Mark 4:21-25 (NKJV) Light Under a Basket
(Luke 8:16–18)
21 Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. 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 For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
V21 “Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand?” This is the setting. Obviously, the hearers would know this truth. There is a use for lamps and other things. All instruments as lamps have a proper use and placement, so it is for believers. God has a place and purpose for each of us.
V22 “For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.” Now, Jesus begins teaching a principle. God knows all sins, whether thoughts, desires, words, or deeds. Compare Ecclesiastes 12:14. As a follower of Christ, the Bema Seat judgment is a reward system (as outlined in Romans 14:10-12, 1 Corinthians 3:10–4:5, and 2 Corinthians 5:1-10). This is because we are justified by the blood of Jesus Christ and have met God’s conditions for salvation through our faith in Jesus (as stated in Romans 8:1).
Some hidden things that God knows—Sarai in Genesis 18:12-15, Israel in Psalm 44:20-21 and Ezekiel 11:5, every human in Psalm 90:8 and Psalm 7:9, teaching Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7, and the church in Thyatira as in Revelation 2:23.
V23 “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” A warning of the seriousness of judgment. Jesus is telling everyone that they must heed this knowledge. Compare Isaiah 28:23, Proverbs 8:33, and John 8:47. Those who do not listen to Jesus listen to the devil as in 1 John 4:5. The Amplified Version has “They [who teach twisted doctrine] are of the world and belong to it; therefore they speak from the [viewpoint of the] world [with its immoral freedom and baseless theories—demanding compliance with their opinions and ridiculing the values of the upright], and the [gullible people of the] world listen closely and pay attention to them.”
V24 “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.” What we listen to does affect us. Jesus tells us to be careful what and who we listen to. If we listen to evil (Genesis 3:5), we will do evil. The Bible is the standard of what is good, so we are to listen to it and understand it in its plain, normal sense (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The standard we use to judge ourselves or others will be the standard we will be judged by. Nevertheless, the final judgment is by God’s standard.
Matthew 7:2 (EHV) For with whatever standard you judge, you will be judged, and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you.
V25 “For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” The one who knows God’s will and does it will be rewarded. The one who does not will have even the conscience taken away, so they will not feel guilty. The latter is extremely dangerous to anyone’s soul and eternity. We can have more if we believe Scripture and seek to live a Christian life according to the Law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).
We learn:
- If we are a Christian, it must reveal itself by what we do.
- God knows everything about us, even the secret things.
- God has standards.
Questions: - What standard are you following?
- Are we rejecting or accepting of God’s standards?