Jesus, the Light of the Nations

In light of expectation of the coming Messiah (a Greek / Latin: Messiah, Savior), the Lord will send his Messiah as the "light of nations". The term "nations" in Hebrew refers to nations other than Israel.

Therefore the word of Jesus Christ that anyone who follows him "do not walk in darkness, but will earn the Light of Life)", are carefully fulfilled the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah 8: 23-9:1 that in the original reads: "... derek hayyam, 'aver hayyarden Gelil haggoyim. Ha' am haholekim behoshek ra'u 'or gadol, yosyevi be arets tsalmavet' or negah aleikhem"(... road to the sea, the region across the Jordan, Galilee: the territory of other nations. The nation who walk in darkness, have seen a great light, those who dwell in the land of thick darkness, the light has shone upon it).

So, 'Isa al-Masih is the Light of the world, that enlightens every person who walked in darkness so that they acquire the Light of Life. And since the coming of the Messiah, the walls of Jewish exclusivism, destroyed. Jesus is not only sent to the Children of Israel, but He became the Saviour of the World. Like a light that never restrict His light, shining in the courtyard of the kings or in the gutter trash.

Nations once considered low, a people who regarded the religious laity, all visited by His light brightly lit. Knows no distinction, no discrimination.

In Jewish terminology, the term "ha'am haholekim beheshek" (the nations who walked in darkness) and "arets tsalmavet" (domestic gloom or literally: "the country is overshadowed by the death"), meaning roughly close to the Arabic term "jahiliah" (ignorance). While the term 'goyim' (Gentiles, "non-Jewish") also contains the meaning of "heathen nations" who do not know God, who is worshiped by the people of Israel. So, its connotation is very humbling. Not only the religions of non-Jews, but also other nations.

Expectation of the Jews themselves, also called the Messiah who would come as "Light of the Gentiles"('or hagoyim). Jesus was more explicit expression again: Ani 'or ha' olam (I am the Light of the World). The interpretation of Jewish rabbis, 'or (light) is always associated with a conversation about the coming Messiah. For example, in Isaiah 49:6 God said to the Messiah, called the Servant of Yahweh ('Ebed Yahweh): "I will also give thee for a light of the nations, that My salvation may be unto the end of the earth." (Compare also: Isaiah 60:1 and Daniel 2:22).

It should be noted, statements of Jesus as the Light of the World is also fulfilled the prophecy of the prophet Zechariah (Zech. 14:16-20) that His glory will be revealed in Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles. Interpretations of pre-Christian Jews, especially those written in the Targums, also connects this verse with the glory of the coming Messiah.