Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible,

It’s been more than a month since I’ve written in this commentary. Life gets busy and attempts to bring order and discipline in the midst of busy-ness is difficult.

In verse 11, Paul told us that we should not take part in the unfruitful works of darkness. But instead, we are to expose them, to let the light shine in. That is what expose means. He makes his point clear in verse 13. “When anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible.

It’s interesting to me that just as in the discussion about putting off certain things, Paul had added that not only should we put off, but we must put something on. Here in this passage, we should not partake in or even speak of the things they do in secret. But it’s not just a matter of avoiding. There is something to do. The unfruitful works of darkness should be exposed.

Verse 13 tells us that anything exposed by the light becomes visible. Rather than being done in secret, these things must be made visible. But it is a puzzle to me how to shed light on secret, unfruitful behaviors, without speaking about them. It seems as though speaking would be the only way to expose. But perhaps he is saying that speaking is necessary, but it is shameful at the same time. For me at least, this passage is going to take more meditation.

More on this passage next time.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 11:25 AM July 17, 2021.