SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:35
El era lmpara que ardía y alumbraba; mas vosotros quisisteis recrearos por una hora a su luz.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 5:35
Verse 35. He was a burning and a shining light] hn o lucnov o kaiomenov kai fainwn, should be translated, He was a burning and a shining LAMP. He was not to fwv tou kosmou, the light of the world, i.e. the sun; but he was o lucnov, a lamp, to give a clear and steady light till the sun should arise. It is supposed that John had been cast into prison about four months before this time. See the note on chap. iv. 35. As his light continued no longer to shine, our Lord says he WAS. The expression of lamp our Lord took from the ordinary custom of the Jews, who termed their eminent doctors the lamps of Israel. A lighted candle is a proper emblem of a minister of God; and, Alteri serviens consumor-"In serving others, I myself destroy:"-a proper motto. There are few who preach the Gospel faithfully that do not lose their lives by it.
Burning may refer to the zeal with which John executed his message; and shining may refer to the clearness of the testimony which he bore concerning Christ. Only to shine is but vanity; and to burn without shining will never edify the Church of God. Some shine, and some burn, but few both shine and burn; and many there are who are denominated pastors, who neither shine nor burn. He who wishes to save souls must both burn and shine: the clear light of the knowledge of the sacred records must fill his understanding; and the holy flame of loving zeal must occupy his heart.
Zeal without knowledge is continually blundering; and knowledge without zeal makes no converts to Christ.
For a season] The time between his beginning to preach and his being cast into prison.
To rejoice] agalliasqhnai, To jump for joy, as we would express it.
They were exceedingly rejoiced to hear that the Messiah was come, because they expected him to deliver them out of the hands of the Romans; but when a spiritual deliverance, of infinitely greater moment was preached to them, they rejected both it and the light which made it manifest.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 35. He was a burning and a shining light , etc.] He was not that light, the famous light, the Messiah, the sun of righteousness; yet he was the phosphorus, the forerunner of that light, and was himself a very great one: he had much light himself into the person and office of the Messiah; in the doctrines of faith in Christ, and repentance towards God; in the Gospel dispensation, and in the abolition of the Mosaic economy; and gave great light to others, in the business of salvation, and remission of sins, and was the means of guiding the feet of many in the way of peace. His light of pure doctrine, and of an holy and exemplary conversation, shone very visibly, and brightly before men; and he burned with strong love and affection for Christ, and the souls of men; and with flaming zeal for the honour of God, and true religion, and against all sin and profaneness, which he was a faithful reprover of, and for which he lost his life. It was common with the Jews to call their doctors, who were famous for their knowledge, and holiness of life, lights, burning lights, and shining lights; or in words which amount to the same. So R. Simeon ben Jochai is often called in the book of Zohar, aydq anyxwb , the holy light; and particularly it is said of him f250 , R. Simeon, qyldad agrd anyxwbk , is as the lamp of light which burns above, and burns below; and by the light which burns below all the children of the world are enlightened: woe to the world, when the light below ascends to the light above.
So R. Abhu is called arwhnd anyxwb , the lamp of light f251 : and it is f252 said of Shuah, Judahs father-in-law, that he was artad anyxwb , the light of the place; that is, where he lived. The gloss on the place says, he was a man of note in the city, and enlightened their eyes; and it is very frequent with them still, when they are praising any of their doctors, to say of him, he was lwdgh rwamh , a great light, who enlightened the eyes of Israel, and in whose light the people walked f253 ; so among the philosophers, Xenophon, and Plato, are called duo lumina f254 , two lights; (see Gill on Matthew 5:14); and ye were willing for a season , or for an hour, to rejoice in his light ; or to glory in it, or boast of it, as the Syriac and Persic versions render it. When John first appeared among them, they were fond, and even proud of him; they gloried in him, that a man of such uncommon endowments, and of such exemplary holiness, was raised up among them; and hoped that he was the Messiah, or Elias, that was to come before him; and pleased themselves, that times of great outward honour and prosperity were hastening: wherefore they flocked about him, and many of the Pharisees and Sadducees attended his ministry, and would have been baptized by him; but when they found that he was not the Messiah, nor Elias, nor that prophet, but bore a testimony to Jesus of Nazareth, that he was the Messiah; and ran counter to their notions of a temporal kingdom, and of birth privileges, and their own righteousness; and threatened them with ruin, and destruction, both in this world, and that which is to come, in case of their impenitence and unbelief; they grew sick of him, and said he had a devil, and rejected the counsel of God he declared, and despised his baptism. Such was their fickleness and inconstancy, which Christ here tacitly charges them with. They were like the stony ground hearers, and like some of the Apostle Pauls admirers among the Galatians, who at first could have plucked out their eyes for him, but afterwards became his enemies for telling them the truth.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 30-38 - Our Lord returns to his declaration of the entire agreement between the Father and the Son, and declared himself the Son of God. He had highe testimony than that of John; his works bore witness to all he had said But the Divine word had no abiding-place in their hearts, as the refused to believe in Him whom the Father had sent, according to his ancient promises. The voice of God, accompanied by the power of the Holy Ghost, thus made effectual to the conversion of sinners, stil proclaims that this is the beloved Son, in whom the Father is wel pleased. But when the hearts of men are full of pride, ambition, an the love of the world, there is no room for the word of God to abide in them.
Greek Textus Receptus
εκεινος 1565 D-NSM ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S ο 3588 T-NSM λυχνος 3088 N-NSM ο 3588 T-NSM καιομενος 2545 5746 V-PPP-NSM και 2532 CONJ φαινων 5316 5723 V-PAP-NSM υμεις 5210 P-2NP δε 1161 CONJ ηθελησατε 2309 5656 V-AAI-2P αγαλλιασθηναι 21 5677 V-AON προς 4314 PREP ωραν 5610 N-ASF εν 1722 PREP τω 3588 T-DSN φωτι 5457 N-DSN αυτου 846 P-GSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
35. A burning and shining light (o lucnov o kaiomenov kai fainwn). Rev., correctly, the lamp that burneth and shineth. Lucnov, lamp, as contrasted with the light (fwv). See i. 5, 7, 8, 9; and compare viii. 12; ix. 5; xii. 46. Wyc., lantern. The Baptist did not, like Jesus, shine by his own light. The definite article with lamp, points to it as a familiar household object. Burning hints at the fact that the lamp gives but a transitory light. In burning the oil is consumed.Ye were willing. Again the emphatic uJmeiv, ye.
To rejoice (agalliasqhnai). The word signifies exultant, lively joy. See Matt. v. 12; Luke i. 47; x. 21; 1 Pet. i. 6. The interest in the Baptist was a frivolous, superficial, and short-lived excitement. Bengel says, "they were attracted by his brightness, not by his warmth."
