There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
All Commentaries on John 1:6 Go To John 1
Theophilus of Antioch
AD 184
Not an Angel, as many have held. The Evangelist here refutes such a notion.
Though some however might not believe, he is not accountable for them. When a man shuts himself up in a darkroom, so as to receive no light from the sun’s rays, he is the cause of the deprivation, not the sun. In like manner John was sent, that all men might believe; but if no such result followed, he is not the cause of the failure.
But it will be said, that we do not allow John or any of the saints to be or ever to have been light. The differenceis this: If we call any of the saints light, we put light without the article. So if asked whether John is light, without the article, you may allow without hesitation that he is: if with the article, you alloy it not. For he is not very, original, light, but is only called so, on account of his partaking of the light, which comes from the true Light.
