Recently the writer asked herself, "What is the light of the world?" Then, as though in answer to her silent question, came these words of the Master, Christ Jesus: "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12), and, "Ye are the light of the world" (Matt. 5:14). But, she thought, how could Jesus say that he was the light of the world and at the same time tell his followers that they too were the light of the world?
As she turned to "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, her understanding of the true light of the world began to unfold. She learned that Christ was Jesus' true selfhood, the spiritual idea of Truth and Love. The I to which Jesus referred was, then, not his human personality, but his true, spiritual individuality, the Christ, which he demonstrated. Thus he could correctly say, "I am the light of the world."
But, she thought, he also said, "Ye are the light of the world." How could he say that? Turning once more to Science and Health, which is indeed a key to the Scriptures, she found this definition of man (p. 115): "God's spiritual idea, individual, perfect, eternal." Then she perceived that in this instance, too, Jesus was not referring to mortals, or human personalities, but to man made in the image and likeness of God, Spirit, as perfect and eternal as the Father. Thus he could correctly say, "Ye are the light of the world."
