Scripture: “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16 ESV
Observation: While the eight beatitudes provide a preamble to the Sermon on the Mount regarding the nature of life in the kingdom of heaven now on earth (directed to the larger crowd), Christ next focuses on his disciples and how they will impact the world by how they live out what they have become. To illustrate his point, Jesus draws on two essential elements of a shalom life: salt and light. Salt provided a variety of uses: For
- a medium of exchange in commerce,
- preserving food—particularly meat,
- aiding digestion (absorption and transmission of nutrients),
- enhancing flavor in food, and
- fertilizer (in small quantities).
Here, though, Jesus uses this metaphor in the broad sense to indicate that his disciples, subjects of his heavenly kingdom, are vitally important to the rest of the world.
His light metaphor builds on the analogy of salt. A prevailing theme of Scripture, light is most contrasted with darkness and symbolizes all that is good and life-giving to that which is evil and destructive, and light always prevails (John 1:4-14; 12:46). Jesus later declares he is the Light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5). And he tells his disciples that they not only carry his light into the world but are his light (Matthew 5:14-16; Ephesians 5:8; Philippians 2:15).
Of note, regarding salt losing its taste, sodium chloride, a stable compound, cannot lose its flavor. However, the Ancient Near East salt contained other minerals from which salt would leach over time. Another possibility is that Jesus refers to those who never possessed the character of genuine spiritual salt, only its pretense. In the writings of Rabbi Joshua ben Haninia (circa CE 90), he alludes to a proverbial saying, “Can salt lose its flavor?” coupled with a second rhetorical question, “Does the mule bear young?” The implication is that sterile mules cannot conceive any more than salt can lose its flavor. If Jesus has this well-known saying in mind, he warns his disciples of imposters in their midst (mostly the religious leaders) who cannot give what they have not received.
Takeaway: While the Beatitudes hint toward the point of being salt and light, in our text, as theologian Michael Wilkins concludes, the message is clear: “Jesus’ disciples possess kingdom life, which produces good deeds from a changed life. Bearing the light of the gospel in both message and life will bring people to know that the kingdom of heaven truly is in the world, and they will glorify their heavenly Father” (The NIV Application Commentary: Matthew, p. 216).
Easier said than done? Absolutely. We live in a time that may seem unique from the past two thousand years of church history, but, in reality, nothing is new under the sun. Our challenges with the “cancel culture” and postmodernism’s equivocation of truth are merely a recycling of godless, darkened ideology throughout the ages. In our more developed countries, our biggest challenge is within our ranks. The church is fragmenting over human sexuality and the sanctity of life. Thus, the secular world looks on and sees refracted rays. One side wants to be relevant to the culture, while the other side has leaned toward being antagonistic to the culture.
Neither position is helpful. We need to transform the culture by consistently living in the light as we profess the light. We must do what we say. And there within lies the problem. We cannot always live out our faith as we proclaim. But we can demonstrate humility, grace, and forgiveness when we and others get it wrong. These godly attributes enhance salt and light and are the heart of our Gospel. So while we stand on the uncompromising truth of Scripture, not capitulating to the culture, we humbly serve others, speaking the truth with love. Indeed, when we graciously embody salt and light, we will transform the culture and “give glory to the Father who is in heaven” (verse 16 above).
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your Son who is salt and light to us and has commissioned us to be salt and light to others. And we thank you for your Holy Spirit, who guides us in all truth and equips us to love others sacrificially. So would you please help us to exercise transformative grace, humility, and forgiveness toward ourselves and others in growing your kingdom and glorifying your name? Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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