Understanding Jesus’ teaching isn’t always simple. Part of the challenge is that we live in a different time and culture than the one in which Jesus spoke. That means the meaning may not always be obvious on the surface—we often need to dig a little deeper to discover the truth He intended.
One of the more puzzling passages I’ve wrestled with is found in Luke 11:33–36:
“No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.
“Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is unhealthy, your body is filled with darkness.
“Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.” (NLT)
At first glance, it sounds similar to Jesus’ words in Matthew 5 about being the light of the world. But here, the emphasis feels different—and a little harder to grasp. Even William Barclay admitted, “The meaning is not easy to grasp.”
So let’s do a little work together.
Setting the Context
To understand these verses, we need to keep them in context. Earlier in Luke 11, people are questioning who Jesus really is. Some accuse Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan. Others demand a miraculous sign to prove His identity—as if His healings and teachings weren’t enough.
In the middle of all this, a woman calls out, “God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!” (v. 27, NLT).
Jesus’ response is key:
“But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” (v. 28, NLT)
He then warns the crowd that they’ll be judged—not by other Jews, but by outsiders. The queen of Sheba sought out Solomon’s wisdom, while the people of Nineveh repented at Jonah’s preaching. Yet here stood someone greater than Solomon and Jonah, and this crowd wasn’t listening.
The lesson? It’s not enough to have access to God’s truth. The real question is: What will you do with it?
The Call to Be Radiant
Now the lamp-and-eye teaching makes more sense. Truth is meant to be shared, not hidden. But it’s also meant to be received with an open and willing heart.
A “healthy eye” is one that seeks truth and is willing to be taught, like the queen of Sheba. A “healthy eye” also repents when confronted by God’s word, like the people of Nineveh.
On the other hand, an “unhealthy eye” belongs to someone who refuses to be corrected—who insists truth must fit their preconceived ideas, or who looks for loopholes to excuse disobedience. That kind of closed-off heart leaves a person in darkness, no matter how much light is available.
Jesus makes it clear: the blessed life comes not from merely hearing truth, but from obeying it. When we receive God’s truth with open eyes and repentant hearts, His light fills us—transforming us into radiant witnesses of His kingdom.
A Question for Us
We live in a time where information is everywhere. Podcasts, blogs, sermons, and social media feed us content all day long. But none of that makes us radiant on its own. What matters is how we respond to the truth of God’s Word.
So here’s the question worth asking: Is my life being radiant with God’s truth—or am I just collecting information without transformation?
Because in the end, the light of truth is not just something we study. It’s something we live.
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