Matthew 5:14-16 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
Here the Lord Jesus said that the disciples are the light of the world, and the light cannot be hidden, just like a city built on a hill cannot be hidden. A man does not light a lamp and put it under a bowl, but on a lampstand to give light to the family. The bowl is used to hold food or drink. What does it mean to put a lamp under a bowl? It means that we should not let eating and drinking, or daily living affect our lamps to shine. We should let our light shine before men, that they may see our good works, and give glory to our heavenly Father.
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
Here the Lord Jesus said that He is the light of the world, and those who follow Him will not walk in darkness, but will receive the light of life and become the light of the world.
21 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? (Mark 4:21)
In the parallel passage here, the Lord Jesus said that people do not put their lamps under a bowl or under a bed, but on a lampstand. As mentioned earlier, the bowel represents eating or drinking, or daily living, and the bed represents marriage. Here, the Lord Jesus said that we should not let marriage affect our light to shine. We should put a lamp on the lampstand, let good deeds shine before others.
May God bless you and your family.
