Let Our Light Shine

This morning I was reading from Mark 4, which begins with the parable of the sower (verses 1-20) and what followed next was what caught my attention. The Disciples had asked Jesus to explain the parable, which He did, and then He went on speaking to the disciples with the following statements:

Mark 4:21-25 NIV:
[21] "He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? [22] For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. [23] If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” [24] “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you---and even more. [25] Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

These statements always confused me somewhat, for I wasn't sure, based on the translation, if this was Jesus correcting the disciples or revealing some additional truth. I decided to read these verses in a different translation, as sometimes the way one translation has it written it is just a bit confusing. Here is a translation I ran into on the site www.Biblegateway.com, which has over 100 translations available.

Mark 4:21-24 Disciples’ Literal New Testament (DLNT)

The Lamp Comes To Shine, Not To Be Hidden

[21] And He was saying to them, “The lamp does not come in order that it may be put under the basket or under the bed, does it? Is it not in order that it may be put on the lampstand? [22] For it is not hidden, except in order that it may be made-visible [a]. Nor did it become hidden-away, but in order that it may come into visibility. [23] If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear”.

[24] And He was saying to them, “Be watching what you listen-to. With what measure you [b] measure , it will be measured to you— and it will be added to you.[c] [25] For he who has— it will be given to him. And he who does not have— even what he has will be taken-away from him”.

Footnotes:

a. Mark 4:22 Or, revealed. One would only hide a lamp for the purpose of shining it at the proper time. The lamp may be Jesus, who came to light the world, but is hidden from Israel until the proper time; or, the truth Jesus brings, which is now hidden in parables in order that it may come into visibility at the proper time.Y Or, the lamp may refer to the word of God which believers hide in their hearts in order that it may shine at the opportune time.
b. Mark 4:24 Or, hear. That is, in the sense of ‘obey’.
c. Mark 4:24 The measure you use reflects your spiritual capacity, and your ability to receive. If you listen to the traditions of the Pharisees, it will limit your ability to receive spiritual truth.

This actually helped me understand that Jesus was explaining the use of parables and the 'hiddeness' of the Word, and in reality the Kingdom and character of the Father. They are not meant to be hidden so that no one can find them, but rather they were concealed for such a time, and for the greater glory of God. Jesus was laying responsibility for further revelation on the disciples, a responsibility that they did well to carry as is evidenced by the church. I am reminded of Paul's statement concerning the full revelation of God's plan to include the gentiles in salvation (Col 1:25-27) .

Simply put, the truth is meant to be exposed to the world, and we are those through whom it will be exposed. There is also the encouragement that the more we listen the more we will hear, the more truth will be given to us! Amen! This really is like the parable of the talents, those that take what they are given and invest it (shine it out to those around them) will be given more (See Matt 25:14-30). This is the sowing and reaping principle, once again!

So let us take that which we have been given, the Truth and Light of Christ, and let it shine! For it was put in us for that very purpose!