St Matthew 5: 13-16

St Matthew 5: 13-16

Jesus instructs his disciples to be “salt of the earth and light of the world.” First of all, we will look at the idea that we are to be “salt of the earth. At the time of Jesus salt was a more precious commodity than today. It was used as a preservative as they did not have the benefit of freezes and freezers. At times it was used to pay Roman soldiers, hence the word salary. We know from our own experience that it can bring out the flavour of food or add to the flavour, it can make food more pleasant and it also disappears into the food. Also, at the time of Jesus there was a high magnesium content in the salt (dead sea, the southern half of the western shore is in Israel) and the salt was often thrown on the fire to intensify the heat in cooking.

So, Jesus is saying a couple of things about the character of the disciple. She or he should be an important ingredient in society and effective just as salt. When the salt hits the fire, it is like an explosion. We as Christians should be setting the world on fire (not literally), in a sense causing mini explosions (again not literally).

“You are the light of the world.” In the Old Testament Israel was called to be a light to the nations and they did this by their obedience to the commandments and law of God. Their exemplary lives were to attract other nations to honour and serve the one true God. We are not simply called to be holy ourselves but to seek the sanctification of others. A light attracts, a light enlightens, a light helps someone to navigate through the darkness of spiritual error and ignorance.

When salt became insipid at the time of Jesus, it was put at the front of the house for people to wipe their feet on, as it had lost it’s true purpose. You do not put a light under a tub, it defeats again it’s very function. And that is the very point that Jesus is making. Disciples have a function and purpose. They are to be a productive and vital part of society, leading others to God by their exemplary lives.

“Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.”
Saint Pope Paul VI (1897-1978)