Jesus is continuing his speaking to the people. He is covering much and is hitting all the points for our instruction in Christian life. He tells us that we are the salt of the earth. Have you ever noticed food without enough salt? Nothing else seems to have its full savoriness and taste unless properly salted. Even many of the sweetest cookies and cakes have salt in them to bring out the full flavor of the dish. Such is our place in the world, without the love and influence of Christians, the world is a flavorless place, a botched recipe, something unappealing and tasteless.
Light to us has become a common place commodity with electricity and a flip of the switch, turn of the remote, etc. Imagine the value of light at night to the people to whom Jesus was speaking. Imaging just how dark their world was at night. Take in the stark difference between their nights and days, then realize the stark difference Christ is calling us to display if we are to be His messengers to a dark world. And to carry it further, Jesus doesn't just tell us to be a light - he tells us to be a light that is seen - seen from miles. He wants us to be seen from afar and wants us to be a light that spills out into the street and illuminates others. He goes further to say we are to be a light by the way we live, the things we do. He wants us to live in a way that others see Him and want to know what we have that they are missing.
Jesus continues speaking about His role in this and God's plan for our lives. He has come to fulfill the law, not abolish it. God has become flesh to complete what He started in Genesis. He has come to fill our hearts, to change our lives, to transform us into those who don't look to laws to learn to live, He wants us to live so that we will show the truth and the benefits of following the law in our lives. Jesus wants us to be doers of the law, not parsers of the law. Anyone can learn things - He wants us to live it! He then goes on to wrap up the passage instructing us to be an instructor of God's commandments here on earth - a true teacher by example is what I think He is wanting of us. He has seen the empty shallowness of the Pharisees of His day and wants to see His word lived and not performed for show to those who would be impressed by piety and false holiness.
One would look at this passage and think it jumps around somewhat, but I think it is all related together in a woven pattern. Christ wants us to be the flavor that makes the world work, that makes life savory and preserves what is right. He also wants us to be the light for others in a dark, dark world. He wants us to be salt and light in how we live, in what we believe, not in a rote manner of customs and laws, but in a lifestyle that will be seen as complete and desired by those who are not followers of Christ. Anybody can stand up and act, but it takes a true follower to be seen as authentically different.
13"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
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