Matthew 5:17-20 – The mission of Kingdom people

In the days of Jesus, there already existed many teachers known as Scribes and Pharisees. They were regarded as the experts of the law and the writings of the Prophets. People would turn to them for the interpretation of the Scriptures. And when Jesus arrived at the scene, it invoked questions concerning Him and His teachings. In the people’s mind was the question, “How different could Jesus be from those so called experts?”  

It is certainly true that the scribes and the Pharisees had imparted, as best as they could, the interpretation of the Law. They were calling people to be faithful to God, urging them to behave in a way that would express their covenant faithfulness to God. But now with Jesus’ arrival, the sovereign reign of God has broken into human realm. Those who would come under the realm of His rule had to live in ways that far exceed those prescribed by the Scribes and the Pharisees.

Jesus made it abundantly clear that He was not here to call for the abandonment of the law and the prophets. He, in fact, is the culmination of all the Old Testament Scriptures. Every promise of God, every command of God, every minute detail, finds in reality and full expression in Him. So boldly He declared that… ‘unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven’. How can we unless we embrace Him as our King? He has in effect opened up a way to make God’s covenant a reality in the lives of His people.  Through Him and His teachings, our hearts and minds are changed.

Israel, as a nation, failed to be the salt and light of the world. They failed to shine for God, they failed to be the nation God had intended for her to be. So Jesus came to fulfil the mission that Israel failed. Jesus is the true salt of the earth and the true Light of the World. He came to be placed on a hill known as mount Calvary. He was crucified before the world and set on the hill to become the Lighthouse, beaming the saving light in a dark world.  In Him everyone can find new hope and life. In Him every one of us can now find the way back to the Father to offer our worship.  

Herein is the key to understand verses 13-16 regarding salt and light. The mission Israel was called to fulfill - to be salt of the earth and light of the world – now rest on the shoulders of His people - the people of His Kingdom. We, the church, is that city set on a hill. We, His followers and disciples, must now follow Him and depend on Him as our source, and take up the mission to be salt and light. How has this challenge us individually in our calling as Kingdom people? How can we best express ourselves as salt and light effectively? People out there in the world still need salt and light. Are we providing what they truly need?