Mark: According to
Part 22
Mark 4:21-25
Hide It Under A Bushel NO!
When I was young and attended Sabbath School or Vacation Bible School, I loved the song, “This Little Light of Mine”
This little light of mine, I am going to let it shine, This little light of mine, I am going shine let it shine let it shine let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel no, I’m going to let it shine. Hid it under a bushel no, I’m going to let it shine, let it shine let it shine.
Won’t let Satan blow it out, I’m going to let it shine, Won’t let Satan blow it out, I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Let it shine till Jesus comes, I’m going to let it shine, Let it shine till Jesus come, I’m going to let it shine, let it shine let it shine.
I still enjoy singing this song whenever I teach the kindergarten or primary age kids.
21 Also he said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket (bushel) or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand?
Jesus used the parable of “a lamp” or “candle” in different forms at various times, to teach various truths. When he gave it as part of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:14-16), he used it to illustrate the responsibility of Christian believers to be an example to the world. To “let their light shine so shine before men that they may see your good works.”
In Luke 11:33-36 the use of candle illustrates the individual’s perception and reception of truth.
But here in Mark it has an even different meaning. Each item mentioned are items that would be found in any home during the time of Christ. To light the house, one would place a candle in a lamp stand and upon lighting the candle the whole room would be illuminated. If one is trying to illuminate the whole house, would one place the lampstand under a bushel basket or under the bed. Under the bed possibly if something was lost and you were seeking to find it. But normally, you would not place a lampstand under the bed, nor would you place it under a bushel thus limiting the ability to see throughout the entire house.
The lesson that Christ draws from this parable of the lamp and the lampstand, is that Christ comes as the bearer of the light of truth to dispel darkness from the minds of men concerning God and the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, there is no mystery, no secret to salvation that will be concealed from those that take heed now and they hear the message.
I have often wondered how verses 23-25 fit into this parable of the candle that is shining.
23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear. 24 Then he said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25 whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even that he has will be taken away from him.”
There was a point in my life, even though I have been a Christian all my life, that I really didn’t want anything to do with the studying of the scripture. I failed to really see the point. After all, I had years of Christian education behind me. I grew up in a Christian home in which my father was also a Lay Pastor and pillar in the church. My mother was the church treasurer and so, why should I study, why should I care if there were more truths to the Bible, I knew enough to be saved.
At least, that is what I thought. I could never understand why my dad would spend so many hours in the evening reading his Bible. Although he never marked much in the Bible, his Bible is well worn and I am glad I have it and often use it. It is the Bible that sits on my desk in my home office.
Then one day a friend asked me a question. “Why are you a Christian, and what makes you think you are a Christian?”
Even with all the religious instruction I had received as a kid, I could not come up with a satisfactory answer. But this wasn’t the only question that was asked of me. My wife said, hey with all your knowledge of the Bible, why don’t you teach kids. I have an opening for a teacher in the primary class and you would be great. Because she was stuck for a teacher that coming Sabbath I consented to teach, but only that one week. God had other plans. Over the next fourteen years I probably only missed teaching six or seven times. It was and still remains one of the most rewarding thing I have ever done. I actually ended up teaching the Kindergarten class which was made up of kids from four to seven years old. At one point there was 40 kids in the class, and I feel old for some of those kids are now married and have kids of their own.
The point is, I could not answer the question my friend asked of why are you a Christ and what makes you think you are a Christian, until I began to actually study His word on a daily basis and began to share it with others. The more I shared the message, with both kids and adults the more knowledge I gain about the Bible and the deeper my relationship became with God.
Mark says it so well. “With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and you who hear will be given. For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have even what he has will be taken away from him.”
Peter the outspoken disciple of Jesus says in his epistle to the church said: But sanctify the Lord in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who ask you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear (love and reverence) I Peter 3:15.
How can we defend that which we fail to know when we do not study and then share with others, the great news of gospel message, which is a light shining out into a dark world? When we fail to study, when we fail to share that which we have learned, it is as though we have hidden our light under a bushel or under the bed.
My friends, how bright is your light shining, and by that light can mankind see the gospel living out through your life? If not I invite you to become more acquainted with God in daily prayer and study then share with others the truth that is within you with meekness and with love and reverence.
The Bible In Your Hand 