Luke 8:16-20

Luke 8:16 (KJB)
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.

A person would not light a candle for the purpose of lighting a dark room and then go place the candle under a bushel, thus quenching the light. A light is lit in a house for the purpose of lighting up the dark home. This is the same mentality the believer must have. He is not given the Gospel for the purpose of keeping it to himself but is given the Gospel for the purpose of sending it forth for all to hear. Just as a light lights everyone in the house and is not biased as to who is receiving the light, the believer must send out the Gospel to as many as he or she can, not knowing whom the Lord has chosen for salvation. We send it forth without prejudice.

Luke 8:17 (KJB)
For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

Here Jesus is speaking of His parables that the time will come when nothing will be hidden but the Gospel will go forth in plainness and power. The mysteries which were hidden in the Hebrew Scriptures will no longer be mysteries because when the Gospel is preached, then all these will be explained by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, Christ was a mystery but no more. In the Old Testament, salvation by grace was a great mystery but now it is manifest to the whole world.

Luke 8:18 (KJB)
Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

Jesus then warns His disciples that they need to beware or take heed as to what they hear. What they hear could affect their spiritual understanding of the Scriptures. Listening to a false teacher on a consistent basis may heavily affect how one understand the Scriptures. If one hears something in truth and then heeds those words by studying them and passing the teaching on to others, then as you minister to others, you will also be ministered to. If you are the type of Christian who has a great love for the word of God and wants to learn all they can, then that attitude will yield much fruit because as one learns the Scriptures they are passing it out in great measure. The word in the Greek for “hear” in this verse means “hearing with understanding.” This verse is pointing only to believers who have been qualified to hear the true Gospel, to study it, and disseminate it. The more a Christian understands, the more they will have the Scriptures open to them and will then be able to minister to many. (Luke 24:45 KJV) Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, God will open up our understanding in response to our desire to know Him and the Scriptures. Those Christians who spend no time studying will remain spiritually neutered and will no doubt have no ministry and no fruit. A sad situation indeed.

Then Jesus gives a spiritual principle. Those who have become saved and understand the Gospel will have their understanding increased to the point that they will have abundant understanding. Of course, this came with the filling of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost and right after that we saw the disciples preaching the fulness of the Gospel and the whole story like Stephen and Peter. (Prov 9:9 KJV) Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. Then Jesus gives the other side of the story and that those who have not, which are those who are unsaved, shall have taken from them even what they have, that is, those who have the external façade of religiosity and think that they have understanding will become more apostate in their views and will walk farther away from God. In the final analysis, all their religion and knowledge will not help them because they will stand in the judgment and since they are found false, will be cast into the lake of fire and thus what they had is taken from them such as false assurance of Heaven.

Luke 8:19 (KJB)
Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.

Here was a possible family intervention as His earthly mother desired to speak with Him and His brethren. Maybe they thought that He was going to get into serious trouble by challenging the Pharisees and they wanted to stop Him before He got into serious trouble. Jesus was apparently teaching in someone’s house and the crowd had surrounded the house so they could hear the teachings. Since His brothers did not believe on Him, maybe they wanted to get Jesus out of there. They also may have feared for themselves because as family members, they could have been thrown out of the temple and not allowed in. This scenario is seen in John 9 when Jesus healed the blind man and the parents were called on by the leaders to answer for him. They had told the Pharisees to talk to their son because he is of age. They feared excommunication. (John 9:22-23 KJV) These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. {23} Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.

Luke 8:20 (KJB)
And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.

The Greek text shows that his mother and brethren were standing outside for quite a while trying to get indoors to see Him when finally someone came to the Lord and told Him that His mother and brethren are desiring to see Him. The word in the Greek for “desiring” denotes they were looking intently for Him and strongly desiring to speak to Him.

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