The Sermon on the Mount starts with the Beatitudes, and then Jesus has something to say about the role of his followers. He calls us the salt of the earth as well as the light of the world. Rather than withdraw from the world, we are to be engaged with it, making a difference by our presence.
Salt of the Earth
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
Matthew 5:13 NIV
The most important purpose for salt in the ancient world was to act as a preservative. Without refrigeration, meat would quickly spoil. But salt could be used to draw out the moisture and allow the meat to last much longer. And that is most likely what Jesus had in mind here. We are to act as a preservative, preventing the world from going bad. We should have a positive influence on those around us.
It seems common, at least in the U.S., to think that we should pass laws to legislate morality. But I do not believe that is what Jesus is talking about here. It should be our day-to-day interactions with the people around us that positively influence them. Our lives should counter the corrupting influences of our secular and ungodly society.
Light of the World
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16 NIV
Light and darkness are used frequently to refer to spiritual conditions. John said that Christ is the light of the world (John 1:4-9). And his light shone into the spiritual darkness of this world. As his followers, that same light should shine out from him, through us, into a world that is still dark.
That light is within us. But what will we do with it? Jesus warns us not to hide the light. But to put it on display for all the world to see. The world will resist that light, making it tempting to hide it and avoid conflict. We need to resist that temptation and boldly let his light shine out through us for all the world to see.
Jesus will later warn us about doing our acts of righteousness to be seen by men. That is a warning against drawing attention to ourselves. This passage is different. We are to live good lives before the world in order to point them to our Lord. Our lives should be radically different from those in the world. So much so that others will notice the difference and be attracted to it, and ultimately glorify our Lord. Being the salt of the earth and light of the world should be how all of Jesus’ followers live.
Related Posts
- An Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
- Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes – Matthew 5:3-12
- Sermon on the Mount: Salt and Light – Matthew 5:13-16
- Sermon on the Mount: Understanding the Law – Matt. 5:17-20
- Sermon on the Mount: Resolving Conflict – Matthew 5:21-26
- Sermon on the Mount: Committing Adultery – Matthew 5:27-30
- Sermon on the Mount: Divorce – Matthew 5:31-32
- Sermon on the Mount: Taking Oaths – Matthew 5:33-37
- Sermon on the Mount: Turn the Other Cheek – Matt. 5:38-42
- Sermon on the Mount: Love Your Enemies – Matthew 5:43-48
- Sermon on the Mount: Give to the Needy – Matthew 6:1-4
- Sermon on the Mount: How to Pray – Matthew 6:5-8
- Sermon on the Mount: the Model Prayer – Matthew 6:9-15
- Sermon on the Mount: Fasting – Matthew 6:16-18
- Sermon on the Mount: Treasure in Heaven – Matthew 6:19-24
- Sermon on the Mount: Do Not Worry – Matthew 6:25-34
- Sermon on the Mount: Do Not Judge – Matthew 7:1-6
- Sermon on the Mount: Ask, Seek, and Knock – Matthew 7:7-12
- Sermon on the Mount: Narrow and Wide Gates – Matt. 7:13-14
- Sermon on the Mount: False Prophets – Matt. 7:15-20
- Sermon on the Mount: True and False Disciples – Matt. 7:21-23
- Sermon on the Mount: Build on Rock or Sand? – Matt 7:24-27
