Charles Ellicott Commentary John 3:19

"And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil." — John 3:19 (ASV)

And this is the condemnation.—For “condemnation” read judgment; for “light” and “darkness,” the light and the darkness. The object is salvation, not judgment (John 3:17); but the separation of the good involves the judgment of the evil. The light makes the darkness visible. Both were before people. That they chose darkness was the act of their own will, and this act of the will was determined by the evil of their deeds. The light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. (Compare to the note on John 1:5.)

The words are general, but they must have had, for him who then heard them, a special force. It was night. He had avoided the light of day, and like those who go forth to deeds of darkness under cover of darkness, he had come in secrecy to Jesus. His own conscience told him that he was in the presence of a Teacher sent from God (John 3:2); but he has checked the voice of conscience. He has shrunk from coming to this Teacher in the light of day, and has loved the darkness of the night.