Luke 8:16-18

Other parabolic sayings: V. 16. No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed, but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. V. 17. For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest, neither anything hid that shall not be known and come abroad. V. 18. Take heed, therefore, how ye hear; for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from, him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

These words seem to have been a favorite saying of Jesus, for He repeats them on various occasions, Matt. 5, 15; Mark 4, 21; chap. 11, 33.

For any one to light a lamp and then hide it under some hollow vessel or place it under a bed or couch, when it is intended for a light to all that are in the house, would be foolish. It must rather be placed in a holder, on a candlestick; then all that come in may see the light, and it will serve its purpose.

Even so people that have received Christianity into their hearts, that have the light of the Gospel shining in them, that have been given this light in order that its radiance may be shed also on others, must hide neither the light of their individual godliness nor that of the pure Gospel-preaching in such a way that no man can find out about it, not even if he inquired about it. There is a grave responsibility resting upon the believers of the pure Gospel in these last days of the world. For there is nothing hidden which shall not be revealed, nor is there anything covered over which is not bound to become known and be exhibited. The very object in hiding something precious is to bring it forth at some convenient time.

And so Christianity and the Christian doctrine is a treasure which we should guard most carefully lest it be taken from us; but incidentally, we uncover this treasure at every opportunity and permit others to share in the wonderful riches of God's grace and mercy in Christ Jesus.

From this fact arises the duty of Christians to be careful hearers. The responsibility is for them really to know, and not merely have a knowledge about, the light of the Gospel, the treasure of salvation. To the one that has Christian knowledge the Lord adds thereto, with compound interest reckoned daily; the constant study of the Word of the Gospel enriches the hearer and reader in a manner beyond the comprehension of even the well-grounded Christian.

But if one is careless about his growth in Christian knowledge, then even that little which he foolishly believes himself to be possessing will he taken from him. A check in the growth of Christian faith amounts to the same thing as a frost in early fall: the plant is definitely harmed by the misfortune.