01.03. The Sermon on the Mount (11)

"The Sermon on the Mount" (11)

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16)

One of the two characteristics of true disciples of the Lord in Matthew 5:13-16 is light: "Ye are the light of the world." In our daily lives we are so dependent on light that everyone will understand the meaning and the importance of this expression. Light is synonymous with brightness and clarity, with seeing and recognising, but also with warmth and life. Think only of the source of light on which all the life on our planet depends, the sun. Without this light everything would be dark, cold and dead.

God is light In the Bible, light is often mentioned in connection with God. We read in Psalms 36:9 : "in Thy light shall we see light," but when the Lord Jesus was teaching His disciples in Matthew 5:1-48, Matthew 6:1-34, Matthew 7:1-29, the simple but striking words: "God is light," were not yet known. John, one of the disciples, would write them decades later (1 John 1:5). The nature of God cannot be described in a shorter or clearer way. That God also dwells "in the light which no man can approach" emphasises His absolute purity, holiness and glory even more (1 Timothy 6:16). God’s light is a wonderful light. It is a light that brings life. In contrast, darkness in the New Testament always characterises sin and distance from God. When the Lord Jesus said to His disciples: "Ye are the light of the world," He Himself was still the true light here. The eternal Son of God, the effulgence of His glory and the expression of His substance, had come into the world as the light in order to reveal God (cf. John 1:4-9; John 8:12; John 9:5; John 12:46).

Everyone who accepts Him in faith is now brought out of darkness into God’s marvellous light. Furthermore, instead of darkness, he is now light in the Lord (1 Peter 2:9; Ephesians 5:8).

Ye are the light The depth of the meaning of the word "light" was certainly not yet known to the disciples when the Lord said to them: "Ye are the light of the world," but they could understand that He meant their testimony in the world. While salt works invisibly and internally, light is visible afar off.

"A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid." Whether an enemy was planning an attack or a traveller was seeking accommodation, a city on a hill in Israel would be visible for everyone-during the day by the bright shining of its white walls and buildings, and by night by the lights of the houses. Thus the walk of the disciples of the Lord ought to be a light in this world, seen by everyone.

"Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house." The relatively small oil-lamps of ancient times, thousands of which have been found in the rubble of excavation sites, could only give poor light. Therefore they were, individually or in groups, put on a lamp-stand which was either suspended from the ceiling, fixed to the wall, or stood on the floor. The candlestick of the tabernacle, which had seven branches, was one of those lamp-stands. In this way the best possible distribution of light was effected.

How absurd it would have been to put such a light under a bushel, i.e. to hide it! A bushel was a vessel of approximately 2 gallons capacity used to measure corn. If one had put it over a lamp it would not only have hidden the small flame and thus made it ineffective, but would, in the long run, also have smothered it. In Mark 4:21 the Lord Jesus mentions, besides the bushel, also the bed. Both would hinder the shining out of the light. Does not this contain a two-fold warning-on the one hand of business (the light under the bushel) and on the other of laziness and sleep (the light under the bed)?

Let your light shine

Like the city on the hill, the light should be visible to everyone. "Let your light so shine before men." This light is the disciple’s confession of his Lord. By this it becomes evident to whom he belongs. Let us therefore confess Christ everywhere and in all circumstances. When we go out to a restaurant, do we confess by giving thanks before the meal without embarrassment, that we belong to Him, even if those at other tables continue their conversations loudly or show their disdain? Sometimes unbelievers ask for our opinions regarding worldly entertainments like the cinema, theatre or discotheque, or on topics such as homosexuality, relationships outside marriage or abortion. Do we then confess the Lord, or do we give evasive answers? Are we friendly, helpful, peaceable and righteous in our dealings with colleagues, neighbours and other people? In this way we can let our light shine before men. "Do all things without murmurings and reasonings, that ye may be harmless and simple, irreproachable children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation; among whom ye appear as lights (heavenly lights) in the world, holding forth the word of life" (Php 2:14-15 J.N.D. Trans.). To let our light shine means that as well as our spoken testimony for our Lord in the world, our new nature and our position as children of God are expressed by our behaviour.

Good works

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." The Lord Jesus does not speak in these verses of the preaching of the gospel for the salvation of the lost. The entire "sermon on the mount" does not deal with this, but with the Christ-like walk of the disciples of the Lord. Although the people of this world are mentioned frequently, it is not the purpose of the "sermon on the mount" that they may receive blessing or be led to the Lord, but that the character of the Kingdom of God may be expressed in His disciples.

Here, the good works are the fruit of the working of divine light in the soul. If we let our light shine, good works will also be connected with it. But they are not the focus of our attention here. In this world many good works are being done by different individuals and groups. For example, the Red Cross and other organisations providing humanitarian aid have, especially recently, been able to do much good to needy people. If we as children of God purpose to do such good works, we are not necessarily a testimony to our Lord. He wants us to be a testimony to Him. Therefore He does not exhort us here to do good works, but to let our light shine. We should not think of "our" works, but of Him. Good works will then be the result. The apostle Paul speaks of the fruit of the light which is in all goodness, righteousness and truth (Ephesians 5:9).

"... And glorify your Father which is in heaven." If good works bear the character of heavenly, divine light, then people will not say, "What a good person this is," but rather they may be led to glorify God. If the light shines, the actions will be seen as in connection with this light. This is the first time in the New Testament that God is called "your Father." The Name "Father," standing for God, occurs also in the Old Testament but it does not refer to the personal relationship of an Israelite to God. Jehovah was the Father and Israel, the nation, was the son (cf. Exodus 4:23; Deuteronomy 32:6; Isaiah 63:16).

Only when the Son of God came to this earth to reveal the Father could believers be brought into this wonderful relationship of children and receive the spirit of adoption by which they cry: "Abba, Father." For this it was necessary that the Lord should die and rise again. After His resurrection he gave Mary Magdalene the wonderful message: "but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God" (John 20:17). This was, at the time of the "sermon on the mount," yet future. Nevertheless, the Lord speaks to the disciples already of "your Father which is in heaven," although they knew neither the basis of this new relationship-the work of Christ-nor its intimacy and power through the Holy Spirit.