Why does darkness not comprehend the light?

[MatthewG]

“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬
John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. | King James Version (KJV) | Download The Bible App Now

 

[Charlie24]

“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬
John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. | King James Version (KJV) | Download The Bible App Now

Notice in vs 4, "In Him was life, and the life is the light of men."

"Light" here is the knowledge of Christ, knowing Christ, it gives life, everlasting life.

vs. 5, "The light shines in darkness , and the darkness comprehended it not."

The light that shines is the knowledge of Christ, it shines into the darkness of not knowing Christ, the light reveals Christ. Actually it refers to the incarnation, His being born into the world, with His light driving away darkness.

"Comprehend" is to understand, and should have been translated "apprehend," which means to take hold of.

The darkness is the realm of Satan, he tries to withdraw the light, keep it hidden.

Satan didn't "comprehend not" the light, meaning to not understand the light, Satan "apprehended not" the light, which means he could not take hold of it, or stop it from shinning.

 

[atpollard]

In a multitude of counselors there is wisdom:

KJV: And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
NKJV: And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend[fn=Or overcome] it.
NLT: The light shines in the darkness,and the darkness can never extinguish it.[fn=Or and the darkness has not understood it.]
NIV: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[fn=Or understood] it.
ESV: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
CSB: That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome [fn=Or grasp, or comprehend, or overtake ; Jn 12:35] it.
NASB20: And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not [fn=Or overpower] grasp it.
NASB95: The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not [fn=Or, overpower] comprehend it.
LSB: And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.
NET: And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it.
RSV: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
ASV: And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not.
YLT: and the light in the darkness did shine, and the darkness did not perceive it.
DBY: And the light appears in darkness, and the darkness apprehended it not.
WEB: And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

The exact word: κατέλαβεν

Strong's G2638:

καταλαμβάνω katalambánō, kat-al-am-ban'-o; from G2596 and G2983; to take eagerly, i.e. seize, possess, etc. (literally or figuratively):—apprehend, attain, come upon, comprehend, find, obtain, perceive, (over-)take.​

Thayer's Greek Lexicon:

καταλαμβάνω: 2 aorist κατέλαβον; perfect infinitive κατειληφέναι; passive, perfect 3 person singular κατείληπται (John 8:4 as given in L T Tr WH text), perfect participle κατειλημμένος; 1 aorist κατειληφθην (John 8:4 Rst bez elz G) (on the augment cf. Winer's Grammar, § 12, 6), and κατελήφθην (Philippians 3:12 R G), and κατελήμφθην (ibid. L T Tr WH; on the mu μ' see under the word Mu); middle, present καταλαμβάνομαι; 2 aorist κατελαβόμην; cf. Kühner, i., p. 856; (Veitch, under the word λαμβάνω); the Sept. for הִשִּׂיג, לָכַד, also for מָצָא, etc.; (from Homer down); to lay hold of; i. e.:
1. to lay hold of so as to make one's own, to obtain, attain to: with the accusative of the thing; the prize of victory, 1 Corinthians 9:24; Philippians 3:12f; τήν δικαιοσύνην, Romans 9:30; equivalent to to make one's own, to take into oneself, appropriate: ἡ σκοτία αὐτό (i. e. τό φῶς) οὐ κατέλαβεν, John 1:5.
2. to seize upon, take possession of (Latinoccupare);
a. of evils overtaking one (so in Greek writings from Homer down): τινα σκοτία, John 12:35; (so physically, John 6:17 Tdf.); of the last day overtaking the wicked with destruction, 1 Thessalonians 5:4; of a demon about to torment one, Mark 9:18.
b. in a good sense, of Christ by his holy power and influence laying hold of the human mind and will, in order to prompt and govern it, Philippians 3:12.
3. to detect, catch: τινα ἐν τίνι, in passive John 8:3 (WH ἐπί τίνι); with a participle indicating the crime, John 8:4.
4. to lay hold of with the mind; to understand, perceive, learn, comprehend (Plato, Phaedr., p. 250d.; Axioch., p. 370a.; Polybius 8, 4, 6; Philo, vita contempl. § 10; Dionysius Halicarnassus, Antiquities 5, 46); middle (Dionysius Halicarnassus, Antiquities 2, 66; (cf. Winer's Grammar, 253 (238))), followed by ὅτι, Acts 4:13; Acts 10:34; followed by the accusative with an infinitive, Acts 25:25; followed by indirect discourse, Ephesians 3:18.​

... Now you can "understand" (make an educated guess) at why the experts chose what they chose.
... Now you can go back to the CONTEXT (all of John 1) and decide for yourself what YOU think John meant.
(Personally, I think that if several meanings can say things that are all true, then the HOLY SPIRIT may have done that deliberately and it was not an "either/or" choice. God is certainly clever enough to say more than one truth in a single statement. ... but that is just MY OPINION. )

 

[Charlie24]

In a multitude of counselors there is wisdom:

KJV: And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
NKJV: And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend[fn=Or overcome] it.
NLT: The light shines in the darkness,and the darkness can never extinguish it.[fn=Or and the darkness has not understood it.]
NIV: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[fn=Or understood] it.
ESV: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
CSB: That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome [fn=Or grasp, or comprehend, or overtake ; Jn 12:35] it.
NASB20: And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not [fn=Or overpower] grasp it.
NASB95: The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not [fn=Or, overpower] comprehend it.
LSB: And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.
NET: And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it.
RSV: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
ASV: And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not.
YLT: and the light in the darkness did shine, and the darkness did not perceive it.
DBY: And the light appears in darkness, and the darkness apprehended it not.
WEB: And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

The exact word: κατέλαβεν

Strong's G2638:

καταλαμβάνω katalambánō, kat-al-am-ban'-o; from G2596 and G2983; to take eagerly, i.e. seize, possess, etc. (literally or figuratively):—apprehend, attain, come upon, comprehend, find, obtain, perceive, (over-)take.​

Thayer's Greek Lexicon:

καταλαμβάνω: 2 aorist κατέλαβον; perfect infinitive κατειληφέναι; passive, perfect 3 person singular κατείληπται (John 8:4 as given in L T Tr WH text), perfect participle κατειλημμένος; 1 aorist κατειληφθην (John 8:4 Rst bez elz G) (on the augment cf. Winer's Grammar, § 12, 6), and κατελήφθην (Philippians 3:12 R G), and κατελήμφθην (ibid. L T Tr WH; on the mu μ' see under the word Mu); middle, present καταλαμβάνομαι; 2 aorist κατελαβόμην; cf. Kühner, i., p. 856; (Veitch, under the word λαμβάνω); the Sept. for הִשִּׂיג, לָכַד, also for מָצָא, etc.; (from Homer down); to lay hold of; i. e.:
1. to lay hold of so as to make one's own, to obtain, attain to: with the accusative of the thing; the prize of victory, 1 Corinthians 9:24; Philippians 3:12f; τήν δικαιοσύνην, Romans 9:30; equivalent to to make one's own, to take into oneself, appropriate: ἡ σκοτία αὐτό (i. e. τό φῶς) οὐ κατέλαβεν, John 1:5.
2. to seize upon, take possession of (Latinoccupare);
a. of evils overtaking one (so in Greek writings from Homer down): τινα σκοτία, John 12:35; (so physically, John 6:17 Tdf.); of the last day overtaking the wicked with destruction, 1 Thessalonians 5:4; of a demon about to torment one, Mark 9:18.
b. in a good sense, of Christ by his holy power and influence laying hold of the human mind and will, in order to prompt and govern it, Philippians 3:12.
3. to detect, catch: τινα ἐν τίνι, in passive John 8:3 (WH ἐπί τίνι); with a participle indicating the crime, John 8:4.
4. to lay hold of with the mind; to understand, perceive, learn, comprehend (Plato, Phaedr., p. 250d.; Axioch., p. 370a.; Polybius 8, 4, 6; Philo, vita contempl. § 10; Dionysius Halicarnassus, Antiquities 5, 46); middle (Dionysius Halicarnassus, Antiquities 2, 66; (cf. Winer's Grammar, 253 (238))), followed by ὅτι, Acts 4:13; Acts 10:34; followed by the accusative with an infinitive, Acts 25:25; followed by indirect discourse, Ephesians 3:18.​

... Now you can "understand" (make an educated guess) at why the experts chose what they chose.
... Now you can go back to the CONTEXT (all of John 1) and decide for yourself what YOU think John meant.
(Personally, I think that if several meanings can say things that are all true, then the HOLY SPIRIT may have done that deliberately and it was not an "either/or" choice. God is certainly clever enough to say more than one truth in a single statement. ... but that is just MY OPINION. )

Most agree that the English word "apprehend" should have been used. It's the same Greek word and better suited for the reader to understand in English.

 

[GEN2REV]

Why does darkness not comprehend the light?

The question is a good one and I take it more to mean 'Why' than 'what is the darkness?'.

Why do some not comprehend/apprehend the Light?

The Bible does seem to indicate that there are those who cannot make that connection; that there is something missing inherently.

This always brings us back to the concept of the Wheat and the Tares. The Children of the devil.

Take a closer look at John 8:44 and it really makes you wonder. Jesus is telling us that there are those whose father is the devil.

He says that these people cannot even hear the Truth of God (Jesus), that they are not capable. He says that His sheep hear His voice, but these do not; these cannot.

It is a very perplexing question and the only answer the Bible gives is that there are literally some who are not of God.

Go figure.

Matthew 13:38

 

[MatthewG]

Thank you all for commenting.

Aren’t us as human beings conceived in darkness? The baby in the womb?

 

[1stCenturyLady]

“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬
John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. | King James Version (KJV) | Download The Bible App Now

Because only by the Spirit (God is light, 1 John 1:5) can we understand spiritual things. 1 Corinthians 2:9-16. Those in the dark call the light "foolishness."

 

[1stCenturyLady]

Most agree that the English word "apprehend" should have been used. It's the same Greek word and better suited for the reader to understand in English.

comprehend is still accurate. Read 1 Corinthians 2:9-16

 

[Charlie24]

comprehend is still accurate. Read 1 Corinthians 2:9-16

I agree! Nothing wrong with using it. I think apprehend would be better to understand as used in that particular verse.

 

[atpollard]

Most agree that the English word "apprehend" should have been used. It's the same Greek word and better suited for the reader to understand in English.

I don't know who "most" are ... I offered the opinions of 15 different translators or teams of translators across 600 years of time. That's a pretty broad sampling. [shrug]

 

[atpollard]

Thank you all for commenting.
Aren’t us as human beings conceived in darkness? The baby in the womb?

In SPIRITUAL darkness:

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind." - Ephesians 2:1-3 [ESV]​

 

[Charlie24]

I don't know who "most" are ... I offered the opinions of 15 different translators or teams of translators across 600 years of time. That's a pretty broad sampling. [shrug]

lol, it doesn't matter to me, either word is the same Greek word.

I have read commentary that said it would have been better understood by the reader if this verse had said "apprehended."

When I read the verse I can see why they said that.

 

[Webers_Home]

.
God determined from the very beginning to keep light and dark segregated
from one another because the two are incompatible.

• Gen 1:2-5 . . Darkness was upon the face of the deep. And God said, Let
there be light. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.

So then; were light and dark to be placed in the same room, light would
dispel the dark because light is the stronger of the two. Dark is inert,
whereas light is energetic.

From that, I think it safe to conclude that John 1:5 is saying that when God
moves to enlighten someone's darkened mind, their mind cannot prevent
Him from doing so. This is remarkable because if true, it infers that
everybody-- at one time or another --has experienced an encounter with
God on a mental level: quite possibly many didn't know it.

My first encounter with God on a mental level took place when I was a
growing boy. My family lived in a mountainous region with a clear view of
the sky at night. One evening my dad I were outside after dark and he
pointed to the beauty and complexity of the void and commented, in so
many words, that only a supreme being could do such a thing. It dawned
on me that he was absolutely right about that.

• Ps 19:1-4 . .The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the
work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night
they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is
not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of
the world.
_

 

[GEN2REV]

.
God determined from the very beginning to keep light and dark segregated
from one another because the two are incompatible.

• Gen 1:2-5 . . Darkness was upon the face of the deep. And God said, Let
there be light. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.

So then; were light and dark to be placed in the same room, light would
dispel the dark because light is the stronger of the two. Dark is inert,
whereas light is energetic.

From that, I think it safe to conclude that John 1:5 is saying that when God
moves to enlighten someone's darkened mind, their mind cannot prevent
Him from doing so. This is remarkable because if true, it infers that
everybody-- at one time or another --has experienced an encounter with
God on a mental level: quite possibly many didn't know it.

My first encounter with God on a mental level took place when I was a
growing boy. My family lived in a mountainous region with a clear view of
the sky at night. One evening my dad I were outside after dark and he
pointed to the beauty and complexity of the void and commented, in so
many words, that only a supreme being could do such a thing. It dawned
on me that he was absolutely right about that.

• Ps 19:1-4 . .The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the
work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night
they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is
not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of
the world.
_

Just as Jesus says in order for us to love at all, He must first have loved us, I believe we must have something of God within us in order to comprehend, or perceive, Him in any way.

 

[ElieG12]

“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬
John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. | King James Version (KJV) | Download The Bible App Now

In a strictly literal sense, no matter how dark there is, if a light is turned on, the darkness cannot prevent it from spreading. Jesus used a similar example in Matt. 5:14-16. The area of Galilee was considered an area of spiritually lost people, because it had a history of being an area with too much traffic of gentiles since the time when the kingdom of Tire was given some cities in that area in Solomon's time (1 Kings 9: 10-13). Much of Jesus' preaching work was in that area, where he himself had been raised. He said that his preaching fulfilled the prophecy of Isa. 9:1-3 which partially says:

Is. 9:2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. (Compare to Is. 42:6,7).

Similarly he referred to his disciples as a light to the nations (Matt. 5:14), as the nation of Israel was once considered (Is. 49:6).

Definitely, the light that the Scripture speaks about (in old Israel and especially in the human Jesus that men knew _ John 1:14) and that is reflected in true Christians, is the reflection of God's instruction that they receive, and that makes their teaching and behavior shine in front of the nations, in contrast to so much false religion that exists in this world.

 

[Bob Estey]

“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬
John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. | King James Version (KJV) | Download The Bible App Now

We can't understand God until we start doing what he says.

 

[Behold]

“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬
John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. | King James Version (KJV) | Download The Bible App Now

The "Light that shineth out of darkness" is Jesus the "Light of the World".

The devil is the god of THIS world, and he "blinds the mind so that the Glorious LIGHT of the Gospel does not SHINE into the unbeliever".
IT can also becomes hidden to the believer. And this would be the person who believes that "salvation can be lost'".

So, the unbeliever and the believer, can both have a mind that is "spiritually blinded or mind blinded" by the Devil.

Unbelievers, have not "come to the knowledge of THE Truth".... who is "JESUS".. ."The way, THE TRUE, and the LIFE".

Also, once a person becomes born again, they become a "CHILD of THE LIGHT"...and the born again are to shine as heavenly vessels in this world of spiritual blindness and darnkess.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

I agree! Nothing wrong with using it. I think apprehend would be better to understand as used in that particular verse.

Yes, we first need to apprehend in order to comprehend.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

We can't understand God until we start doing what he says.

True, but we can't do what He says until we repent and are filled with His Spirit. Acts 2:38.

 

[quietthinker]

Why does darkness not comprehend the light?
Because it's in denial......and feels threatened.