12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
Many shameful sins are committed in secret, which only confirms that we all stand justly condemned before the holy God. If we are ashamed, then we know that we have done wrong, and it is so shameful that we do not even want to talk about it, much less be caught in the act!
13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
The word of God is the light, and only by it are we aware of our sinful condition before God. See I John l:7, Romans 3:20, and Romans 7: 7.
14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
I confess that this verse puzzles me. Who is speaking, and to whom? I have not yet found any cross-references that Paul is quoting here, which would then mean that the speaker is implied by the context. If that is the case, then the speaker must be the light, as it is the only noun to which this statement can be attributed. Likewise, the context sets the precedent for personified light and dark. To whom then is this spoken? Verse eight says that we are the light in Christ, so it would seem that it could not be spoken to saved people. However, verse eleven indicates that it is possible for a saved person to be in fellowship with darkness. Throughout the New Testament “sleep” is can be used as a synonym for death (John 11:11-14, I Corinthians 15:51, I Thessalonians 4:14, I Thessalonians 5:10), which fits here, but I am not sure what to do with that in context where the topic is the walk and having no fellowship with wickedness. Another consideration: it would seem that Christ Himself is not the speaker, as He is spoken of. Either 1) He is referring to Himself in third person, 2) this presents evidence of the Trinity, or 3) there is a cross-reference that I has not been illuminated for me.
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