Ambiguity is a friend not an enemy when reading the Bible

 "... ambiguity inhabits the biblical text. This should not be discouraging or minimized, but valued as one holds onto the telos [ie the ultimate aim/goal] of reading Scripture, namely, reading in order ‘to know God.’ Where difficulties lie in the biblical witness, [we are encouraged] to ‘pray for understanding’ [and] ‘to turn the passage over this way and that until we arrive at its true meaning, especially when [we do so] devoutly and reverently’^[1],[2]."

Polysemy is almost a feature of John's Gospel. He uses polysemy throughout, not to confuse but help us understand the complexity and depth of the Triune God we are in relationship with. John's "Religious symbols describe a realm that is, by definition, indescribable, beyond the capacity of everyday language to articulate. They seek to make theological connections between the heavenly and the created worlds, so that the one gives meaning to the other: the heavenly embracing the earthly."^[3]

The classic example is John 1:5.

• The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (CSB, ESV, NIV, WEB)
• The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (NASB1995, NKJV)
• And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it. (NET)
• The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. (NLT)
• The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it. (LSB, NRSVue)

All of these translations, and more, are perfectly valid ways of translating the Greek word κατέλαβεν (katelaben). As the translation note (tn) from the NET Bible explains:

John 1:5 tn Or “comprehended it,” or “overcome it.” The verb κατέλαβεν (katelaben) is not easy to translate. “To seize” or “to grasp” is possible, but this also permits “to grasp with the mind” in the sense of “to comprehend” (esp. in the middle voice). This is probably another Johannine double meaning—one does not usually think of darkness as trying to “understand” light. For it to mean this, “darkness” must be understood as meaning “certain people,” or perhaps “humanity” at large, darkened in understanding. But in John’s usage, darkness is not normally used of people or a group of people. Rather it usually signifies the evil environment or ‘sphere’ in which people find themselves: “They loved darkness rather than light” (John 3:19). Those who follow Jesus do not walk in darkness (8:12). They are to walk while they have light, lest the darkness “overtake/overcome” them (12:35, same verb as here). For John, with his set of symbols and imagery, darkness is not something which seeks to “understand (comprehend)” the light, but represents the forces of evil which seek to “overcome (conquer)” it. The English verb “to master” may be used in both sorts of contexts, as “he mastered his lesson” and “he mastered his opponent.”

Ultimately if you want to convey the subtlety and depth of John's Greek fully then only the Amplified Bible (2015) will do, even if it somewhat wrecks the poetry, majesty and mystery of his wonderful prologue.

"The Light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it]."

As Jones (op.cit., p.93) observes "Hard work and delight in interpretation are, therefore, all part of the process - by design."

Refs/Notes:

[1] Ambiguity and Ambiguity and Poetry: Psalm 62 as Witness (Jones,2024,Perichoresis), p.92

[2] Jones is quoting Augustine here, which I have edited to help keep it short and to the point but the link to Jones's excellent paper is above and I recommend reading it.

[3] Lee, Dorothy A., 'Symbolism and ‘Signs’ in the Fourth Gospel', in Judith M. Lieu, and Martinus C. de Boer (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Johannine Studies, Oxford Handbooks (2018), p.260.

[4] Translation selected were mostly those in the Top 10 best selling translations in the UK, in 2025. The exceptions being LSB, NASB1995, NET and WEB.

The dead rising is not USUALLY seen as a "good thing"! On the Road to Emmaus reconsidered.

Like so many people I've wondered why Jesus's, initial, appearances after his crucifixion and resurrection are so understated.

So let me ask you a question: What genre of film/book do you normally associate with tales of the dead coming back to life? I'm assuming most people's answer, outside of the Christian context, would be a horror, or zombie, type story. The first century disciples were no different!

36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” Luke 24:36-38 (NIV)

The things they were talking about occurred while two disciples were walking down a quiet, deserted(?) country road. How would you feel walking down a quiet road in the fading twilight and be confronted by a dead person?

13 Now that same day [of Jesus's resurrection] two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about 11 kilometers from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him [initially]. Luke 24:13-16 (NIV)

A very similar story occurs in John 20:1 "Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb ..."

Does it get any creepier than being in a graveyard, in the dark, even if she wasn't alone? Then a dead guy just appears! Classic horror story trope. The women run off to tell the disciples but then Mary returns and sees someone "... standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). John 20:14b-16 (NIV)

God knows and recognises just how terrifying meeting a dead person can be hence, I suggest, is one reason for the very gentle way Jesus initially appears to people.

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For the avoidance of doubt about Graeco-Roman ideas about the dead appearing here are some, mostly academic, references about ghost and horror stories from the Roman Empire:

1. Felton, Debbie. Haunted Greece and Rome: Ghost stories from classical antiquity. University of Texas Press, 2010.

2. Cardin, Matt, ed. Horror Literature through History: An Encyclopedia of the Stories That Speak to Our Deepest Fears [2 volumes]. Bloomsbury Publishing USA, 2017. Specifically the chapter "Horror in the Ancient World".

3. Zorrilla, Isidro Molina, Rodrigues, Nuno Simões, and Balaskas, Vasileios (eds). Graeco-Roman Horror and its Modern Reception. Oxford : Taylor & Francis Group, 2025

4. Collison-Morley, Lacy. Greek and Roman Ghost Stories. Project Gutenberg,1912. A very "flat" telling of stories but at least it's free!