In Paul’s Writings. In keeping with Old Testament usage, Paul’s use of light and darkness emerges out of the creation account (Stachowiak, “Die Antithese”, 385–421), where God brings light to the darkness and chaos, thus establishing a link between light and God’s presence and activity (2 Cor 4:6). Paul also follows the Gospel authors’ trend of centering the symbolic meaning of light on Jesus, using the imagery of light shining in the darkness to refer to the gospel of Jesus (2 Cor 4:4–6). In addition, those who follow Christ are “children of the light” (Eph 5:8), while those who do not, who oppose the way of Christ by their actions, are described in terms of darkness and night (1 Thess 5:2–7; Eph 5:14; Rom 1:21). Paul’s usage was clearly influenced by the same strand of Jewish thought found in the Dead Sea Scrolls (1QS 1:9; 2:16; 3:13, 24–25) (Stachowiak, “Paraenesis Paulina”, 245–50).

Paul’s own particular use of light and darkness fully personifies the dualism (Arnold, Ephesians: Power and Magic, 130–32). Paul centers light on Jesus’ person and activities, and darkness on Satan (2 Cor 11:14), the false angel of light and the ultimate opponent of God. Paul thereby portrays the realm of darkness as one of evil powers that seek to ensnare those of the light (Eph 6:12).