Lessons From the Land: The GospelsSample

In Jesus’ time, an oil lamp would have been a very common household appliance, much like a microwave or vacuum cleaner today. A family would light the lamp and put it on a lampstand which would have been high off the ground so it could provide light to the whole room. The practice is still very common today as many of our electric lights are hanging from the ceiling or sitting up high on a table or shelf. 

Now imagine turning those lights on and then covering them with a blanket. The thought of doing something like that seems a little ridiculous to us. Just as that seems strange to us, it would have also seemed strange to light an oil lamp in the first century and then hide it under a basket or put it in the corner of the room where it’s light couldn’t shine efficiently. That’s what Jesus is demonstrating in Mark 4 when he compares the light of a lamp to the light of truth. 

If we know the truth why would we want to hide that from others? That idea should feel as ridiculous as covering up the light. Still, many people do just that when they choose not to share the truth of God’s love and mercy and Christ’s sacrifice. 

Jesus was wise, he used such a simple visual, something everyone was familiar with, to share a very powerful message.

If you enjoyed these videos and this Bible plan than you can find even more videos like these and a deeper study of the lands of the Bible on our website. Visit https://appianmedia.org and click on the videos section to watch the  complete 13-video series and get the workbook for your family, small group, or Bible class.