A Well-Lit, Salty City
Written by Aaron Miller | Pastor of Equipping
“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
Salt and Light. Simple, yet profound illustrations. Jesus taught in accessible everyday language. He extracted deep, life-giving truths from what many would consider to be mundane concepts. The Sermon on the Mount, including the above scriptures, is rich in symbolism and language, and likely familiar to many: “You are the salt of the earth,” and “You are the light of the world.” These metaphors have been interpreted in various ways throughout Christian history and are central to Jesus’ message in his sermon. Familiarity is a danger that could threaten our understanding. So, before we put these metaphors in a vacuum and use them for wall art, let’s engage these words of Jesus and place them in the proper setting.
Reflecting on the context, we see that these metaphors are placed in a sermon being preached to a large crowd of people. Jesus had gathered both his disciples and large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. There were two audiences: the disciples (those whom Jesus directly called) and the large crowds (who were a mixed gathering of curious listeners, detractors, and future followers). It’s essential to recognize that while Jesus addresses his followers, others are also hearing these truths, but only those who have ears to hear will listen and understand.
In breaking down the metaphors, we understand that both salt and light are meant to have an impact on how people live and experience life. In both cases, Jesus warns that the impact could be lost. Salt can lose its salty effect, and light can be hidden away, forfeiting its purpose. Jesus warns of this danger, revealing the Kingdom way to live out faith in him. In other words, Christ followers are meant to have an impact; we are meant to make a difference in the world he has given us to influence.
“You are the salt of the earth . . . You are the light of the world.” The “you” in Jesus’ words is directed toward those who come to him in faith—those who will form his church and body. We do not expect the world at large to adhere to the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount or to understand it fully. Instead, God’s people, Christ’s followers, see this sermon as authoritative and applicable. It serves as a vision for what God desires for us, both in the present and in the fulfillment of his promises for the future.
Yes, “You are the salt of the earth”, but verse 13 warns the reader also that if salt loses its flavor, it becomes worthless. This emphasis gives us pause. It speaks to the essential activity of living in such a way that reflects our faith in Christ. Salt has been used metaphorically in various ways, such as a preservative or an antiseptic. Still, here, Jesus’ main point is straightforward: a disciple who fails to embody their faith is ineffective in the kingdom of God.
The salt used in ancient times came from sources like the Dead Sea or the ocean, but if it lost its flavor due to contamination, it was deemed useless. This imagery serves as a warning against complacency in our faith and the contaminants of the world and the flesh that could spoil our purpose. Salt is meant to have a negative and a positive impact. Negatively, salt slows down the rate of corruption in how it preserves. Positively, it enhances flavor. The reverse is true with sin. Sin can have a deadening effect on the soul. The longer sin persists, the faster life corrupts, and the less anything tastes good. Life becomes black and white, rather than colorful. When Jesus reminds us that we are the salt of the earth, he is reminding us that we were made for pleasure. Christians can wrongly associate pleasure with evil, but God created pleasure. Satan’s plan hijacks certain pleasures to entice us into patterns of sin. However, his true aim is to erode pleasure because pleasure, rightly pursued, leads to the God who gives it. Jesus challenges us to reflect on whether our lives taste this way and genuinely represent the transformative power of Christ in this way.
In verses 14-16, Jesus continues to build out his teaching by shifting to another metaphor: “You are the light of the world.” Strangely, Jesus would call us “the light of the world”, considering he claimed to be the light of the world. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Jesus is saying that we are his light in this place. Paul affirms this in Ephesians 5:8, “You were once darkness, but now you are the light of the world”. Jesus goes on to say, “A city on a hill cannot be hidden, nor can a lamp be concealed”. Therefore, we are called to let our light shine before others so that they may see our good works and glorify God. This message is not about individual aspiration but rather an affirmation of our identity as followers of Christ.
Light represents illumination, guidance, and hope, and we are to manifest these qualities in our lives. Light, like salt, has a variety of ministries.
“And like salt, light has both positive and negative impacts. Negatively, light exposes and reveals danger and evil. Positively, it shows the way; it illuminates beauty and produces fruit.”
Our good works are not meant to draw attention to ourselves but to point others to God. This is a powerful reminder of our responsibility to live out our faith in ways that reflect Christ’s love and grace and in ways that shed light on the path of faith while exposing dangers along the way.
In summary, Jesus’ teachings in this passage urge us to embody our faith actively. As the salt of the earth and the light of the world, we are called to live in a way that showcases the transformative power of the gospel, ultimately bringing glory to God. The whole point of Jesus’ teaching is that we are to be open and obvious. God lit us up and placed us high for all to see. Do not chafe under it. Instead, lean into it and strive to be visible witnesses of His grace and truth in our lives.