The Significance of “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.”

The phrase “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.” is a super powerful discipleship code used by Jesus in Matthew 5:15 from the Sermon on the Mount. It’s a simple yet profound discipleship code that Jesus uses to illustrate the importance of sharing our gifts and talents with the world.

Context of the Phrase

The code appears within Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, a collection of teachings focusing on right living and morality for spreading God’s message. The code “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.” is found in Matthew 5:15, is preceded by the image of a city on a hill, which cannot be hidden. This image is meant to convey the idea that Christians are meant to be visible and influential in the world. They are not meant to blend in or hide their faith.

The code is followed by the call to let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. This makes it clear that the purpose of our light is not to draw attention to ourselves, but to glorify God and bring benefit to others.

Significance of the Phrase

The code “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.” means that we should not hide our talents or gifts. We should use them to benefit others and to bring glory to God. Just as a candle is meant to give light, so too are we meant to share our light with the world.

Use our gifts: We all have unique talents and abilities that we are meant to use it beneficially. Hiding them away is like putting a candle under a bushel. It means we were made to shine.

Impact on others: When we use our gifts to serve and bless others, it brings light and hope into their lives. Just like a candle illuminates a room, our positive actions can have a ripple effect, making the world a better place.

Glorify our Father: Our gifts ultimately come from God, and when we use them for good, it brings glory to Him. We become instruments of His love and grace in the world.

Application of the Phrase

The code “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.” can be applied to many areas of our lives. We can think about how we are using our gifts and talents to serve others. We can also consider how our words and actions reflect our faith in God.

Here are some specific ways we can apply the code:

Share our faith: We can share our faith with others in both word and deed. We can talk about our beliefs, and we can also live lives that are consistent with those beliefs.

Use our gifts: We can use our gifts and talents to serve others. This could involve volunteering our time, using our skills to help others, or simply being a nice and encouraging presence in the lives of others.

Make our difference: We can look for ways to make a difference in our communities and in the world. This could involve getting involved in social justice work, supporting local charities, or simply being a kind and friendly neighbor.

Remember, the light we are meant to shine is not our own. It is the light of Christ that shines through us. As we live our lives in obedience to him, his light will shine brightly in and through us, illuminating the world around us.