Light That Illuminates the Darkness of the World That Cannot Be Hidden

Light That Illuminates the Darkness of the World That Cannot Be Hidden

 

 

 

 

 

 

“No one lights a lamp and covers it with a bowl or puts it under a bed; rather, they put it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be made known and brought to light. Therefore, be careful how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them” (Luke 8:16–18).

 

 

 

As I meditate on the words, I seek to receive the lesson that is given through this passage:

 

(1)   As I meditated on today’s main text, Luke 8:16–18, I first looked up other passages that are similar to these words:

 

(a)    (Luke 11:33–36) “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light.  Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Therefore, see to it that the light within you is not darkness.”

 

(b)   (Matthew 5:14–16) “You are the light of the world.  A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

 

(c)    (Mark 4:21–25) “He said to them, ‘Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be put on a lampstand?  For nothing is hidden except to be disclosed, nor is anything concealed except to be brought into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.’  And he said to them, ‘Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more will be added to you.  For whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken away from them.’”

 

(2)   After that, I looked more closely into the “Parable of the Lamp” mentioned in today’s text, Luke 8:16–18.  The “Parable of the Lamp” is interpreted as having two main meanings: first, that Jesus’ teaching (the Word) is a light that illuminates the darkness of the world and therefore must not be hidden but revealed; and second, that the life of a believer should become a lamp that shines light on others.  In other words, the lamp symbolizes God’s Word, the gospel, or a being or action that reveals light.  Just as a lamp should not be placed under a basket but set on a lampstand to give light, so those who hear the Word are taught to put it into practice in their lives and thereby exert influence on the world (Internet).

 

(a)    “Main meanings and interpretations

 

God’s Word / the Gospel: The lamp represents Jesus’ words, which contain the mystery of the kingdom of God, and it emphasizes that these words are a light meant to be revealed and to shine upon the world rather than be hidden (Mt. 13:21–23; Mk. 4:21–25).

 

Light in the world: Just as a lamp illuminates darkness, Christians (or Jesus’ teachings) are meant to become beings that brighten the darkness in the world.

 

Sharing and service: Some also explain that acts of helping others—namely, a life that shares one’s talents or positive influence—make a person into a shining lamp and bring happiness (Internet).

 

(3)   Third, as I looked up the Greek word “λύχνον” (lychnon), translated as “lamp,” which appears in today’s main text, Luke 8:16, I discovered that this word is also used in Luke 11:33 and Luke 15:8 in the Gospel of Luke.

 

(a)    Among those passages, my attention was drawn especially to Luke 15:8: “Or what woman, having ten drachmas, if she loses one drachma, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she finds it?”

 

(i)               This verse is part of the three parables Jesus tells in Luke 15, specifically the Parable of the Lost Coin.  The meaning of the woman lighting a lamp and diligently sweeping the house until she finds the lost coin is that God knows the precious value of one lost soul—that is, one sinner who has wandered away from God.  It signifies God’s love, effort, and passion in that He does not give up on that one lost soul but instead earnestly and persistently searches for it to the very end (Ref.: Internet).

 

·        Here, the light of the lamp refers spiritually to the Word that illuminates dark places (the light of truth), namely the gospel and truth of Jesus Christ (Internet).  If we relate this “light of the lamp” (Luke 11:36) to the passage from Luke 8:4–15 that was meditated on yesterday, it corresponds to the “seed,” which is the Word of God (v. 11).

 

-        When this “seed,” which is the Word of God, is sown on “good soil,” the one who “hears the word with a noble and good heart, keeps it, and by persevering produces a crop” (v. 15) lives the life of a witness of Jesus.  Such a person carries the lamp of the gospel, the light of truth, and in this dark and sinful world earnestly and persistently seeks, with love, effort, and passion, that one soul whom God loves and treasures and who is wandering.  Through both lips and life, this person proclaims the gospel of Jesus Christ and leads that soul to Jesus Christ, who is the Light.

 

n  These are the lyrics of Hymn “Bearers of the Light”:

 

(Verse 1)

Bearers of the light, go quickly and drive away the darkness; To the people who do not know the Lord’s truth, shine the light of the gospel.

 

(Verse 2)

Be strong for the good work; the Lord will be with you.  Proclaim the Lord’s boundless love and shine the light of the gospel.

 

(Verse 3)

Obey the words the Lord entrusted to you; proclaim this truth.  Cross mountains and seas, giving all your strength to shine the light of the gospel.

 

(Verse 4)

To the ends of the earth, in every direction—east, west, south, and north—Trusting only in the Lord, shine the light of the gospel to people who cannot see because of darkness.

 

(Refrain)

Bearers of the light, shine the light of the gospel; Brighten the dark night of sin.  Shine it forth, bearers of the light.

 

-        The Bible says of John the Baptist that he was “a lamp that was lit and gave light” (Jn. 5:35).  That is, as the last prophet of the Old Testament, John the Baptist played the role of light by proclaiming God’s word and repentance to the Jews after a long period of spiritual darkness, announcing the coming of the Messiah (Christ Jesus).  Just as a lamp gives light by burning oil, John the Baptist illuminated people’s souls through his life and message, helping them discover Jesus, the true Light (Internet).

 

n  We too must become “a lamp that is lit and gives light,” like John the Baptist.  We must also fulfill the role of light in this dark world by proclaiming the second coming (return) of Jesus Christ.  That is, we are to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Mt. 4:17), faithfully and quietly carrying out the role of light that prepares people to welcome the return of Jesus, who is the true Light (Ref.: Internet).

 

(4)   Fourth, I looked up the Greek word “λυχνίας” (lychnías), translated as “lampstand”, which appears in today’s main text, Luke 8:16 (Internet).

 

(a)    Physical objects and everyday life

 

In first-century households, small oil lamps provided only limited light, so a stand was used to elevate the lamp in order to spread the light throughout the entire room. Because this stand existed solely to make the lamp’s light shine more brightly, this image became an ideal metaphor for openly and boldly bearing witness to God’s truth.

 

(b)   Didactic use in the Synoptic Gospels

 

Jesus used the household lampstand on four occasions to explain the public proclamation of the kingdom of God.

 

Matthew 5:15 — “Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.”  The same teaching is repeated in Mark 4:21, Luke 8:16, and Luke 11:33.

 

In each passage, the lamp symbolizes revealed truth, and the lampstand signifies the believer’s act of openly displaying that truth. To hide it is to act contrary to its purpose. Therefore, the Lord commands His disciples not to conceal the light that He has lit within them, but to reveal it.

 

(c)    Priestly imagery in the Epistle to the Hebrews

 

The book of Hebrews connects the lampstand of the wilderness tabernacle with Christ’s heavenly ministry, emphasizing the excellence of the Savior’s once-for-all sacrifice. While the earthly lampstand illuminated priestly service, the ascended Christ—who is the true Light—now illuminates our consciences so that believers may serve the “living God” (Hebrews 9:14).

(d)   Discipline and reward in the local church

 

The Lord warns the church in Ephesus: “If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand (λυχνίαν) from its place” (Rev. 2:5).  This warning does not refer to the loss of personal salvation, but rather to the loss of the community’s witness—that is, the very reason for the lampstand’s existence.  Persevering love, doctrinal purity, and active ministry preserve the church’s light; neglecting these leads to the loss of its influence.

 

(5)   Fifth, I became curious about the meaning of today’s text, Luke 8:17, which says: “For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.”  So, I looked into its meaning.

 

(a)    The meaning of this verse is that God’s Word and truth will ultimately be clearly revealed and made known to the world, and it warns that depending on how we receive and act upon the understanding or truth we have been given, we will either receive more or lose even what we have.  Used together with the Parable of the Lamp, this verse emphasizes that when we hear God’s Word and put it into practice in our lives, it becomes light that shines into the world; but if we hear it and then hide it or fail to act on it, we will ultimately lose its value (Internet).

 

(i)               “Core meanings:”

 

The inevitable revelation of truth: This expresses God’s providence that hidden truths or secrets will certainly be revealed.

 

The importance of the Word: The “Word” that Jesus taught in parables is what was hidden, and it is meant to be a light that shines into the world like a lamp.

 

Choice and responsibility: Those who hear the Word and demonstrate it through their lives (those who place the lamp on the lampstand) receive greater grace, but those who hear and then hide it (those who cover it) are warned that even what they have may be taken away.

 

Emphasis on action: It urges believers not to stop at mere knowledge, but to prove and practice that knowledge through their lives.

 

In conclusion, this passage contains a powerful message: if we have come to understand God’s truth, we must not hide it but reveal it through our lives and shine light into the world; otherwise, we will ultimately lose that truth (Internet).

 

(6)   Finally, sixth, I became curious about the meaning of the words in today’s main text, Luke 8:18: “Therefore, take care how you listen. Whoever has will be given more, and whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”  So, I looked into their meaning.

 

(a)    “This verse emphasizes that how one listens to Jesus’ words is extremely important.  Those who receive the Word properly and put it into practice in their lives gain greater grace and deeper understanding (‘whoever has will be given more’).  However, those who hear the Word but ignore it or misunderstand it will lose even the faith or understanding they think they already possess (‘whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken away’). This highlights God’s just and fair principle” (Internet).

 

(i)               “Main meanings

 

Take care how you listen: This goes beyond merely hearing with the ears; it refers to an attitude of receiving the Word with the heart, understanding its meaning, and applying it to one’s life.

 

Whoever has will be given more: Those who listen to the Word well and practice it in their lives receive even greater grace and wisdom.

 

Whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken away: This means that if one hears the Word but does not truly understand it or ignores it, even the faith or knowledge they think they possess will be lost.

 

Connection to the Parable of the Lamp: Just as the Word (the light) must not be hidden but placed on a lampstand to shine for others, this is a warning that if the Word one has received is not demonstrated through one’s life, that light will be lost.

 

Summary: In conclusion, this verse is both a strong warning and an exhortation: God’s Word must be received actively rather than passively and must be put into action. Otherwise, even what one has will be taken away (Internet).