There’s a particular technique that shows up in Scripture where writers want to show that a train of thought is being followed through from start to conclusion. It functions to bracket various thoughts, points, narratives together and is known technically as an inclusion. The method use is to repeat a word, phrase or pericope at the beginning and the end.
So, when working through Luke’s Gospel, we might want to be alert to the way that this phrase is stated in Luke 8:16
“No one lights a lamp and hides it”
Then it is effectively repeated in Luke 11:33
In Luke 9, the point is that you cannot avoid things being exposed and brought into the light. In Luke 11, the point is that the light is needed to bring life and health into the darkness of our inner lives.
In between, there’s a lot going on. I would suggest that it is all linked together and linked to the theme of light searching, exposing and bringing life. There’s a conversation about the revelation of Christ’s real family (8:19-21). Jesus’ own identity is increasingly exposed, brought into public knowledge through the signs he does such as calming a storm (8:22-25), raising the dead and healing the sick (8:40-56), or feeding a crowd (9:10-17). It is also seen as he sends out ambassadors (9:1-9) and as he is transfigured (9:28-36). He is also identified at this juncture as Christ by his disciples, particularly Peter(9:18-20).
Contact with Jesus also brings others into the light including a woman who is not allowed to hide in the shadows after claiming her healing (8:43-48). Then there are the three instances where demons are cast out. These exorcisms expose the hearts of onlookers to the light. Townspeople are exposed as fearful and more concerned about their profit, lost with the pigs, than about a restored man or the presence of the one who has power over demons (8:26-39). The casting out of a demon after the transfiguration highlights the unbelief of the generation confronted with Jesus (9:37-43). Then in 11:14-28, the cynical stupidity of Christ’s opponents is brought into the open.
These are just some of the examples. Why not have a further look yourself and see how the other incidents in the section build into the theme.
Faithroots 