John 1:4,5 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

In Him was life.  The previous verses established that Jesus belongs to the Godhead of creation.  In the beginning of creation the Son was with the Father as the Spirit hovered over the face of the waters.  But here John introduces us to Christ's earthly mission as the source and bearer of a life that was cut off from mankind on account of sin.

The sin of Adam separated mankind from the life of God.  The Book of Genesis depicts this separation through Adam and Eve's banishment from the garden, lest they should continue to partake of the tree of life.  And so mankind has continued in this semi-lifeless condition.

From the time of Adam until the time of Christ, man has existed biologically - but cut off from the life of God.  Fallen man retained his created form in body, soul, and spirit; though in a corruptible and dying body, an ego-centric and sensual soul, and a spirit which is independent of the Holy Spirit of God.  Man retained his God-given qualities of conscience, reason, self-awareness, and creativity.  But his resemblance to the image and likeness of God was tarnished in every respect by sin.

and the life was the light of men.  The presence of the Son of God in bodily form marked the first time since the fall of man that a whole man (the God-man) occupied this fallen world.  Jesus was the hope of mankind fulfilled, the perfect standard restored and the untarnished image of God whose appearance radiated the glory of God.

And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.  Who is like unto the Lord?  The life of Christ presented God with us, Emanuel.  But because of mankind's fallen sleep-like state, few people were able to see with their eyes and hear with their ears.  Few were able to recognized that the only hope for men to once again lay hold of the eternal life of God now stood before them in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.

As Jesus quoted the words of Isaiah:

For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them. - Matthew 13:15, Isaiah 6:9

Bible translators have used many English words to convey the thought represented by the NKJV as the darkness did not comprehend it.  Various translations use the English words comprehend, apprehended, understood, overcome, and even extinguish. The Greek word is katelaben; the root being katelabe, meaning to take, to seize, or to overtake.

But the most straightforward translation is obtained simply by applying the same usage as is commonly stated in English.  That is; to express the mental reception of an idea as, "I get it."  Get does not primarily express understanding, but rather, the laying hold or grasping of an object.  Katelaben is not being used to mean obtaining an object here in John.  So a very good translation of this verse in common English is the darkness didn't get it.  Get it?

The more important question though, is do you get it?  Do you understand that Jesus has shown the way, the truth, and the life to this dark world which has lost its meaning and purpose?  That Christ has come so that we might have life - that eternal, robust, God-life that was forfeited through man's careless disobedience.  And that we might receive the benefit of the Holy Spirit to be a helper, to empower, to commune with, and to uplift our weak spirits.  I pray that your eyes might be opened to behold the glory of Christ.