Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
Jesus brings up both the issue of revelation and of faith. Jesus is the light but men must put their trust in Him. Again, we must act upon the illumination that we are given.
Interestingly, “put your trust” (NIV) = “believe” (KJV) = pisteuo (Greek) is in the present tense which indicates a continuous belief that begins now and continues on, while “become” is in the aorist tense which indicates a once-and-for-all action. Morris notes that “while faith is an activity to be practised without ceasing one does not become a son of light by degrees.” Note (#5:24). To be a “son of” something was an idiom for having those qualities in question. Sons of light are men whose lives have been so revolutionized by that light that they can be characterized as being light themselves (Luke 16:8, Eph 5:8, 1Thess 5:5). We cannot be half-hearted followers of Jesus.
John 5:24 “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.
Luke 16:8 “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.
Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
1 Thessalonians 5:5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
“hid himself” = Jesus is certainly going to die as He has just pointed out, but He is going to do it when the time is exactly right and not a minute sooner.