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Luke 8:16-18 meaning
The parallel Gospel accounts for Luke 8:16-18 are Matthew 5:15; 10:26; 13:12; 25:29 and Mark 4:21-25, and Luke 12:2.
Jesus is teaching His disciples. He has just given them an explanation for the “Parable of the Sower” (Luke 8:11-15). As Jesus explained different parables, He told the disciples that they are receiving the ability “to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God” (Luke 8:10).
The teachings as presented here in Luke are similar to how they are presented in the Gospel of Mark. These teachings as presented in Matthew’s Gospel are given in several different contexts and accordingly seem to have somewhat different applications.
We will first look at how these teachings are to be understood in Luke’s (and Mark’s) context. Links will be offered to The Bible Says commentary for how these parallel teachings are to be understood in the Matthew contexts.
The fact that these teachings are given in different contexts indicate that Jesus likely taught them many times throughout His ministry.
First, Jesus uses the metaphor of light:
Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light (v 16).
Light serves as a powerful symbol throughout the Bible and ancient cultures to represent truth and goodness. Light illuminates and reveals what is present. Light guides towards the right paths (Psalm 119:105). The reason people light lamps is to help them see in and navigate through the dark.
Jesus makes this observation when He says: Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container. Similarly, no one puts a lit lamp under a bed because it would mitigate the reach of the light and cancel the very reason for which the lamp was lit. A lamp that is covered over does not dispel the darkness. Instead, whoever lights a lamp puts it on a lampstand so that all who come into the room may see the light.
The truth and goodness of Jesus’s teachings are like a bright lamp. They dispel darkness and confusion. They illuminate reality, revealing many things. The light of the Gospel is of great benefit to all who come in and see its truth and goodness.
The Gospel’s light will reveal all things and illuminate every secret.
In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus delivers this teaching in His “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7). Within His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declares His disciples to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14) immediately before He told them about how no one lights a lamp and hides it under a basket but rather puts it on a lampstand (Matthew 5:15). And immediately after telling them this, Jesus bids His followers to let their light shine before men in such a way that others may see their good works and glorify God (Matthew 5:16).
The Bible Says commentary about Jesus’s parallel teaching in its Matthew context can be found here.
For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light (v 17).
The light will reveal everything. Nothing that is hidden will not be revealed. Everything will become evident. Every secret will be brought to the light and will be made known. Nothing is hidden from God.
Jesus is emphasizing that truth will ultimately be revealed. Even those things that may seem hidden or obscure at the moment will eventually come to light. This applies both to spiritual truths and to the condition of the human heart. Jesus's teaching is not meant to remain concealed or only understood by a select few. It is like a lamp that will eventually expose all things.
The truth will ultimately be made known by God. Even things done in secret will eventually be exposed, whether good deeds or sinful acts. The light of God's truth will shine on all things, exposing the reality behind them.
Jesus is “the true Light [who] enlightens every man” (John 1:9) and His Gospel brings great opportunity. Jesus came so that all who come in its glow (i.e. encounter Jesus) may see and understand what is right and good, and live by what is true.
“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.’”
(John 8:12)
God the Father is the One who sent Jesus, “the Light of the world” (John 8:12), into the world. God, the Father is the One who put Him on a lampstand (the cross), so that those who come in and encounter Jesus may see the light.
After explaining to Nicodemus how to receive the Gift of Eternal Life (John 3:3-16), Jesus described people’s basic reaction to the presence of the Light in the dark world:
“The Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.”
(John 3:19b)
Because their deeds were evil and they loved darkness, Jesus continued:
“they hate the Light, and they do not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”
(John 3:20)
Their deeds will be exposed, for nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light (v 17).
Therefore, it is not a question of if our evil is exposed but rather it is a question of when and how. Will our sin be exposed willingly through acts of repentance and faith? Or will our sin be exposed by the light of God’s judgment?
Avoiding the light delays the exposure and it denies those who try to avoid the light the healing, restoration, intimacy, and life that confession and repentance yield. Avoiding the light only brings further wrath of death and judgment.
But Jesus concludes His teaching to Nicodemus with the positive response of those who practice the truth through repentance and confession:
“But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”
(John 3:21)
God is merciful and gracious. He will forgive sins if we come to Him for healing. If we have enough faith to look upon His Son, we are declared righteous by Jesus (John 3:14). And after we have received His righteousness, and continue to confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and continually cleanse us from even the sins we are unaware of (1 John 1:9). This is how we walk in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:7). If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and exclude ourselves from experiencing the joy, life, and truth of His light (1 John 1:8, 10).
It matters a great deal how people respond to the light of Jesus and the Gospel. If we respond well to the truth of His Gospel, He promises to reveal more life-giving truth, but if we reject His light, then we will sow our own confusion and ruin.
The Bible Says commentary for the Matthew context of Jesus’s parallel teaching of Luke 8:17 can be found here.
This is why Jesus warns His disciples:
“So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him” (v 18).
This is a twin principle.
On one side of the principle is a positive opportunity: for whoever has, to him more shall be given.
The subject of this principle is whoever has. But the direct object is not explicitly stated. The direct object is left unstated. It is left blank and is implied. Whoever has —has what?
The implied direct object is faith. Whoever has faith. Faith in this context means trust in Jesus and His message—trust that what He is saying is good and true—trust that His light is beneficial—enough belief and understanding that His words offer a better life than what can be found in the darkness.
The statement for whoever has, to him more shall be given means that those with open hearts, receptive to understanding His teaching, will be granted more faith and understanding. As they continue to gain faith and understanding, their capacity to know God by faith will expand until they possess an abundance of life.
Jesus defines eternal life as intimately knowing the Father, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent (John 17:3).
Here in Luke, Jesus is presenting His disciples with an incredible principle for how to experience the good life. The expanded principle means: for whoever has faith, to him more life (as defined by Jesus—intimately knowing God) shall be given.
Jesus came so that people could experience the fullness of life (John 10:10).
The reverse side of the principle also holds true: whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him. This is a negative warning.
This indicates that whoever lacks faith or does not have an open heart toward Jesus and His Gospel will not only fail to grow in their faith and/or receive greater understanding, but they will also miss out on knowing God and experiencing the good life—eternal life. Ultimately, whoever does not have faith, will also lose any life they currently think they possess.
This is why Jesus warned His disciples to take care how they listen—because how they listen (with or without faith) will have enormous consequences. If they listen with an open heart they will grow in faith and intimacy with God and increase the life they have. If they listen with a closed heart, they will lose even what they think they have.
Jesus gave a similar warning at the end of His “Parable of the Talents” (Matthew 25:14-30).
“For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.”
(Matthew 25:29)
The application of this principle as stated at the end of this parable in Matthew suggests faithfulness, responsibility, and stewardship.
Servants who demonstrate good stewardship are entrusted with even greater responsibilities. In contrast, the servant who fails to manage his small amount is completely stripped of his stewardship duties. In the Parable of the Talents, it is suggested that if the servant with one talent had at least deposited the money in the bank, he might have retained some stewardship responsibilities.
Everyone who had something to show for their investment—the diligent slaves—were given abundantly more to steward. Conversely, the one who did not have anything to show for his investment was dispossessed of what he initially started with, along with his stewardship responsibility. The one-talent slave was stripped of his single talent, which was then given to the ten-talent slave.
Whoever exercises good stewardship of their understanding of the kingdom of God which the Spirit has bestowed upon him is entrusted with even greater opportunities to steward. Whoever fails to steward the small amount which is allotted will be stripped of all stewardship responsibilities. This is a predictable outcome—more shall be given to the one who has, while the one who does not have is left with nothing.
The negative response and outcome of Jesus’s principle: and who ever does not have faith, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him is similar to what happens to people “who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18). They become “futile in their speculations and their foolish heart [becomes] darkened” (Romans 1:21). The book of Romans describes this losing of what someone thinks he has as receiving “the wrath of God” (Romans 1:18)—the natural consequences of our sins—and being delivered over to degrading passions” (Romans 1:26a).
Jesus’s twin principles as taught in Luke—for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him—is related to the paradox which Jesus will later teach His disciples in Luke 9 when He said:
“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.”
(Luke 9:24)
The connection between these two teachings is this: whoever has faith to lose his life for Jesus’s sake will save his life and indeed shall be given more life; but whoever does not have faith and wishes to save the life he thinks he has from Jesus, will lose it and every good thing he thinks he has in life shall be taken away from him.