The parable of the revealed light
No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.
Luke 8:16-18
What does Jesus mean with this mysterious parable? How is it relevant to us today? Let’s take it verse by verse.
No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.
The parable of the revealed light comes just after the parable of the sower, which Jesus explains is about spreading the word of God. Here Jesus uses a different metaphor to make a related point. This time, the word of God is represented by the lamp. Jesus’ followers must not hide the word of God for themselves, but profess it publicly, so that others may see the light as well. In modern terms, this can be translated as “Let your light shine”: if you have some talents or some truths you believe in, do not keep them to yourself but share them with the world.
For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.
Here Jesus takes it a step further and claims that you cannot hide your light even if you’d try. Anyone who has felt different to others will recognize this; even though you pretend to be just like them, they instinctively know that there is something weird about you. And eventually this weirdness always comes to light, whether purposefully or accidentally. This verse can be read as a stronger encouragement to shine your light, but the next verse makes clear that it is in fact a stern warning to do so.
Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.
Jesus is not a nice guy who gently encourages us to let our light shine, but he warns us to “let your light shine, or else you will lose everything”. Why is such a stern warning necessary?
If we consider the context of who he is addressing, it becomes clear. Jesus’ followers have the daunting task of spreading a new, fledgling religion that claims Jesus is the son of God. At the time, this idea would have been met with ridicule, accusations of heresy, and persecution. Therefore his followers would have been tempted to just keep the word of God to themselves. However, as Jesus warns, this is a betrayal of God and will be severely punished.
Today, most of us will not be persecuted for our convictions (unless you are gay, trans, feminist…), but we might be tempted to hide them nonetheless, for fear of being rejected by our communities. But if a truth has been revealed to us, we must let it shine. Failing to do so is a betrayal of ourselves that will cost us dearly in the long run.