This post was last updated on May 23, 2026
Day 49 (Year 2)
Darkness Did Not Comprehend the Light
“The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (John 1:5 NASB)
In today’s verse, “darkness” appears almost personified, as something capable of not “comprehending” the light. The Greek word katalambano can also mean “to lay hold of, to seize upon, attain to, to detect, catch.” These meanings all relate to the spiritual conflict between light and darkness. On one hand, darkness cannot comprehend the light. On the other hand, darkness cannot seize or control it. Clearly, in the spiritual battle, darkness cannot ultimately win, yet it can resist the light.
Some believe that darkness is merely the absence of light, just as evil is the absence of goodness. This view tries to interpret spiritual realities through physical phenomena. However, the Apostle John does not seem to support this idea. Darkness can refuse to receive the light and may even resist it. He points out that even when light comes, darkness does not automatically disappear. At the beginning of creation, God separated the light from the darkness (Genesis 1:4). Perhaps this was because darkness would not give way to light. If darkness would naturally shrink and vanish once light appeared, why would there be a need to separate them? Thus, we must be aware that the arrival of God’s light does not mean that spiritual darkness will retreat on its own in us.
The key message here is that believers must not become part of the darkness by resisting God’s light. Instead, we must receive His light, allow it to separate from the evil darkness within our lives, and cooperate further with His work. With the Lord’s help, we must reject and cast off the influence of spiritual darkness, striving to cleanse every inner corner of our lives. For example, we believers should sincerely confess our sins to the Lord Jesus, earnestly repent, seek His guidance, and rely on Him to crucify the flesh and its desires, putting off the old self. We should pray that His light will fill every part of our lives, including the most hidden places, driving out every trace of darkness that resists God.
Although spiritual darkness cannot seize God’s light, sinners can still reject, weaken, or distort it, choosing to remain in greater darkness. In doing so, they become agents of darkness, spreading it further and bringing more severe judgment upon themselves in the future.
Reflection questions:
1) Do you sense the spiritual darkness within you resisting God’s light? If so, what actions will you take?
2) Will you continually ask God’s light to shine into every area of your life, including the most hidden places, and drive out all the darkness?