Lexical Summary skotia: Darkness Original Word: σκοτία Strong's Exhaustive Concordance darkness. From skotos; dimness, obscurity (literally or figuratively) -- dark(-ness). see GREEK skotos HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 4653 skotía (a feminine noun) – darkness, a brand of moral, spiritual obscurity (i.e. which blocks the light of God when faith is lacking). See also 4655 /skótos ("darkness"). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom skotos Definition darkness NASB Translation dark (3), darkness (14). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4653: σκοτίασκοτία, σκοτίας, ἡ (on its derivation cf. σκηνή), (Thomas Magister, ὁ σκότος καί τό σκότος. τό δέ σκοτία οὐκ ἐν χρησει namely, in Attic (cf. Moeris, under the word; Liddell and Scott, under the word σκότος, at the end)), darkness: properly, the darkness due to want of daylight, John 6:17; John 20:1; ἐν τῇ σκοτία (λαλεῖν τί), unseen, in secret (equivalent to ἐν κρύπτω, John 18:20), privily, in private, opposed to ἐν τῷ φωτί, Matthew 10:27; Luke 12:3; metaphorically, used of ignorance of divine things, and its associated wickedness, and the resultant misery: Matthew 4:16 L Tr WH; John 1:5; John 6:17; John 8:12; John 12:35, 46; 1 John 1:5; 1 John 2:8f, 11. (Ap. Rh. 4, 1698; Anth. 8, 187. 190; for חָשְׁכָה Micah 3:6; for אֹפֶל, Job 28:3.) Topical Lexicon Biblical Usage OverviewThe feminine noun translated “darkness” appears sixteen times in the Greek New Testament. It is employed for literal night-time conditions (John 6:17; John 20:1) and, more prominently, for the moral and spiritual condition that opposes divine light (John 1:5; John 8:12; 1 John 2:8-11). While its occurrences cluster in Johannine writings, two key sayings of Jesus in the Synoptic tradition frame the same truth: what is whispered “in the darkness” will be proclaimed in the light (Matthew 10:27; Luke 12:3). The term consistently marks the realm from which Christ delivers His people and the sphere in which unbelief persists. Darkness and Revelation in the Teaching of Jesus Matthew 10:27 and Luke 12:3 illustrate that “darkness” can denote secrecy or concealment rather than moral evil. Jesus assures the disciples that the truths He shares privately will one day be public proclamation. The movement is outward—from hiddenness to revelation—signaling the gospel’s advance. This anticipates the wider New Testament pattern: light inevitably overcomes darkness because God’s purposes cannot remain veiled. Johannine Contrast of Light and Darkness John’s Gospel and First Epistle develop the antithesis most fully. • John 1:5: “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” The incarnation is portrayed as an invasion of divine illumination into a world under shadow. Resistance is real, but ultimate triumph is certain. • John 8:12: “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Here darkness signifies the lost moral state from which discipleship delivers. • John 12:35-36, 46: Darkness is linked with unbelief and imminent judgment. Jesus warns, “Walk while you have the light, so that darkness will not overtake you… I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.” Urgency attends the choice between rivalry and surrender to Christ. 1 John sharpens the ethical dimension: • 1 John 2:8-11 contrasts love with hatred. “The one who hates his brother is in the darkness” and “does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” Thus moral orientation is inseparable from relational conduct; love evidences life in the light. Physical Darkness as Narrative Setting John 6:17 and John 20:1 employ the term in its ordinary sense. The disciples cross the lake when “it was already dark,” and Mary Magdalene approaches the tomb “while it was still dark.” Both scenes frame decisive revelations: Jesus walking on the water and the discovery of the empty tomb. Even literal night serves to accentuate the dawning of faith. Eschatological and Ethical Implications The New Testament associates darkness with judgment and exclusion (compare “outer darkness” in Matthew, though a different Greek word). In John 12:35 the verb “overtake” depicts darkness as a pursuing enemy; failure to believe exposes one to engulfing loss. Conversely, believers are “rescued… from the domain of darkness” (Colossians 1:13, using a cognate noun), underscoring deliverance already accomplished in Christ and fully realized at His return. Historical Background and Intertextual Links Old Testament imagery lays the groundwork. Creation begins with God’s command, “Let there be light,” overcoming primordial darkness (Genesis 1:2-3). Prophets equate darkness with judgment (Isaiah 8:22) and light with salvation (Isaiah 9:2). The Septuagint frequently uses related vocabulary, furnishing the linguistic bridge to New Testament writers. Within Second Temple Judaism, light represented Torah and faithful obedience, while darkness pictured ignorance and wickedness (e.g., the Qumran “Sons of Light” and “Sons of Darkness”). The New Testament affirms this heritage but centers the contrast on the person of Jesus Christ. Ministry Significance 1. Evangelism: Proclaiming Christ as Light confronts the world’s darkness. The assurance that darkness cannot overcome light energizes missionary labor (John 1:5). 2. Discipleship: Believers are called to “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7). Persistent hatred, secrecy, or moral compromise indicates lingering darkness and demands repentance. 3. Pastoral Care: Those struggling with doubt or sin may feel engulfed by darkness. Scripture offers both diagnosis and remedy—fellowship with God through confession brings cleansing (1 John 1:5-9). 4. Worship and Liturgy: Themes of light and darkness shape Christian seasons such as Advent and Easter, underscoring revelation and resurrection. Theological Synthesis Darkness, in these texts, is not an independent cosmic force but the privation of God’s self-revealed glory. Its reign is broken by the advent, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Church, reflecting His light, serves as an eschatological beacon until the full brilliance of the new creation banishes darkness forever (Revelation 21:23-25). Believers therefore live in confident tension: present experience still involves encounters with darkness, yet their identity is firmly anchored in the Light that has already dawned. Forms and Transliterations σκότει σκοτια σκοτία σκοτίᾳ σκοτιας σκοτίας skotei skótei skotia skotía skotíāi skotias skotíasLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 10:27 N-DFSGRK: ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ εἴπατε ἐν NAS: I tell you in the darkness, speak KJV: you in darkness, [that] speak ye in INT: in the darkness speak in Luke 12:3 N-DFS John 1:5 N-DFS John 1:5 N-NFS John 6:17 N-NFS John 8:12 N-DFS John 12:35 N-NFS John 12:35 N-DFS John 12:46 N-DFS John 20:1 N-GFS 1 John 1:5 N-NFS 1 John 2:8 N-NFS 1 John 2:9 N-DFS 1 John 2:11 N-DFS 1 John 2:11 N-DFS 1 John 2:11 N-NFS Strong's Greek 4653 |
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