You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. 16 Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 20 I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Salt and sunlight were used to explain the indispensable nature of Jesus’ teachings. Salt can enhance and preserve. However, salt used by everyday Palestinians was impure and could become insipid. Once it lost its flavor it could not be restored and had to be thrown away (v. 13). The fate of useless salt is a metaphor for the fate of those who first accept Jesus’ teaching and then reject it. The disciples were to be light to the world to show others, by their example, the way to the Father. They must not be timid about the mission for which they were being prepared (Acts 1:8). They were not to lose their fervor. If they did not complete the tasks for which they were being prepared, they would be as useless as a lamp that was lit and then hidden. They were not to take credit for their good works but give glory to God for the conversion of souls that would result from their ministries.
Jesus affirmed that he had not come to abrogate the Old Testament Law (Torah) or to correct what was spoken of by the prophets, but to fulfill them and bring them to perfection by revealing the full intention of God. Nothing of the old order will be eliminated (Lk. 16:17), but it will receive a new spirit through him. Jesus warned his disciples that they must not preach one thing and then lead others astray by bad example. The renewed Law will be strictly enforced because neglect or misuse can lead to apostasy. Those disciples who do not keep the Law and do not teach others to keep the Law will receive the least reward in the Kingdom of Christ on earth where the Law and the Prophets apply. The Jewish authorities did not accept Jesus as the Son of God and therefore would not accept his interpretation of the Torah as God’s will even though the prophets testified to what he taught (Hos. 6:6). The disciples must demonstrate a more profound faith than the teachers of the Law and the Prophets.
Almighty God, teach us the truths contained in your Gospel and help us to walk in your light so that we can be lights to others. Inspire us to accept the guidance of your Spirit so that our actions may conform to your will. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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