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."
In the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5:1-7:29), Jesus taught his disciples what was expected of them and the way they should live that would make them blessings to others. Salt and sunlight are used to explain the indispensable nature of his teachings. Salt can enhance and preserve but although it cannot lose its flavor, if it becomes contaminated it is useless for the purpose intended. 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 lights to the world and must not be timid about their mission to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) for which they were being prepared. They must not take credit for their good works but give glory to God for the conversion of souls that result from their ministries.
Matthew had Jesus affirming that he had not come to abolish the Old Testament Law (Torah) or the correction of the prophets, but to fulfill them by determining and doing God’s will as it was intended. Matthew could have been trying to defend the community against allegations that they had abandoned the Torah and therefore were not people of God. 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 precepts of the Law hold firm until the end of the world, but justification comes through faith in Christ (Rom. 3:21-31). Jesus warned his disciples that they must not preach one thing and then lead others astray by bad example.
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. Let your Spirit guide us so that our actions may conform to your words. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
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References
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.
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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