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Weekly Bible Study Reflections for Emmaus Groups at St Weekly Bible Study Reflections for Emmaus Groups at St. Stephen’s Church, Richmond, Virginia Preparing for Sunday, February 5, 2017// Epiphany 5, Year A The Gospel: Matthew 5:13-20 Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever 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 does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Background and general observations This lesson provides a kind of transition from the opening of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (the Beatitudes) to the ethical teachings of Jesus in the sermon. The first two sections of this passage (verses 13-16) provide two important metaphors, salt and light, for thinking about the nature of the Christian life. Light is a common theme throughout Scripture, often used to contrast good and evil and to symbolize salvation, enlightenment, revelation, and wisdom. It is light that drives out darkness, light that shines the way toward home. Scholars have insisted that Jesus’ listeners would have easily understood his reference to salt. “Earth salt,” common in Jesus’ day, is known as an “impure” salt, and once it loses its “saltiness” (that is, its sodium chloride) it is rendered useless except as a tasteless limestone powder which, like dirt, might be used to line walkways or roads. Of course, once the sodium chloride is out, it can never be put back in. Jesus’ teaching about steadfast righteousness relies on our extension of these two metaphors—salt and light, symbols of faith and goodness. The third section of this passage (verses 17-20) establishes, here at the beginning of the sermon, that Jesus’ teaching is very much in keeping with the Law of Moses. The religious establishment will criticize him for violating or watering down sacred tradition and holy laws, but Jesus insists that he has come to fulfill, not to abolish, and that his followers must exceed the scribes and Pharisees in righteousness. Jesus’ disciples are called to be the “light of the world,” tasked with illuminating the ways of goodness and truth in both word and deed. To bear the light of the kingdom of heaven is to witness to others that this same light is also here on earth. Ideas for discussing the application of this lesson to our daily lives 1. “You are the salt of the earth.” Salt is used to enhance flavor and to preserve food; salt also induces thirst. Jesus’ use of a common household item is interesting in its implications: how can something so familiar, so earthly, so insignificant be used as a symbol for faith and righteousness? What does it mean that something as common as salt—something found right here on earth— could come to represent the true believers, the disciples of Christ? What does it mean to be salt? Where in the world around you do you see people who are “the salt of the earth”? If you use this phrase to describe someone, to which particular elements of their character are you speaking? Their faith? Their decency? Where do you see people whose saltiness has lost its taste? What happened to them? How did they get that way? How can a person of faith lose his or her “saltiness”? 2. “You are the light of the world.” Light brings out diversity from the sameness of darkness. And, when elevated— as on a lampstand—light illuminates a greater area and “gives light to all in the house.” Of course, light also causes things to grow. And light is an important ingredient in combating depression. Who are such “lights” in the world around you? Do you think that you are a light to others? It seems important to note a subtle but profound distinction: Jesus does not say “you are like the light of the world.” Rather, he says that you are. Moreover, the responsibility is not simply to “carry” the light of Christ, but to be the light. 3. Imagine Jesus’ original audience for the Sermon on the Mount. We know he has called uneducated fishermen and other common folk. The Beatitudes indicate that he is talking with people who are poor, hungry, marginalized, and oppressed. What does it mean to say to ordinary, common folks that they are the salt of the earth and the light of the world? What are some of the ways in which the poorest and lowliest among us are sometimes more expressive of the values of the Kingdom of God than those who are much more highly esteemed? What are some of the simple, but profound, salty or enlightening gestures in daily life? How can you, in small ways, express your saltiness and shine your light a little more in your daily life and encounters? 4. “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” What does it mean to exceed in righteousness people who are very careful about observing religious traditions and the letter of Scripture, which are supposed to lead one to righteousness? St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church // 804.288.2867 // www.ststephensRVA.org Page 2 What do you know of the difference between a life that is open and available to God, as opposed to a life that is striving for God? How do you respond to the difference in knowing about God and knowing God? 5. Rabbi Hillel was a much loved and highly regarded contemporary of Jesus. The story is told about a group of pagans who came to Rabbi Hillel one day and said that they would convert to Judaism if the rabbi could recite the entire Torah while standing on one foot. Rabbi Hillel stood on one foot and said, “Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you. That is the entire Torah. The rest is commentary.” Given that Jesus expressed something very similar in what has come to be called “The Golden Rule,” and that Jesus gave a summary of the Law by urging love of God and love of neighbor, one might imagine that these two religious teachers largely agreed with each other. But how do you square the sentiment of Rabbi Hillel, as expressed in the story above, with Jesus’ warning that “whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven”? Consider that Jesus himself seems to have broken rules about the Sabbath, saying that the Sabbath was created for man, not man for the Sabbath. When in your life have you sensed a difference between a righteousness that flows from a right relationship with God and human beings, and a righteousness that flows from obedience to holy laws? St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church // 804.288.2867 // www.ststephensRVA.org Page 3 .
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