That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life

 (v) The darkness stands for the immorality of the Christless life. It is Paul's appeal to men that they should cast off the works of darkness ( Romans 13:12). Men, because their deeds were evil, loved the darkness rather than the light ( John 3:19). The darkness stands for the way that the Christless life is filled with things which seek the shadows because they cannot stand the light. 