. 5.
Read the whole comment“And similarly, to take a kind of illustration from what is visible, although greatly unlike, as the blind man, even though he be where the light is, is yet not…” — editor's note: Chap. i. 5.
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Theodoret of Cyrus
- Theodoret of Cyrus, Dialogues (Eranistes) Demonstrations by.1Demonstrations by Syllogisms
““For the light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not,” as saith the very divine John.” — editor's note: John i. 5
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Ambrose of Milan
“It is Truth, Righteousness, the Power of God: not dumb, for it is the Word; not insensible, for it is Wisdom; not vain and foolish, for it is Power; not soulless, for it is the Life; not dead, for it is the Resurrection.” — editor's note: Christ the Word: S. John i. 1–18. Wisdom: 1 Cor. i. 24, 30. Life and Resurrection: S. John xi. 25.
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John Chrysostom
““And the light shineth in darkness.” ( ver. 5.)” — the author cites it
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Jerome
“Kedar means darkness, and darkness stands for this present world (for, we are told, “the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehendeth it not”).” — editor's note: Joh. i. 5.
Read the whole comment“It was no wonder that she sobbed out that even she was in darkness (for this is the meaning of the word Kedar) seeing that, according to the apostle, “the world lieth in the evil one;” and that, “as its darkness is, so is its light;” and that “the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not.”” — editor's note: Joh. i. 5.
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Tertullian
“…course of the end up to the beginning; so that every economy, ending in Him through whom it began,—through the Word of God, that is, who was made flesh,—may have an end correspondent to its beginning.” — editor's note: See John i. 1–14.
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Hilary of Poitiers
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the Only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” — editor's note: St. John i. 1–14.
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Gregory of Nazianzus
“The Light Shineth In Darkness, in this life and in the flesh, and is chased by the darkness, but is not overtaken by it:—I mean the adverse power leaping up in its shamelessness against the…” — editor's note: Ib. i. 5.
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Aphrahat
“And with regard to the light there again he bore witness:—The light was shining in the darkness and the darkness comprehended it not.” — editor's note: John i. 5.
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Clement of Alexandria
“But he who has the light watches, “and darkness seizes not on him,” nor sleep, since darkness does not.” — editor's note: John i. 5.
Read the whole comment““For the darkness,” it is said, “comprehendeth it not.”” — editor's note: John i. 5.
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Cyprian of Carthage
“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”” — editor's note: John i. 1–5.
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Catena Aurea on John
- Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Whereas that life is the light of men, but foolish hearts cannot receive that light, being so incumbered with sins that they cannot see it; for this cause lest any should think there is no light near them, because…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on John
This kind of darkness however is not in men by nature, according to the text in the Ephesians, Ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord1. (Eph. 5:8)
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on John
Or thus, The light shineth in the darkness of faithful souls, beginning from faith, and drawing onwards to hope; but the deceit and ignorance of undisciplined souls did not comprehend the light of the Word of God…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
Or thus: throughout the whole foregoing passage he had been speaking of creation; then he mentions the spiritual benefits which the Word brought with it: and the life was the light of men. He saith not, the light of…
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But they ask, why is not the Word Itself called the light of men, instead of the life which is in the Word? We reply, that the life here spoken of is not that which rational and irrational animals have in common, but…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
l. Life having come to us, the empire of death is dissolved; a light having shone upon us, there is darkness no longer: but there remaineth ever a life which death, a light which darkness cannot overcome. Whence he…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on John
As the light of men is a word expressing two spiritual things, so is darkness also. To one who possesses the light, we attribute both the doing the deeds of the light, and also true understanding, inasmuch as he is…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
A certain Platonist once said, that the beginning of this Gospel ought to be copied in letters of gold, and placed in the most conspicuous place in every church.
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on John
The other Evangelists describe Christ as born in time; John witnesseth that He was in the beginning, saying, In the beginning was the Word. The others describe His sudden appearance among men; he witnesseth that He…
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Cross-references · 30
Cited together in On the Holy Trinity XV.27.
Cited together in Against Eunomius V.3.
Cited together in Against Eunomius V.3.
Cited together in Confessions VII.19.
Cited together in Origen on John 1:5 (3) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Against Eunomius V.3.
Cited together in Against Eunomius V.3.
Cited together in Origen on John 1:5 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in The Instructor II.9.
Cited together in The Instructor II.9.
Cited together in The Instructor II.9.
Cited together in Against Eunomius V.3.
Cited together in Dialogues (Eranistes) Demonstrations by.1.
Cited together in Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews II.4.
Cited together in Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews II.4.
Cited together in Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews II.4.
Cited together in On the Holy Trinity XV.27.
Cited together in Origen on John 1:5 (4) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Dialogues (Eranistes) Demonstrations by.1.
Cited together in The Instructor II.9.
Cited together in Against Celsus VII.51.
Cited together in Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews II.4.
Cited together in Against Eunomius V.3.
Cited together in Against Eunomius V.3.
Cited together in Against Eunomius V.3.
Cited together in On the Holy Trinity XV.27.
Cited together in On the Holy Trinity XV.27.
Cited together in The Instructor II.9.
Cited together in The Instructor II.9.
Cited together in The Instructor II.9.