Jesus on Good Works (Matthew 5:13-18)

1. Salt

Jesus said we are the salt of the earth. Salt is a preservative, regulates the water content of the body, and can be a fertilizer, but none of those things is mentioned and so we would be speculating. The only attribute of salt that Jesus specifically mentioned was its use as a taste enhancer.

Scientifically, salt cannot lose its saltiness. But, Jesus may have been using an expression referring to local salt mixed with gypsum. If there was too much gypsum in the salt, it was considered to have "lost" its saltiness. We speak of sunrise, when we know that scientifically the sun does not rise, but actually the earth turns. It too is just an expression.

So salt that has "lost" its saltiness is worthless. The word that we translate as worthless may have been chosen by the Greek writer of Jesus' words because of its double meaning in Greek. It is also refers to a worthless fool. Without that salt our lives too would be worthless and foolish.

2. Light

Throughout the Bible, light often describes God and his word. Jesus used it in the Sermon on the Mount to describe believers. A light has a purpose. For Christians to hide their light by any means would be to avoid accomplishing their purpose. The purpose of a light in the darkness is to give illumination. A light must be seen or it is not useful. Christians also, must be seen, not hermits hiding from society.

How do we let our light shine? This serves as a balance to what Jesus later says about showing off, doing charitable works for self glory. Here Jesus addresses the right motive for doing good works, to give God glory. Our motive ought not to be to draw attention to ourselves, but that they may glorify our heavenly Father. Do we carry out charitable works so that we may be praised or God?

3. Light before Shine

I have a question: Which comes first, being a light or letting our lights shine? The answer is rather obvious, but needs to be pointed out, because some may say that salvation is by works. Good works are the result of salvation, not the cause of it, just as the light shining is the result of already being a light, not the cause of being a light.

Notice also that when Jesus said to let our light shine, he did not say, that they may hear our good arguments, but that they may see our good works. Good deeds may be the best apologetic. Some Christians are lazy, claiming salvation and not wanting to do any good works as a result. How can salvation exist without fruit! Jesus admonishes us to let our lights shine, to do good works, with a motive that others may glorify our Father in heaven. Our charitable deeds may be the only Bible that some people ever read. Are we doing good works to give God glory?