What quality of the hypocrites is this "example" (mathal) intended to illustrate?

Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597 AH / 1201 CE) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:

1. It is an example for the word of Islām that they utter with their tongues. Its light represents the safety of their lives and the protection of their blood. However, when they die, Allāh removes this honour from them, just as He removes the light from the one who lights a fire. [Ibn ʿAbbās]
2. It is an example for their inclining toward the believers and listening to what the Messenger (ﷺ) brought. The extinguishing of their light represents their subsequent inclination toward the disbelievers and misguidance. [Mujāhid]