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John 1:9

That was the true Light, that lights every man that comes into the world.
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Augustine of Hippo

AD 430
What Light it is to which John bears witness, he shows himself, saying, That was the true Light. Wherefore is there added, true? Because man enlightened is called light, but the true Light is that which lightens. For our eyes arecalled lights, and yet, without a lamp at night, or the sun by day, these lights are open to no purpose. Wherefore he adds: which lightens every man: but if every man, then John himself. He Himself then enlightened the person, by whom He wished Himself to be pointed out. Andjust as we may often, from the reflection of the sun’s rays on some object, know the sun to be risen, though we cannot fool; at the sun itself; as even feeble eyes can look at an illuminated wall, or some object of that kind: even so, those to whom Christ came, being too weak tobehold Him, He threw His rays upon John; John confessed the illumination, and so the illuminator Himself was discovered. It is said, that comes into the world. Had man not departed from Him, he had not had to be enlig...
1 min1/17
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Bede

AD 735
Including both natural and divine wisdom; for as no one can exist of himself, so no one canbe wise of himself.
< 1 min2/17
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Clement Of Alexandria

AD 215
He is so lovely, as to be alone loved by us, whose hearts are set on the true beauty, for "He was the true light."
< 1 min3/17
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Cyril of Alexandria

AD 444
CHAPTER VIII. That the Son of God alone is Very Light, the creature not at all, being participate of Light, as originate. That was the true Light. The Divine Evangelist again profitably recapitulates what has been said, and clearly marks off That Which is in truth the Light, the Only-Begotten, from those that are not so, namely things originate: he severs clearly That Which is by nature from them which are by grace, That Which is partaken of from those which are participate of it, That Which ministereth Itself to those who lack from those who are in enjoyment of Its largess. And if the Son is Very Light, nought save He is in truth Light, nor hath of its own in potential the being called and being Light, nor yet will things originate produce this as fruit of their own nature; but just as from not being they are, so from not being Light will they mount up to being light, and by receiving the beams of the Very Light, and irradiated by the participation of the Divine Nature, will the...
18 mins4/17
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Cyril of Alexandria

AD 444
CHAPTER IX. That the soul of man does not exist prior to the body, nor is the embodiment as some say a consequence of former sins. Which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. Sure is the Divine, for he not only thinks that he ought to declare that the Only-Begotten is indeed the Very Light, but he adds forthwith to the things that he has said the demonstration thereof, all but crying aloud with most earnest voice, I say that He is the Very Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. Do then, (may one say who would fain receive the Divine doctrines not without search,) the angels not lighten the mind of men? Cornelius, tell me, from whom did he learn that he must by Baptism be saved by God? And Manoah the father of Sampson, was he not by an angel's voice fore-instructed of things to come? The Prophet Zechariah likewise does he not clearly tell us, And the angel that talked with me said unto me I will shew thee what these be? And again going through the s...
7 mins5/17
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Gregory The Dialogist

AD 604
Thou who art the true light that lighteneth every man that cometh into the world;
< 1 min6/17
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Hippolytus of Rome

AD 235
But if any one, he says, is blind from birth, and has never beheld the true light, "which lighteneth every man that cometh into the world". "And this, he says, is that which has been stated in the Gospels: "He was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."
< 1 min7/17
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Ignatius of Antioch

AD 108
And of what man could it be said, "He was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world: He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not? "
< 1 min8/17
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John Chrysostom

AD 407
1. The reason, O children greatly beloved, why we entertain you portion by portion with the thoughts taken from the Scriptures, and do not at once pour all forth to you, is, that the retaining what is successively set before you may be easy. For even in building, one who before the first stones are settled lays on others, constructs a rotten wall altogether, and easily thrown down: while one who waits that the mortar may first get hard, and so adds what remains little by little, finishes the whole house firmly, and makes it strong, not one to last for a short time, or easily to fall to pieces. These builders we imitate, and in like manner build up your souls. For we fear lest, while the first foundation is but newly laid, the addition of the succeeding speculations may do harm to the former, through the insufficiency of the intellect to contain them all at once. What now is it that has been read to us today? That was the true Light, which lights every man that comes into the world...
10 mins9/17
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John Chrysostom

AD 407
1. Nothing hinders us from handling today also the same words, since before we were prevented by the setting forth of doctrines, from considering all that was read. Where now are those who deny that He is true God? For here He is called the true Light John 14:6, and elsewhere very Truth and very Life. That saying we will discuss more clearly when we come to the place; but at present we must for a while be speaking to your Charity of that other matter. If He lights every man that comes into the world, how is it that so many continue unenlightened? For not all have known the majesty of Christ. How then does He light every man? He lights all as far as in Him lies. But if some, wilfully closing the eyes of their mind, would not receive the rays of that Light, their darkness arises not from the nature of the Light, but from their own wickedness, who willfully deprive themselves of the gift. For the grace is shed forth upon all, turning itself back neither from Jew, nor Greek, nor Barbarian...
1 min10/17
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John Chrysostom

AD 407
Or thus; Having said above that John had come, and was sent, to bear witness of the Light, lest any from the recent coming of the witness, should infer the same of Him who is witnessed to, the Evangelist takes us back to that existence which is beyond all beginning, saying, That was the true Light. Where are those too, who deny Him to be very God? We see here that He is called very Light. But if He lightens every man that comes into the world, how is it that so many have gone on without light? For all have not known the worship of Christ. The answeris: He only enlightens every man, so far as pertains to Him. If men shut their eyes, and will not receive the rays of this light, their darkness arises not from the fault of the light, but from their own wickedness, inasmuch as they voluntarily deprive themselves of the gift of grace. For grace is poured out upon all; and they, who will not enjoy the gift, may impute it to their own blindness.
1 min11/17
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Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius

AD 320
The fountain of God, most abundant and most full, is open to all; and this heavenly light rises for all,
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Methodius of Olympus

AD 311
But Methodius: The Holy Spirit, who of God is given to all men, and of whom Solomon said, "For Thine incorruptible Spirit is in all things"
< 1 min13/17
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Tertullian of Carthage

AD 220
Immediately there appears the Word, "that true light, which lighteth man on his coming into the world". For see yet again: "If we say "he says, "that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."
< 1 min14/17
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The Apostolic Constitutions

AD 375
For ye are translated from your former vain and tedious mode of life and have contemned the lifeless idols, and despised the demons, which are in darkness, and have run to the "true light"
< 1 min15/17
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Theophilus of Antioch

AD 184
Let the Manichean blush, who pronounces us the creatures of a dark and malignant creator: for we should never be enlightened, v ere we not the children of the true Light. Or thus: The intellect which is given in us for our direction, and which is called natural reason, is said here to be a light given us by God. But some by the ill use of their reason have darkened themselves.
< 1 min16/17
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Theophylact of Ochrid

AD 1107
The Evangelist is about to speak of the divine economy of the Incarnation of the Only-begotten, Who came unto His own and became flesh. So that no one would think that the Word did not exist before He took flesh, the Evangelist leads our mind upwards to that existence which is beyond every beginning, and says, "He was, even before He took flesh, the true Light." By this means he refutes the heresy of Photinus and Paul of Samosata, who taught that the Word began to exist when He was born of Mary, and before this, was not. And you also, O Arian, who say that the Son of God is not true God, listen to what the Evangelist calls Him: the true Light. And you, O Manichee, who say that we are the creations of an evil demiurge, listen: the true Light …enlighteneth every man. If the evil demiurge is darkness, how could he enlighten anyone? Therefore, we are the creations of the true Light. How, you might ask, can He enlighten every man, when we see some who are in darkness? As far as it is His ...
2 mins17/17
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Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation - 2 Peter 1:20

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