21 And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not on a stand?
Chapter 4 of Marks Gospel has a collection of sayings but still only a summary of what Jesus said in his ministry to both crowds and his inner group of disciples. The lectionary inserts “Jesus said to the crowd” for todays readings but as you can see from the text this is only an addition one that can be misleading but Mark does not actually tell us who he is saying this to. Considering yesterdays readings we understand that some things are reserved for the crowds and others for his inner circle. So the context could be different depending on what way you want to read this text.
These sayings, repeated in the other Gospels are likely a common saying that Jesus used on multiple occasions which is why Mark uses them in this chapter. Jesus speaks about lamps, which in first century Palestine were obviously not electric lamps. The most common form of lighting was a stone or clay pot that look somewhat like the lamp you see in Aladdin. It would be filled with oil and a wick would come out of it that you lit on fire.
Like his other sayings, Jesus uses common frameworks and items that everyone understands. Here he uses lamps, everyone knows they are for lighting up a room so you would not put it under a “bushel” which is a woven basket, under a bed instead of putting it on a stand? Its a common sense rhetorical question use to illuminate something difficult for the listeners to understand.
22 For there is nothing hid, except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret, except to come to light.
The following saying seems disconnected and many exegetes stress this is to do with the hiddenness of the kingdom of God now and how it will be revealed but when correlating it with another saying of Jesus, that we are the “light of the world.” We can possibly make more sense of it. Nothing is actually hidden, it will all appear eventually in due time, for example at the end of time, that is what I think Jesus is getting at, especially in context with the verses that come after this. If we are lights, our words and actions are our heat and illumination, none of this, especially our sinful behaviour is actually secret even if we think it is, it will come come to light.
23 If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.”
This is a common phrase of Jesus especially after saying something rather cryptic that require a humble heart and patience to understand. Although people can read entire books on understand Jesus now, back then all they had were his words without explanation, we shouldn’t assume just because we can read or write a commentary that we are fully hearing what he has to say.
24 And he said to them, “Take heed what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you.
25 For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
Here we see why I think the theme is our behaviour in both word and action because in these verses we essentially receive a warning. “Take heed” so “Pay attention, I’m giving you a warning.” What measure you give, or how you act toward people will be what you get and still more will be given you. It is kind of the golden rule of Jesus, do unto others what you wish done unto you but there an extension on what is received. Act wickedly and you receive wickedness in this life and you will receive even more in damnation. Act with love and you will receive love in this life and you will also receive more in eternal beatitude.
The possibility of eternal damnation or eternal beatitude is the other worldly more that is given or more that is taken away on top of what is received or taken in this life. This provides one of the foundations for understand evil to be a deprivation of good. Enmity a deprivation of love. The same way cold is an absence of heat, not its own active force. He who is evil lacks something, he does not have a lot of evil gathered up in a sack, he has less and even more will be taken away. He who has love has much and will receive even more in the beatific vision.
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