– Matthew 5.11- 16 –

The Sermon on the Mount 3: Kingdom Life

Introduction

Jesus leaves off his description of Kingdom blessing and directly addresses his disciples on what Kingdom life and blessing will mean for them. Jesus does this by setting forth two responses to the disciples, two identities that define the disciples, and two commands to govern the disciples.

Possible Structure

World’s Response – Persecute Disciples (5.11)

Jesus’ Command – Rejoice (5.12)

Disciples’ Identity – Salt (5.13a)

Disciples’ Identity – Light (5.14a)

Jesus’ Command – Practice Good Works (5.13b-c, 14b-16a)

World’s Response – Glorify God (5.16b)

Lesson

Two Responses. Jesus flanks his words with two responses the disciples will encounter as they follow Jesus – persecution (11) and doxology (16b). The latter would be expected, but not the former. That Jesus refers to no other responses suggests that faithful disciples can generally expect to see one or the other of these two responses. Like Jesus, faithful disciples will generally have a polarizing effect on people. We are an aroma of life to life and of death to death (2Cor 2.16).

Two Identities. Jesus makes sense of these two incongruent responses by explaining the identity of the disciples in relation to broader society: the disciples are the salt of the earth (13) and the light of the world (14a).

The Salt of the Earth (13). In the OT, the “salt of the covenant” was added to every offering to represent the perpetual character of God’s covenant (Lv 2.13; Nu 18.19; 2Chr 13.5). The covenant is perpetual only because God is ever faithful (). So, to be salt as disciples is to be steadfastly faithful to God. Salt was also associated with fiery judgment (Mk 9.49; Gn 19.26; Jer 17.6), and so was the covenant (Is 41.15-16; Mt 3.12). Jesus, and then his disciples, are like salt: through their steadfast faithfulness, they make the earth a pleasing offering to God, and they bring judgment (blessing or curse) to all they come in contact with.

The Light of the World (14a). Salt and light are both associated with the Tabernacle. Salt is associated with the offerings on the altar in the courtyard, and light is associated with the golden lampstand which illumines the Holy Place. When he was in the world, Jesus was the light of the world (Jn 9.5). When he ascended to the Father, his disciples assumed the role of light of the world (Mt 5.14). The imagery of the lampstand merges into the imagery of a lighted, hilltop city which illumines the countryside (5.14b). Jerusalem was supposed to be that city (Is 2.1-4). The disciples will fulfill that role.

Salt and Light – Low and High. Salt and light harken back to God’s covenant promises that Abraham’s Seed would be like the sand of the seashore and the stars of heaven – low and high, earthy and heavenly, abased and exalted, like Jesus. Jesus is heir of the Abrahamic promises, and the disciples are heirs in Him (cf. Gal 3.16, 29).

Two Commands. Jesus tells his disciples, as salt and light, to do two things: rejoice in the face of persecution (12) and practice good works (13b-c, 14b-16a).

Practice good works (13b-c, 14b-16a). Jesus tells the disciples to be salt that flavors and preserves and to be light that dispels darkness. In other words, be distinctive (due to godliness) and influential (instead of easily influenced). The one thing Jesus specifies to make us good salt and light is practicing “good works.” Good works are to distinguish us, provide a sweet aroma, preserve society, and dispel the darkness. Jesus had works the Father have him to do (Jn 5.36). Even so, we were created in Christ Jesus “for good works, which God prepared before hand that we should walk in them” (Eph 2.10).

Rejoice in Persecution (5.12). Salt and light also produce hostility, for apart from the Spirit, men love the darkness and hate the light because their deeds are evil (Jn 3.19-20). Persecution for Jesus’ sake indicates we are pleasing God just as much as doxology does, so Jesus tells the disciples to rejoice when persecuted, for great is their reward in heaven (12). We will inherit the earth, yes, and one day righteousness will reign (5-6). But in the meantime, many saints live and die knowing mostly hardship and suffering. Great is their reward in heaven (12). Persevering and rejoicing in tribulation depend on hope, not optimism (Rm 5.2-5; 12.12; 1Th 1.3). Optimism keeps us from expecting the worst; hope prepares us for the worst. Optimism believes that somehow things will work out; hope keeps on even when they don’t. Optimism focuses on the results of our work and expects to see success; hope focuses on the rightness of the work and expects God to somehow use it even if we can’t see it. Ultimately, our goal must be to know Christ by walking with him in every circumstance (Phil 3.10).