Lucas 11

Lucas 11

Poole says the metaphor of a lamp "was a kind of proverbial speech, and so applicable to diverse subjects." No one (oudeis - absolutely no one), after lighting (hapto/haptomai) a lamp (luchnos/lychnos), puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket (módios), but on the lampstand, so that (term of purpose/result) those who enter may see the light - First, ask to whom is Jesus speaking this "light pericope"? If we check the context (always the "king" in interpretation), we see a "crowds were increasing." (Lk 11:29+). Who else is present? His disciples, who He will be intentionally teaching during this last "six month sabbatical," for for when He, the Light of world, was gone, they would then be His lights in the darkness. So part of the audience would be the crowd of Jewish men and women drawn to the dramatic exorcism in Lk 11:14+ which amazed the crowds. Now regarding His words, everyone in the crowds and all the disciples knew the clear truth of this statement. Little oil lamps were placed on a lampstand to give light to the whole room. LIGHTS WERE MEANT TO BE SEEN! So Jesus begins with a fact or truth about which no one could claim ignorance. He is speaking metaphorically (see terms of comparison) by using something well known to reveal something not known, not revealed or not understood (ultimately that HE WAS THE LIGHT). It is axiomatic that physical light reveals, but absence of light, that is, darkness conceals (cf Eph 5:11, 13+). This is a truth in the physical world but more importantly in the spiritual world - spiritual light reveals, but spiritual darkness conceals! Revealing light is what Jesus, the Light of the world, has been doing for about two and one half years - revealing spiritual light to those otherwise hopelessly lost in spiritual darkness! In this passage, Jesus has, as it were, placed Himself on the lampstand so that the entire nation of Israel would have spiritual light to see spiritual truth and be spiritually saved. Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges - The comparison is the same as in Matthew 5:14, Mark 4:21; but the application in the next verse is different. The light is here used for inward enlightenment, not to be seen afar. Fortner - Christ is the Light. Some seeing the Light are dazzled by it. One, seeing something of our Lord’s brightness cried, “Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.” The malicious Pharisees and religionists saw nothing of the Light. They blatantly imputed the Master’s works of mercy to the Devil. Many profess to see so light in him but see so little that they ask for a sign from heaven to make the light more clear! Our Lord’s constant answer in his day was the same as it is in ours. The Light just keeps on shining, unaffected by the darkness that cannot see. Brilliant that Light shined in Palestine, it shines more brilliantly today. The Light is meant to be seen. Therefore the Lord God has put the Light of the World upon a lamp stand and lifted him up. Lifted up upon the Cross. Lifted up in His Resurrection. Lifted up in His Ascension.Lifted up in The Gospel. Hendriksen on the pericope in Lk 11:33-36 - a moment’s study immediately reveals that the Lucan paragraph harmonizes beautifully with the preceding context. Christ’s enemies have been slandering him. They have been saying, “It is by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons, that he casts out demons” (Lk 11:15). Also they have been demanding “a sign from heaven” (Lk 11:16, 29–32). What all this amounts to is that they have been saying, “It is your fault that we do not believe in you.” It is therefore most appropriate that Jesus now shows them that the actual situation is the other way around; to put it colloquially, that “the shoe is on the other foot.” It is not Jesus who is at fault but his enemies are to blame. The Light is shining, but they are obstructing it! The Father had sent his Son into the world to be its Light, but these people are turning their backs on this great Gift!..... In the natural sphere no one would think of lighting a lamp and then hiding it in a cellar or under the peck-measure; yet that is exactly what you, my critics, are doing in the spiritual sphere. Instead of allowing my light to shine into your hearts and lives [‘on the lampstand,’ where everyone who enters can see it], you are obscuring it.” How were they doing this? See Matt. 15:3; 23:23. (Borrow Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke) J C