Jesus told the disciples they were special, and they were! Jesus had revealed to them in the verses just prior to Luke 8:16-18 the meaning behind the Parable of the Sower. This was information which would not be made known to everyone else for some time when all who believed in Him would be made saints. Until that time, it was just for the ones who were to go out and be the apostles of Christ. To the disciples, though, Jesus let them know that with such knowledge comes incredible responsibility: “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away” (Luke 8:16-18).
They now had a job to do, and Jesus reflects back to the Sermon on the Mount to do it. In Matthew 5:15, He spoke: “Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
The words were for the masses; the crowds of Jews were not the special few who would become the apostles of Christ. The disciples were there too, and Jesus is expanding upon the concept with them now. They were privy to the knowledge and it would be foolishness to keep that knowledge shuttered up. They were to go and spread the gospel everywhere, and Jesus takes it to the next level of understanding for them.
He tells them that they were going to be the ones who were to expose the evil in the world and bring light to the darkness through their preaching and creation of the church. At that time, this knowledge was revealed only to the disciples. Today, through the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, these men and others recorded it so that we, too, can understand it as the disciples did. In Acts, the apostles — and by their example us today — are not only spreading the gospel, but calling out false doctrines, heretics, and establishing the guidelines by which we conduct ourselves today in the worship of God.
In Mark 4:24, Jesus tells them to “pay attention to what you hear.” He is referring to knowledge of the kingdom of God. They had been given knowledge, and if they paid attention and heard, they would be given more knowledge and more understanding. That is how the teaching tool of the parable works. If you are listening to what you are hearing and want to know, you can find those hidden truths. Proverbs 9:9 says, “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.”
What is possibly the most frightening part of this passage is the last about the one who has not, referring to his knowledge and search there for, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away. It is like the one talent man from Matthew 25:24-30. He knew his master and what kind of man he was, but he still did not use his talent as was required of him. He thought he did a good thing, not risking the money, and burying it away, presenting it to the master like a trophy of his not losing it, but it was taken away from him and he was thrown out into the darkness with the weeping and gnashing of teeth because the master expected him to do something with what he had. Instead, he did what he thought was best, despite having access to the knowledge of the master’s intent.
Those who think they understand but are not listening will not come away with knowledge. While it is okay not to understand, it is seeking knowledge, such as the disciples did when they asked Jesus for the meaning of the parable, that gives path to wisdom. He provided and gave them a deeper meaning, increasing their knowledge further than they expected. He said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6).
Lance Byers