Luke 11:33–36

Internal Light

11:33 “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a hidden place104 or under a basket,105 but on a lampstand, so that those who come in can see the light. 11:34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy,106 your whole body is full of light, but when it is diseased,107 your body is full of darkness. 11:35 Therefore see to it108 that the light in you109 is not darkness. 11:36 If110 then111 your whole body is full of light, with no part in the dark,112 it will be as full of light as when the light of a lamp shines on you.”113

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104	tn Or perhaps “in a cellar” (L&N 28.78). The point is that the light of Jesus’ teaching has been put in public view.
105	tc The phrase “or under a basket” is lacking in some important and early mss (𝔓45, 75 L Γ Ξ 070 f1 700* 1241 2542 pc sys sa). It is hard to decide in this case, since the inclusion of “or under a basket” is widely attested by some early and decent witnesses, as well as the overwhelming majority of mss (א A B C D W Θ Ψ f13 𝔐 latt). The parallel passage in Luke 8:16 does not include “under a basket.” If the phrase “under a basket” were added as a harmonization with Mark 4:21 and Matt 5:15, it is perhaps surprising that scribes did not add the phrase at Luke 8:16 as well. It seems somewhat more likely that a scribe copying Luke would be inclined to harmonize 11:33 with 8:16 by omitting the phrase here. Thus, the words “or under a basket” seem to have the marks of authenticity. tn Or “a bowl”; this refers to any container for dry material of about eight liters (two gallons) capacity. It could be translated “basket, box, bowl” (L&N 6.151).
106	tn Or “sound” (so L&N 23.132 and most scholars). A few scholars take this word to mean something like “generous” here (L&N 57.107), partly due to the immediate context of this saying in Matt 6:22 which concerns money, in which case the “eye” is a metonymy for the entire person (“if you are generous”).
107	tn Or “when it is sick” (L&N 23.149). sn There may be a slight wordplay here, as this term can also mean “evil,” so the figure uses a term that points to the real meaning of being careful as to what one pays attention to or looks at.
108	tn This is a present imperative, calling for a constant watch (L&N 24.32; ExSyn 721).
109	sn Here you is a singular pronoun, individualizing the application.
110	tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text, so the example ends on a hopeful, positive note.
111	tn Grk “Therefore”; the same conjunction as at the beginning of v. 35, but since it indicates a further inference or conclusion, it has been translated “then” here.
112	tn Grk “not having any part dark.”
113	tn Grk “it will be completely illumined as when a lamp illumines you with its rays.”

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