Mk 4:21-25

[Cpb88]

Hi, I’m reading through Mark, and the Parable of the Lamp is beyond my understanding. There are essentially 2 phases of this parable, so I shall begin with the first:

"He said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light. Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.” Mk 4:21-23

Any thoughts here?

 

[TimothyH]

Jesus was speaking to the disciples - the Church - privately after teaching publicly using parables.

The Church is the light of Christ in the world. It is not to operate in a hidden way, but publicly so that it can shine the light of Christ into the world. Christ works in a hidden way through the sacraments. The Church makes Christ’s work visible.

Individually, we shine the light of Christ into the world when we do the will of God and perform good deeds.

-Tim-

 

[Glacies]

Cornelius a Lapide thinks this refers to Christ’s own teaching in the sense that it should not remain hidden but be taught by the Apostles.

Christ signified by this parable that it was not His will that the mysteries of this parable and the other doctrines of the Gospel should be concealed and hidden, but that His disciples should unfold them in their time, and communicate to others who at that time were not able to receive them. It was His will that they should publish and preach them openly. This is plain from what follows.

Haydock Commentary has similiar thoughts.

Ver. 22.
All my parables, doctrines, and actions, which appear now to you so full of mystery, shall not always be so: in due time they shall all be publicly expounded by you, my apostles, and by your successors. (Tirinus)

Ver. 23.
And let him learn that he is not to bury in unjust silence the instructions or the examples I give him; but must exercise them for the light and direction of others. (Bible de Vence)

Ver. 24.
Pay attention then to what you hear this day, that you may retain it, and communicate it to others, your brethren; for as you measure to others, so shall it be meted unto you; yes, more shall be given to you, who receive the word of God, if you be attentive to preserve it yourselves, and to communicate it to your brethren. (Bible de Vence)

 

[po18guy]

Since Christ is the light ot the world, and since He lives in us, we also are called to be salt and light for the world in reflection of His presence within us. Such light is not to be hidden, but revealed to all, as in Peter’s words on the day of Pentecost. Look at the words of the Archangel Raphael in Tobit:

Tobit 12:11
“I will not conceal anything from you. I have said, ‘It is good to guard the secret of a king, but gloriously to reveal the works of God.’

And, the words of our risen Lord:

Matthew 5:14
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.

Matthew 10:27
“What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops.”

 

[Cpb88]

Great, essentially the teachings of Christ are not to be esoteric.

Now onto the second part: “He also told them, ‘Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’”

This also I don’t understand.

 

[Glacies]

Great, essentially the teachings of Christ are not to be esoteric.

Now onto the second part: “He also told them, ‘Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’”

This also I don’t understand.

I suggest you consult the Catena Aurea or the Haydock Commentary or other free online Catholic commentaries in order to understand Scripture verses you find hard to understand. Anyway here is what some commentaries say about this particular passage.

Ver. 24. And He said unto them, Take heed what ye hear. The meaning, says Euthymius, is, “Attend to the things which ye hear of Me, that ye may understand them, and commit them to memory, that when the proper time shall arrive ye may communicate them to others.” And He assigns the reason, which, as Theophylact says, is, “That none of My words may escape you.” Hear Bede, “He teaches us carefully to hear His words, in such manner that we should carefully digest them in our hearts, and be able to bring them forth for the hearing of others.”

In what measure you shall mete, it shall be measured to you again, and more shall be given to you.
He means, if ye largely and copiously communicate and preach My doctrine to others, I also will copiously impart to you more understanding and greater wisdom, grace, and glory, as a recompense and reward to you. Thus fountains, the more they pour out above, the more they receive from below. Therefore, let preachers, teachers, and catechists learn from this promise of Christ, that the more pains they bestow in teaching others, the more grace and wisdom they will receive from Christ themselves, according to the words, “He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he that soweth in blessings,” i.e., abundantly, “shall reap also in blessings” (2 Cor. ix. 6), Vulg.

Ver. 24.
Pay attention then to what you hear this day, that you may retain it, and communicate it to others, your brethren; for as you measure to others, so shall it be meted unto you; yes, more shall be given to you, who receive the word of God, if you be attentive to preserve it yourselves, and to communicate it to your brethren. (Bible de Vence)

Ver. 25.
They who do not profit by the knowledge of the word of God, shall in punishment of their neglect, lose the advantage which they may seem to have, since it will turn in the end to their greater condemnation: and moreover, by trusting to their own judgment, they interpret the word in a perverse sense, and thus also lose what they seem to have. (Nicholas of Lyra) — Let those who talk so much about Scripture, and interpret it according to their own private spirit or fancy, see lest this also attach to them. (Haydock)

 

[Cpb88]

“He also told them, ‘Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’”

Sorry, I still don’t understand what is being measured out… Justice? And what it is that more will be given of… Grace?

 

[Glacies]

“He also told them, ‘Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’”

Sorry, I still don’t understand what is being measured out… Justice? And what it is that more will be given of… Grace?

According to a commentator teaching is being measured out and therein “more understanding and greater wisdom, grace, and glory” shall be received.

 

[Cpb88]

Im sensing a lack of interest in this topic, therefore I would like to close this thread and consult elsewhere, thank you for contributing.