κατέλαβεν: "overcome" or "comprehend"?

Says κατέλαβεν (katelaben) is the aorist active of καταλαμβάνω (katalambanō, "seize, lay hold of, overtake"). The present φαίνει ("shines") describes the light's ongoing action. The aorist sums up the darkness's response as a whole.

Lexical data: - In the active, the verb usually means "seize, overtake," or "attain." John 12:35 is a close Johannine parallel: walk while you have the light ἵνα μὴ σκοτία ὑμᾶς καταλάβῃ, "so that darkness may not overtake you." - The mental sense "grasp, perceive" usually appears in the middle voice (Acts 4:13; 10:34; 25:25). - Thayer s.v. καταλαμβάνω (G2638) and BDAG s.v. are cited by reference only.

Renderings: "overcome" or "overtake" (BSB, which is our display text) and "comprehend" (KJV, following the Vulgate's comprehenderunt).

Implies The active voice and John 12:35 favor hostile seizure: the darkness did not, and cannot, defeat the light. This anticipates the conflict and victory of the Gospel narrative (1:10–11; 16:33).

Uncertain John may intend a double sense, as with ἄνωθεν in 3:3 ("again" and "from above"). The darkness neither understood nor mastered the light. The team prefers "overcome" and allows the secondary nuance.