You are the light of the world

 

 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  

 

 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

 

- Matthew 5:11-16 

 

At this relatively early stage in Christ's ministry, St. Matthew reports that His fame has already gathered to Him many multitudes, especially due to His miraculous healings (which include the casting out of demons).  Yesterday we read that, seeing the multitudes, Jesus went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.  Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."   This beginning of the Sermon on the Mount gives us Jesus' Beatitudes, and we continue today.

 

  "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."  My study Bible comments that those who suffer persecution for Christ walk the road of the prophets, saints, and martyrs.  It explains that the Greek for be exceedingly glad means literally to "leap exceedingly with joy."  See also Acts 5:40-41.

 

  "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."  My study Bible says that salt and light give us a picture of the role of disciples in society.  Salt has preservative powers, is necessary for life, and gives flavor; from these qualities it had religious and sacrificial significance (Leviticus 2:13; see also Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5).  To eat salt with someone meant to be bound together in loyalty, covenant.  As the salt of the earth, my study Bible says, Christians are preservers of God's covenant and give true flavor to the world.  Also, we know that God is the true and uncreated Light.  In the Old Testament, light is symbolic of God (Isaiah 60:1-3), of the divine Law (Psalm 119:105), and Israel in contrast to all other nations.  In the New Testament, the Son of God is called "light" (John 1:4-9, 8:12; 1 John 1:5).  My study Bible comments that light is necessary both for clear vision and for life itself.  Faith relies upon this divine light, and believers become "sons of light" (John 12:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:5) who shine in a perverse world (Philippians 2:15).  In many Orthodox parishes, the Pascha (Easter) Liturgy begins with a candle being presented and the invitation to "come receive the Light which is never overtaken by night."

 

Salt and light are given as two images of what Christians are to be in their societies, and in the world.  Salt, as my study Bible explains, means covenant.  It means loyalty.  It is a binding agent, a fixative, and hence it had great significance in the ancient world, besides being a necessity for life, and a preservative for food. But Jesus also speaks of salt in terms of flavor.  How we live our faith matters, the nature of our covenant and loyalty, our capacity to adhere to faith is crucial.  It gives a particular enhancement of flavor to the world, and in Jesus' illustration, makes all the difference.  It brings something essential to the table, so to speak, within the societies which Christians inhabit.  He speaks of the faithful as the salt of the earth (meaning our planet, the globe), implying an element that is worth the effort to dig for, to value, and to consider an important part of the composition of our world and the life of the Creation.  (See this article on Halite, natural rock salt.)  At the same time, He speaks of believers as the light of the world.  This word translated as world is κοσμος/kosmos in the Greek, and it means all of Creation, the universe and everything in it.  It comes from a root in Greek that means adornment, decoration, God's beautiful order.  It's related to the concept of a jewel or jewelry, so we can imagine what light is to a jewel in this context.  If God's beautiful order and creation needs light, then faith and faithful believers are that light.  As my study Bible teaches, we know that Christ is the original "uncreated" Light, but Jesus is speaking of light that illumines all of the creation.  In this context, the faithful are a light that illumines what God has made.  So the effects of faithful living by Christ's gospel make the world more clear to us, show us where we are and what the world is truly like, illuminating the facets of a jewel created by God.  Light is indispensable for us to find our way, and in this context, forms an illumination that guides the way for all, no doubt rooted in the spiritual fruits that Jesus says cast glory upon God.  If we take a good look at the fruit of the Spirit as named by St. Paul, we can correlate such virtues with all of the qualities that Christ names in the Beatitudes in yesterday's reading, above (see Galatians 5:22-23 for the fruit of the Spirit).  Such things form the light that shines in the world before all people, that illumines and glorifies God, as we reflect the light given to us in our faith.  In this light, we are able to see the purposes for which we've been blessed with God's creation, hold it in right relationship, and even to bless the world with its illumination, showing what is possible in the light of Christ.  Let us remember our loyalty and our light -- where it comes from and to whom we are dedicated, for "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (James 1:17).  In the following chapter, as Jesus continues this sermon, He will give us the prayer known as the Lord's Prayer, or the "Our Father."  Here, in today's reading, He is teaching us what it means to be the salt and light of "our Father" in this world, and to reflect God's glory back to Him.  This is what it means to be His faithful disciples, to live the gospel message He gives us in this sermon.  Let us be true to His teaching, and remember how important and essential we as faithful are to the world in His sight.  

 

 

 

 

My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it

 

 "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."

 

Then His mother and brothers came to  Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  

Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

 

- Luke 8:16–25 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities -- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.  And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  "A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.  Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."  When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"  And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries  of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'  Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.   Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in a time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."

 

  "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."  Jesus uses similar metaphors of light elsewhere in the Gospels to illustrate related concepts in His teaching (see Matthew 5:14-15, Mark 4:21-22, Luke 11:33-34).  Here, He is emphasizing internal illumination, and in particularly "how we hear."  That is, the importance of our perception and capacity for learning the spiritual concepts hidden in His parables (see the parable of the Sower, in yesterday's reading, above).  What we grasp as His disciples must be lived, nurtured, and cherished as our good treasure.

 

 Then His mother and brothers came to  Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."   My study Bible comments that it was not Christ's will to deny His mother and brothers.  Instead, St. John Chrysostom asserts that Jesus is correcting both the and His hearers "to the right idea concerning Himself," that the family of His Kingdom "is not by nature but by virtue."  Jesus' teaching here is emphasizing what we've just read of His preaching in the Sermon on the Plain (see Luke 6:12-49) and in His teaching of the parable of the Sower (see yesterday's reading, above).  He points to a spiritual family based on obedience to the will of God (see also Luke 11:27-28).

 

 Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"  My study Bible suggests that Christ deliberately permits the windstorm to arise while He's sleeping, in order to perfect the faith of the disciples and to rebuke their weaknesses.  In this way, they are being strengthen to be unshaken by the temptations of life that will come their way.  In this particular scenario, their faith is still mixed with unbelief.  They showed faith when they came to Him, but unbelief when they said, "We are perishing." Let us remember in this context that faith in Christ is rooted in trust.

 

 One part of today's reading in concerned with Jesus' mother and His brothers coming to see Him.  We can perhaps construe that at this juncture in His ministry He's beginning to attract very great crowds and a lot of publicity.  Since He has already had some run-ins with certain Pharisees (such as in this reading, for example, or this one from Monday), we can also assume that this publicity may be alarming or even unseemly to His family of rather humble stature in Nazareth.  (See this reading for the conflict which arose when He preached in His hometown, and the wrath He incurred there.) 

 In St. Mark's third chapter, the Gospel seems to write of an incident at this same period of Jesus' ministry, and also amid the clashes He begins to have with the religious authorities.  When such great crowds come to find Jesus and draw so much attention to Him, it disturbs and frightens His family enough so that they seek to "lay hold of Him, for they said, 'He is out of His mind'" (Mark 3:20-21).  The protective claim of mental illness rings true even today, for a family trying to draw a loved one out of the spotlight and away from the threat of possible action on the part of authorities.   It's intriguing to consider that Jesus' mother Mary is outside waiting to speak to Him together with His "brothers" (likely sons of St. Joseph by a previous marriage, or cousins or other extended family).  Since from the earliest origins of the Church Christ's mother Mary has been venerated for her love of her Son and her faith in Him, we can certainly assume Jesus' response is not at all meant to insult or demean her concerns (and she will stand by Him even at the Cross; see John 19:25-27).  Perhaps she's there because the rest of the family presses her to go and see Jesus and find out what He's doing.  But if we are tempted to think that He is turning her away, and contrasting her with His followers, we truly should think again.  For all the evidence that we have points to Mary the Theotokos ("God-bearer" in Greek) as one who fits this description of those whom Jesus describes as His spiritual family: "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."   It is St. Luke's Gospel, after all, that tells us that Mary responded with acceptance when told by Gabriel of the birth of Jesus; she said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word" (see Luke 1:26-38).  She is the one who, in St. John's Gospel, told the servants at the wedding in Cana, "Whatever He says to you, do it," and so encouraged and helped to facilitate His first sign in that Gospel (John 2:1-12).  So, bearing these things in mind, we should consider that when Jesus responds to His mother and brothers in today's reading, He is in some sense assuring us all that Mary is in fact sister to the women we read about yesterday.  That is, to "Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance" (see yesterday's reading. above).  Or perhaps, as the mother of our Lord, it would be better to say that Mary the Theotokos is in this sense the mother of all of us.  For without her willing acceptance of her part in God's plan of salvation, none of us would be brothers and sisters in His Church.  In the view of the Church, and from its earliest years, Mary has been venerated as the greatest of Christian saints, and indeed, she is the model upon which we can all draw for Christ's description of His spiritual family, those who hear the word of God and do it.  When we read of all of these women, then, let us consider Christ's mother Mary together with them in the Church. For "those who hear the word of God and do it" include many whom we might call disparate and different, but all are together gathered in the Church, then and ever since.

 

 

 

For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven

 
"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.  

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.  Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

 

- Matthew 5:13–20 

 

This week, we read through the Sermon on the Mount, in preparation for Lent.  Yesterday we read that,  seeing the multitudes, Jesus went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

 

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."  My study Bible comments here that salt and light illustrate the role of disciples in society.  Due to its preservative powers, its necessity for life, and its capacity for giving flavor, salt had both religious and sacrificial significance (Leviticus 2:13; see also Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5).  To eat salt with someone meant that people were bound together in loyalty.  To this day salt remains used in chemical processes for its fixative properties.  As the salt of the earth, my study Bible explains, Christians are preserver's of God's covenant and give true flavor to the world.  In terms of light, we know first of all that God is the true and uncreated Light.  In the Old Testament, my study Bible comments, light is symbolic of God (Isaiah 60:1-3), the divine Law (Psalm 119:105), and Israel in contrast to all other nations.  In the New Testament, the Son of God is called "light" (John 1:4-9; 8:12; 1 John 1:5).  Light is needed for clear vision, and even for life itself in this world.  Faith relies on the divine light, and believers become "sons of light" (John 12:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:5) shining in a perverse world (Philippians 2:15).  In many Eastern Orthodox parishes, the Pascha (or Easter) Liturgy starts with a candle being presented as the invitation to "come receive the Light which is never overtaken by night."  My study Bible adds of this last verse here that Christian virtues have both a personal and a public function, for our virtue can bring others to glorify the Father.  

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."  My study Bible explains that Jesus fulfills the Law in Himself, in His words, and in His actions.  He does so in the following ways:  He performs God's will in all its fullness (Matthew 3:15); He transgresses no precepts of the Law (John 8:46; 14:30); He declares the perfect fulfillment of the Law, which in this Sermon He is about to deliver to the people; and He grants righteousness -- the goal of the Law -- to us (Romans 3:31; 8:3-4; 10:4).  He fulfills the Prophets both by being and by carrying out what they foretold.

"For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."  The word translated as assuredly is literally "Amen."  It means "truly," or "confirmed," or "so be it," my study Bible explains.  Here Jesus is using it as a solemn affirmation, which is a form of oath.  His use of this word at the beginning of certain proclamations -- as opposed to the end -- is unique and authoritative, my study Bible tells us.  He declares His words affirmed even before they are spoken.  A jot (Greek ιωτα/iota) is the smallest letter in the Greek alphabet.  A tittle is the smallest stroke in certain Hebrew letters.  So, therefore, the whole of the Law is here affirmed as the foundation of Christ's new teaching.  All is fulfilled refers to Christ's Passion and Resurrection.

 

"Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."  My study Bible comments that righteousness according to the Law is a unified whole.  It says that the observance of all the least commandments is to observe the whole Law, while the violation of the least commandment is considered a violation of the whole Law.  

"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."  Righteousness that leads to salvation must exceed that of the Pharisees, my study Bible explains, because theirs was an outward, works-based righteousness.  The righteousness of salvation is the communion of the heart, soul, mind, and body in Jesus Christ.  True righteousness is to live in a state of continual communion with God.  By faith in Christ, we receive God's righteousness.  

If true righteousness is an ongoing communion with God, how do we achieve that?  We first need to understand that Christ came into the world as a human being in order to achieve this level of communion, this righteousness, so that we may be justified by faith.  That is, we live, and may receive an eternal life, a more abundant life, through this communion made possible through the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We partake of His life through the Eucharist, seeking to live our faith and to grow in that faith, deepening a communion that extends through all things, as my study Bible indicates when it speaks of the communion of heart, soul, mind, and body in Jesus Christ.  Jesus' teachings in today's reading give us clues about how this works through our lives in the comments that we believers are both salt and light.  As salt, we bear His covenant into the world, giving the real "flavor" of this righteousness, holding firm in faith to His teachings and living them as fully as we can, in all these ways named.  As light, we seek to reflect His light back into the world, to carry it within ourselves and share it with others, to add such "illumination" to all the things in which we might participate as part of our life's experience and the living of our faith.  In this way, Jesus says, we glorify our Father in heaven -- and so, in that sense also, we become "like Him," we imitate Christ in the living of our faith.  But Christ's righteousness also includes the fulfillment of both the Law and the Prophets; there is nothing left out.  My study Bible calls the Law a cohesive whole; it says that to violate the least Law is to violate the whole of it, and to uphold one Law is to uphold the whole.  In other words, the Law itself can be thought of as something representing communion in its wholeness.  If we recall that Christ's gospel is the gospel of the Kingdom, then we must consider what it means to be a part of a communion -- this communion of the Kingdom -- to step into it through faith, and for it to grow within us (like the parable of the leaven).   So we consider Christ's teachings and begin to understand that there is a depth of communion we're invited into, and the life's journey that our faith is meant to be for us is one of deepening communion.  In a comment on Romans 3:26, my study Bible notes that righteousness by faith is not a one-time declaration or "not guilty" verdict.  We are to understand it as Christ living in us, and we in Him (Galatians 2:20).  So, to be justified by righteousness is to be in communion with Christ in an ongoing, dynamic, and growing life with Him -- developing a deeper reliance upon Christ through our own struggles with faith, insights, a prayerful life, and the practices of our faith.  This is a dynamic that reaches down into the heart and soul and should be lived (as a goal) with every breath.  Let us simply begin with His images here of salt and light, and imagine what it means to live as both, in such a way as to glorify our Father in heaven, becoming a "child of light" through our Shepherd, Christ. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given

 

 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?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  

 

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.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."

And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."  

 

And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples. 

 

- Mark 4:21–34 

 

Yesterday we read that once again Jesus began to teach by the sea.  And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat on it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.  Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:  "Listen!  Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.  Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.  And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.  But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."  And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.  And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.'"  And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable?  How then will you understand all the parables?  The sower sows the word.  And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown.  When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.  These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time.  Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.  Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it become unfruitful.  But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

 

  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?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."   Jesus speaks of believers as "light" in the Sermon on the Mount, and uses these words here regarding the lampstand (see Matthew 5:14-16).  Here in this context He speaks again of the revelation of mysteries, contained in the parables He gives to the people, for those who have ears to hear.

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.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  My study Bible says that this is a call to attentive listening and discriminating response.  We must not only hear, but hear properly.  It says that more will be given to those who respond to Christ with open hearts, and they will grow in understanding.  My study Bible quotes St. Mark the Ascetic, "Do the good you know, and what you do not know will be revealed to you."   Again, words Jesus uses here are also found in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's Gospel, and also in Luke's Gospel, each in a different context (see Matthew 7:2; Luke 6:38).  No doubt this spiritual truth, applicable to many circumstances, was repeated by Christ many times.

 

 And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."  My study Bible tells us that this parable occurs only in the Gospel of St. Mark.  The kingdom, it explains, is a reference to the whole span of God's dispensation or plan of salvation.  The man is Christ, and the seed is the gospel (see Christ's explanation of the parable of the Sower in yesterday's reading, above).  The man's sleep, in this understanding, indicates the death of Christ, from which He will rise.  That the man does not know how the seed grows shows that Jesus does not manipulate people's response to the gospel; rather, each is free to receive it and to let it grow in one's own heart.  The harvest indicates the Second Coming, when everyone will be judged on their reception of the gospel.

 

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."   In St. Matthew's Gospel, this parable is paired with the parable of the leaven (see Matthew 13:31-33).  Both illustrate the explosive and expansive growth of the Kingdom.  According to Theophylact (noted in my study Bible) this represents the disciples, who began as a few, but "soon encompassed the whole world."  These also stand for faith entering a person's soul, causing an inward growth of virtue.  Thus the soul can become godlike and even receive angels (the birds of the air may nest under its shade). 

 

 And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.  My study Bible comments that, to unbelievers, the parables remain bewildering.  to those with simple faith, it notes, these stories using common images reveal truth in ways they can grasp, as they were able.

My study Bible explains that the Hebrew and Aramaic words for parable also mean "allegory," "riddle," or "proverb."   In yesterday's reading, Jesus told the disciples, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables . . .."  So, my study Bible comments, this can also be translated as ". . . all things come in riddles."  So, as we read these various parables given to us here, and taught to the crowds by Jesus, let us note first of all that He explains them privately to His disciples later.  That is, for those with what we might call receptive ears, so to speak, Jesus continues to elaborate the meanings of the "riddles" hidden in these parables.  Such it is that we may also assume we will find meanings in the parables, and that, through faith, they may continue to render meanings applicable to our lives even at various times in our lives.  We can see through patristic commentary and even the short notes in my study Bible, various understandings are possible, as the teachings of Jesus apply to so much and so many circumstances -- whether that be the apostles sent out as "seeds" or even the Church itself as a grain of mustard seed that grows with expansive growth.  Even as individuals, we also may experience the same growth that works in us and produces expressions in our lives at various times, even so that we also may harbor angels and their work and guidance to us (as they ministered to Jesus in the wilderness during His time of temptation; see Mark 1:13).  So when we read these parables, let us do so with open hearts and open ears.  We should not be surprised if, through faith, glimmers of meanings come to us as we experience various aspects of our faith throughout our lives.  Jesus promises that "there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light."  St. John's Gospel in particular emphasizes that Christ is light (the Creed says "Light of Light, true God of true God"); see John 1:1-9; 8:12.  So, therefore, what we find in this image of the lamp that cannot be hidden is also the nature of this light:  that it must spread and be shown, similar to the amazing nature of the growth that comes out of the mustard seed, and also the truths of God revealed to those who may receive them.  These are mysteries to us as they remain hidden as we cannot grasp them; but note that Jesus gave the word as they were able to hear it.   This light that cannot be hidden, these things that will be revealed, secret things that should come to light, all express the expansive, generous nature of God, what we might even call an explosive grace that is characterized more than anything else by a love that continually reaches toward us to share in that Kingdom, and desires for us to know as we are known, as St. Paul puts it (1 Corinthians 13:12).  Therefore, to know the parables is to revisit them as they show us new lights about our faith, as we become more "able to hear."  Jesus teaches us, "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."  With faith, we look forward to receive more of God's gracious light; for as we live that faith we're given, and share that light, so we step onto the path of more to be given.

 

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven

 

 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  

 

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

 

- Matthew 5:11-16 

 

 Yesterday we read that Jesus, seeing the multitudes who now follow Him, went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.  Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.  Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

 

"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."  My study Bible comments that those who suffer persecution for Christ walk the road of the prophets, saints, and martyrs.  The Greek for be exceedingly glad means to "leap exceedingly with joy."  (See Acts 5:40-41.)

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house."  Salt and light are illustrations of the role of disciples in society.  My study Bible explains that because of its preservative powers, its necessity for life, and its ability to give flavor, salt had religious and sacrificial significance (Leviticus 2:13; see also Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5).  To eat salt with another meant to be bound together in loyalty.  As the salt of the earth, Christians are therefore preservers of God's covenant, and they thereby give true flavor to the world.   As for light, we know that God is the true and uncreated Light.  My study Bible says that in the Old Testament light is symbolic of God (Isaiah 60:1-3), the divine Law (Psalms 119:105), and Israel in contrast to other nations.  In the New Testament, the Son of God is called "light" (John 1:4-9, 8:12; 1 John 1:5).  Light is also necessary for clear vision and also for life itself.  Faith is reliant upon this divine light, and believers become "sons of light" (John 12:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:5) who shine in a perverse world (Philippians 2:15).  In many Eastern Orthodox parishes, the Easter Liturgy begins with a candle presented together with the invitation to "come receive the Light which is never overtaken by night."

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."  My study Bible says that Christian virtues have both a personal and a public function, as our virtue can bring others to glorify the Father.  

What does it mean to let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven?  This could be a confusing question as my study Bible explains it, because in our present time various "virtuous acts" mean different things to different people.  What is popularly called "virtue signaling" is precisely such seeming activity, and yet it is not at all universally seen as a light which leads people to glorify God.  What that might be telling us is that we have the wrong end of the stick, and our usual way of thinking will not really suffice to answer the question.  What would lead people to glorify our Father in heaven in our own good works?  What leads people to God?  If we look at the question this way, it's not just a matter of persuasion or the appearance of good acts that please people.  This is something different.  This is Jesus calling upon us for truly positive acts of living our faith, and that will cause people to glorify God.  How do we let God's light shine through us?  There are surprising ways to look at this question, because in our modern age, we approach such a question, and such a statement by Christ, as if it were merely directed to individuals and individual behavior.  But what if it's not?  What if, as would be much more commonly perceived and understood in Christ's time, Jesus is speaking not to address people as individuals, but as a community?  If we look at Christians as whole communities from the time of the earliest Church, we see a number of social innovations we could really call letting God's light shine through this community.  Following out of Christ's teachings of the kingdom of God, Christian communities built institutions like hospitals.  Following out of the need for literacy to spread the gospel message in the Scriptures, educational institutions evolved out of monasteries, places where literacy could be learned and books copied.  The social changes that came about in societies that became overwhelmingly, and eventually officially, Christian meant that human life was considered to be far more sacred than it was in pagan societies, which did not formerly frown on infanticide, for example.  The widespread practice of baptism in and of itself taught whole peoples the importance of the soul, the salvation of the human person, and over the centuries such teachings made a great deal of difference indeed in the evolution of structures of justice, medical care, and whole fields of science for human welfare.  If we look at such an evolution over time, and what happens when the light of God shines through whole peoples, we begin to focus on the beauty and truth and goodness that is possible to develop as a cultural history and inheritance.  In Churches we find architecture and art that speaks to a whole history of the beauty of that light, even the seeing the truth and goodness of Creator through the goodness and beauty of creation itself.  The art of mosaic and icon depict creation and creatures as windows through which Creator shines, vehicles of God's mercy and light.  These are not things we take lightly, but they may often -- in a modern world -- be things which we take entirely too much for granted.  In the beauty of music and poetry and hymnody we find the light of God shining through human creativity in honor of Creator, and the astonishing creativity that adds beauty to the lives of all who may participate and hear -- not reserved only for elites or the elect but found in Churches and services that were meant to include even the "least of these" in the society.  Taken on such a scale and over such a perspective, we might find that the light of God shining through a faithful community takes on a transfiguring role in the world and in the society, until we take it all for granted and forget where it came from and how it started.  Let us consider how the light of God shining through human communities has contributed to the world, and how it may yet move us forward into new "light" for a future age.  For these aspects of beauty and goodness can only be understood if we remember that we glorify God through them, that to see the beauty of creation is to illumine the glory of the Creator.  When such perception dies, so does the care of society and community, and so plummets the value of human life and the things that make for our real social good.  Have you a way to glorify Creator by strengthening community?  Can you contribute to beauty for the love of the world?  How does the light of Christ lead you to give to others, to community, to do works of great beauty, of compassion?  For in the One who brought us the light, we find the image of One who saves for the sake of all, and who glorifies God. 

 

For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light

 

 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?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  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.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  

And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."

And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

 

- Mark 4:21-34 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus again began to teach by the sea.  And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was one the land facing the sea.  Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:  "Listen!  Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.  Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.  And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.  But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."  And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.  And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.'"And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable?  How then will you understand all the parables?  The sower sows the word.  And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown.  When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.  These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time.  Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.  Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.  But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some  a hundred." 

 

 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?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  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.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."   Jesus' analogy about the lamp and its light is also used in the Sermon on the Mount, at Matthew 5:15, but in a different context.  Here these words are part of Christ's call to attentive listening and discriminating response.  My study Bible comments that we must not only hear, but hear properly.  More will be given to those who respond to Christ with open hearts, and they will therefore grow in understanding.  My study Bible quotes St. Mark the Ascetic:  "Do the good you know, and what you do not know will be revealed to you."  Again, we find another saying here as part of the Sermon on the Mount ("With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you"), as well as in Luke's Gospel (see Matthew 7:2; Luke 6:38), each in a different context.  No doubt, my study Bible remarks, Jesus repeated this particular message many times.  

And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."    This parable is found only in Mark's Gospel.  My study Bible explains that the kingdom refers to the whole span of God's dispensation or plan of salvation.  The man is Christ, and the seed is the gospel, as in the parable of the Sower in yesterday's reading, above.  The man's sleep, according to this interpretation, indicates Christ's death, from which He will rise.  That the man does not know how the seed grows shows that Christ does not manipulate human beings' responses to the gospel.  But instead, each person is free to receive it and to let it grow in one's own heart.  The harvest indicates the Second Coming, when all will be judged on their reception of the gospel.  

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."  My study Bible says that, according to Theophylact, the mustard seed represents the disciples, who began as just a few men but "soon encompassed the whole earth."  It also stands for faith entering a person's soul, which causes an inward growth of virtue.  This soul, my study Bible says, will become godlike and can receive even angels (the birds of the air may nest under its shade).

And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.  Again the Gospel emphasizes that Jesus speaks to the large crowds who now gather to Him in parables.  He wishes to engage those who will truly desire what He offers, past the fascination or draw of the miracles and signs He does.

There is a very interesting writer, lecturer, and artist named Jonathan Pageau, who specializes in symbolism and how it is at work in our lives.  His fascinating website includes many video and other presentations; it's called The Symbolic World.  One can also find many of his video presentations on YouTube, which often feature other well-known figures.  Pageau is one of the many contemporary figures who evoke an understanding of what we might call the things that are hidden in plain sight.  That is, the symbolism inherent in stories, Scripture, and what we observe in the world, and the echoes of meanings behind them.  There are many contemporary artists, thinkers, and those concerned with a renewal of faith who focus on these subjects.  Some call this idea "re-enchantment," indicating that in our contemporary culture, our societies have lost a great deal of our historical understanding of beauty and truth, and the meanings that filled daily life for our ancestors.  The reason I bring up this topic is not simply due to its contemporary appeal for many, but rather to speak further about Jesus' love of teaching in parables, and His obviously powerful use of them.  If we look carefully at Scripture, what we find is not so much teaching material, nor even direct and obvious commandments, but stories.  We are taught through stories.  In fact, some say that we cannot live without stories, and after blogging on Scripture for such a time I would say that I must agree with that.  For the story of Christ's ministry isn't only about "teachable moments," as a particular popular expression puts it.  The story of Christ is meaningful to us simply because it is a story.  When we read the stories of what Jesus did, of how He spoke to people, of how He responded to people, of all the things He did in His ministry, then we grasp on to meanings that affect us and help us.  We learn in a way that one can't get simply from hearing a lecture.  When we have stories to tell one another, stories that are told to ourselves, stories about Christ that we can repeat to ourselves, elements of which we remind ourselves in times when they come back to us to illuminate something going on in our own lives -- in all of these ways, the stories (or perhaps we could say Story of Christ's life) give us echoes and meanings that continue throughout our lives, and new illuminations when we need them when we go through our own story to tell of our lives.  We live by stories, and this has been called "The Greatest Story Ever Told."  So the Son has come into the world in order to give us His story, the story of His life, but more importantly, of His ministry, so that we can tell it to one another and benefit from it immeasurably ourselves.  Reflective of that wisdom that sent Christ into this world is the wisdom of Jesus in giving to us parables, stories that can reach down into us in ways that lectures and teachings and commands cannot.  For these stories, drawn from every day life, illustrate the mysterious ways of the Kingdom in ways that we can grasp, and learn to understand -- and in ways that ask us for growth in continual renewal of how we come to know more deeply the truths of those simple stories.  The poignant aspect of the mustard seed, growing into a sturdy bush with branches that even give shelter to the birds of the air -- angels, perhaps, in disguise -- continues to echo its meaning to us in just these few beautiful but simple words of Christ.  When we run out of witty remarks, or pithy statements, or deep treatises of fact or theories, what we need are stories.  Let us grasp those stories and hold fast to them that they may continue for those who come later.  Let us consider how powerful stories are, and how much we all need them, for they teach us so much -- and no one has told them better than Christ.  We simply need the ears to hear.

Where is your faith?

 

 "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."

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  

Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

 

- Luke 8:16–25 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities -- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.  And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  "A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.  Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."  When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"  And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.' Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience." 

 

  "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."  Jesus has just told a parable about planting seeds, the word of God.  The parables themselves are told so that those "with ears to hear" can come to know the mysteries of God.  Here Jesus speaks of the revelations to those who "hear" and seek Him, and keep His word.  He is emphasizing the importance of living that word, taking it to heart, and making it a part of one's life.  

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  My study Bible comments that Christ's will was not to deny His mother and brothers.  Instead, Jesus is correcting both His family members and His hearers, according to St. John Chrysostom, "to the right idea concerning Himself," that the family of His Kingdom "is not by nature but by virtue."  This passage placed here emphasizes the teaching above -- that we all must "take heed how you hear."  That is, this is a call to all, even to family members, and creating communion.

 

 Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"  My study Bible comments that Christ deliberately permits the windstorm to arise while He is sleeping in order to perfect the disciples' faith, and also to rebuke their weaknesses -- all so that they will eventually be unshaken by life's temptations.  One can simply imagine what they will go through as apostles going out to all the world after Pentecost.  Here, my study Bible says, their faith is still mixed with unbelief.  They showed faith when they came to Him, but unbelief when they said, "We are perishing."

One must marvel not so much as the signs of Christ's authority, power, and divine identity (although of course, they are marvelous signs of the presence of God with us), but at the wisdom of God's testing.  So often we are inclined simply to forget this part of the Bible, although this thread is shot through all the stories we will ever read in the Scriptures.  Let's take the centerpiece of the Old Testament, Israel wandering in the desert following Moses.  How much testing is involved in that particular chunk of the Scriptures, and is so much a part of everything we learn in the Bible?  Jesus Himself is tested:  He is led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit in order to be tempted and tested by the devil.  This is clearly an essential and important part of the story of faith.  Jesus says, "Remember Lot's wife" in Luke's chapter 17, when He is teaching the apostles about the end times.  She was the one who turned back to look upon the remains of the places destroyed by God, and was herself then turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:12-29).  We are prepared by God for endurance, for the difficulties, dangers, and temptations of this world -- so that we continue to move forward more deeply into our faith.  As commented above, think about the apostles and the things that they would encounter when they went out into the world after Pentecost.  If we read the Letters of St. Paul, we find constant conflict and difficulties and challenges.  How many of the apostles became martyrs?  John the Evangelist seems to have lived a long life, but it was one of persecution and exile.  All of this is not to discourage, but to help us to understand that we are on a journey with a purpose, and that purpose is not some simple plan to lead a life with no challenges and no achievements that correspond to those challenges.  If we look closely at the passage of the windstorm, and Christ's miracle, we can clearly understand that His "sign" comes entirely unexpectedly.  Many of us have the experience of feeling like there is no hope to do something we need to do, only to find that in surprising ways everything works out.  This is so often the outcome of prayer through a difficult circumstance that one is tempted to think that everyone reading this will understand through their own experience.  Often, things do not work the way we necessarily prayed for them to work, but the outcome nonetheless is provided which can lead to other things, or lessons learned.  At any rate, the testing becomes another contribution to our own power of faith, and our capacity to endure in it (Matthew 24:13; Mark 13:13).  The stories of the Bible give us the answer that more is demanded of us by God than we are necessarily prepared to know we are capable of giving, or achieving.  But it is Christ who calls us forward, who tells us that we are those who have the capacity to know the mysteries of the Kingdom (see yesterday's reading, above), or that we might be called on to rise to occasions we have never contemplated.   This includes learning the discernment of the wise ("take heed how you hear"), even though we didn't start out with that wisdom.   Everything Jesus teaches in today's reading is a kind of preparation, a teaching of readiness for something ahead.  We might call it mission, or even just a calling, but Christ's words all give us a sense that His mission is to give us a mission -- something that challenges us for our lifetimes, in terms of how we will live and carry His kingdom into the world.  In a time when so much is taken for granted, Christ still prepares us for fortitude, to be called to something greater than we know.  It is an honor to be so called, an unsurpassed gift that calls us into His family, to be like Him and to follow Him.  The grace He offers is always waiting for us, to "hear the word of God and do it."

The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness

 

 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!"  But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, "This is an evil generation.  It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.  For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.  The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.  The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.  

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.  The lamp of the body is the eye.  Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light.  But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.  Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.  If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light." 

 

- Luke 11:27-36 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus was casting out a demon, and it was mute.  So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled.  But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."   Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.  But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them:  "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.  If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?  Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub.  And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out?  Therefore they will be your judges.  But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.  When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace.  But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.  He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.   When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first."

 

 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!"  But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"  In the Eastern Orthodox Church, these verses are read on most feasts of the Virgin Mary.  Jesus corrects the woman from the crowd, my study Bible explains, not by denouncing His mother, but by emphasizing her faith.  People are blessed in God's eyes if, like Mary, they hear the word of God and keep it (Luke 1:38).  My study Bible further explains the translation,  in which the phrase "more than that" is from the Greek word μενοῦνγε/menounge.  This same word is translated, "Yes indeed" in Romans 10:18.   The correction by the use of this word is through amplification -- not by negation.

 

 And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, "This is an evil generation.  It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.  For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.  The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.  The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here."  My study Bible explains the sign of Jonah as first of all, the fact that the rebellious Ninevites were willing to repent at Jonah's preaching (see Jonah 3), and that Jonah coming out of the great fish (Jonah 2) prefigures Christ rising from the tomb (Matthew 12:40).  By contrast to the repentance of the Ninevites, the failure of the people to repent at something far greater -- Christ's preaching and Resurrection -- will result in their judgment.  For the reference to the Queen of the South, see 3 Kings 10:1-10.

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.  The lamp of the body is the eye.  Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light.  But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.  Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.  If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light."  We have seen the teaching about the lamp that must be placed on a lampstand to give light everywhere, as it refers to the teachings of Christ lived out in the lives of His followers (Luke 8:16).  Here, Christ uses the same image for the illumination that comes from Himself to us, but it is an image of the mind illumined through His word and our discipline in following Him.  The mind (in Greek, the νοῦς/nous) is the spiritual eye of the soul, my study Bible explains, and thus it is the lamp of the body.  It illuminates the inner person and governs the will.  There is a deeper connection to the "eye" in the sense that we may speak of how we see as the way we view the world, the illumination (or darkening filter) through which we see everything.  

 

If we look more closely at this final paragraph, we see Jesus speaking distinctly about choices we make through which we will come to view the world.  These are choices that govern our outlook through which we will live our lives and see our places in the universe.  He says, "No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.  The lamp of the body is the eye."  He first makes clear that the lighting of this lamp, the eye of the mind, governs our entire outlook and even experience of life.  This is not something that partially illuminates or sheds light on small part of life, but rather determines a whole outlook.  In other words, the eye of the mind has the far reaching effect of governing our condition in life, the way in which we find ourselves situated to life and in the world.  "Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light.  But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.  Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.  If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light."  If our "illumination" is good, then this will light up our whole lives, our whole way of being and experience in life, our souls.  But if it is dark, this darkness permeates also our experience and filter of life, how we see and view everything; it limits us to what is not light, distorting our view and understanding, limiting the reality we may perceive.  This is why discipleship is important; it is why we keep asking, seeking, and knocking (Luke 11:9).  The pursuit of this light, of this illumination, is therefore worth doing with passion, with all the strength we have, as a daily practice, and with the understanding that it is crucial to the full outlook of our lives, our well-being, the choices that we make, the opportunities that we find, because there are no barriers to this eye and its far-reaching consequences in us.  If we live with a darkened mind, then our whole world is darkened, our outlook darkened, our capacity to feel and to know is blunted, our perception of necessity dimmed.  By comparing the people who fail to repent -- that is, to turn toward that light and change their minds -- negatively to the Queen of the South or the Ninevites, Jesus is giving a stark warning about the powerful consequences that result from such a refusal of the lamp of illumination which He offers.  The Queen of the South brought the light of knowledge and wisdom to her people and we read about her to this day; the king of the Ninevites saved his people from a terrible blight due to his acknowledgement of a need for repentance.  He was willing to listen to the wisdom of God, as did the Queen of the South.  But the failure to heed a prophetic word of God will have equally powerful consequences, only in a negative form.  The choice for darkness limits us to a life in which failure to heed the wisdom of a worsening circumstance results in harsher or more blunted conditions, the inability to see spiritually what road we're on leads us to deeper mistakes and more profound consequences.  In Luke 6:39, Jesus uses this same illustration of light and darkness of the eye, only He takes it to the point of blindness:  "“Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?"  As Jesus goes through the cities of Israel, He is now on His way to Jerusalem and to His Passion.  His disciples go before Him to herald the advent of the Kingdom come near (see this reading from last week).  This call still goes out to all of us, Christ's illumination and His command, "Follow Me," remain a call to discipleship and the light which will illumine the mind and shape our outlook and experience of life.  For the light still shines in the darkness for us, but the darkness will not comprehend it (John 1:5).