“You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14)
Biblically, light plays a central role in the moment of creation and the establishment of order in the universe. Light also offers a meaningful addition to our Advent journey. It generates valuable, festive illumination to contrast the earlier evening darkness of December. More broadly, the wisdom of our biblical tradition calls for deeper consideration.
“And God said: ‘Let there be light;’ and there was light” (Genesis 1:2).
The spiritual symbolism of God’s light emanating through that earliest primordial chaos in Genesis 1 echoes profoundly in what Jesus proclaims in Matthew 5 and the Sermon on the Mount. As in Genesis 1, they appear to carry a sense of holy partnership in staving off the darkness and bringing a sense of meaning to the spinning chaos of an apparent unfriendly world.
For the followers of Jesus, he presents a calling which flows directly from God’s hope for Abraham and all of his descendants. “…so that in you, all the families of the earth might be blessed” (Gen. 12:5).
Mark Braverman reminds us in Fatal Embrace that this idea of blessing emanates from an ancient, tribal perspective that tends to be exclusive and wary of the concept we might tend to superimpose onto this passage. The idea of blessing, this kind and gentle affirmation of another might be more of our hopeful reinterpretation of what may have been less open-minded and generous, and more imperialistic and exclusive. There certainly is the imperative clause that parallels the blessing: “I will curse those who curse you…”
However, a new context emerges with Jesus. That is, his words and example exemplify more of the former and less of the latter. This idea of cursing those who curse you is clearly overturned in the Sermon on the Mount’s new imperative: “Love your enemy.” Further, the Hebrew scriptures of Leviticus 19:34 implores: “love the alien as yourself, for you were once aliens in Egypt.” This runs counter to Braverman’s point and appears to demonstrate a growing Hebrew understanding to be “a light unto the nations that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6).
From both of these, it seems clear: Jesus maintains a line of thought and responsibility beginning with God’s call of Abraham and reinforced with God’s inspiration of Isaiah. We also have additional background to Jesus’ words from years just prior to his ministry.
“Light of the World prior to Jesus: As Herod the Great consolidated his power from 40 B.C.E. to the early 20’s B.C.E., much of his struggle was leveled against Hasmonean sympathizers as well as a variety of subsequent threats, including his favorite wife, Marrienne (or Miriam) and at least two of his sons.[1] “Light of the world” comes into play in a couple of ways that both Jesus and his audience would have known well.
The rabbis in his day were referred to as “The light of the world.” So was the temple in Jerusalem. As Herod battled on various fronts, he made policy and carried out ruthless consolidation of his reign. In doing so, he had countless rabbis and respected Hasmonean sympathizers executed. [2] He also made plans and got support for a massive rebuilding and expansion of the Temple (the Temple Mount and the Western Wall of which we still see today).
Herod then, was simultaneously chastised and blessed while navigating the messiness of his dictatorial rule by a well-respected Jewish teacher, Baba Bathra: “As you have extinguished the light of the world (the rabbis), go now and attend to the light of the world (The temple), [3](as quoted by Richardson in Herod, p. 248-249).
The phrase, then, was familiar and loaded with meaning. It implied sacred authority (in the case of the rabbis) and mystical power as dwelling place of God’s presence (in the case of the temple).[4] So when Jesus’ audience heard his words: “You are the light of the world…” the unique affirmation of their blessedness was powerful. The thought that God could trust them, simple, country people, as implied conveyers of God’s teaching, power, and connection would have been astounding.
Thomas Cahill in The Gifts of the Jews, concludes that the modern essence of democracy, and the idea that every individual is valuable and carries within their person the potential for societal improvement begins with early Judaism, not Greece and Greek thought.[5] We can make the further case for Jesus’ words.
While apparent at various points in the Hebrew scriptures, particularly in the prophetic injunctions to care for the least and potentially left out, this insight of Jesus comes as a natural extension and logical conclusion of previous Hebrew perspectives. Yet, his elevation of regular people, even the peripheral and previously excluded, pushed the boundaries of acceptability for his day.
We continue to wrestle today with the limits of inclusiveness. But in these words recorded in Matthew, Jesus reclaims the sacredness of God’s perspective from the very beginning. For God gazed fondly upon a new creation that in the final phase included “male and female, in the image of God.” And God said that it was very good. With the Sermon on the Mount, so does Jesus. This is the new law from the new Moses; this is the way it is to be, because this was the way that God made it to be.
ENDNOTES:
[1] The Emperor, Caesar Augustus, contemporary and good friend of Herod once remarked: “I would rather be Herod’s pig than a member of his family…” Indeed, it was tough being an autocrat in the Middle East – especially in the indescribable dysfunction that inundated Herod’s household.
[2] The Hasmoneans were the ruling family of which Judas Maccabeaus was a part. Following the Maccabean Revolt in 167 B.C. they remained in power as both king and High Priest until Pompey’s Roman entrance into Judea in 63 B.C. and Herod’s rise to power from 40 to 37 B.C.)
[3]Herod had embarked upon a massive building program in and around the Jerusalem Temple and was soliciting Jewish as well as Roman approval. At this kind of diplomacy, Herod was an expert.
[4] Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5 (“You are the light of the world”) stands in contrast to the Gospel of John and the “I am” sayings when Jesus claims: “I am the light of the world…” Rather than a refutation of his Sermon on the Mount, the saying in John appears more a reflection of the Fourth Gospel’s desire to present Jesus more in terms of “action parables.” These tend to symbolize spiritual realities by both the speech and action of Jesus as opposed to presenting the stories and teaching of Jesus, more the focus of Matthew and Luke.
[5] Greek democracy expected land ownership which warranted official citizenship, a requirement for voting rights. This, along with being exclusively male, was true in our early U.S. history, as well.