Jesus' Teachings on Good Works and Influencing Others

JESUS WAS A PREACHER OF GOOD WORKS
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Matthew 5:15-1615Neitherdo 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 others, that they
may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in
heaven.
The Candle BY SPURGEON
“Neitherdo men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a
candlestick;and it gives light unto all that are in the house. Let your
light so shine before men, that they may see your goodworks, and
glorify your Fatherwhich is in Heaven.”
Matthew 5:15, 16
OUR Savior was speaking ofthe influence of His disciples upon their fellow
men and He, first of all, mentioned that secretbut powerful influence which
He describes under the figure of salt–“Youare the salt of the earth.” No
sooneris a man born unto God than he begins to influence men with an
influence which is rather felt than seen. The very existence of a Believer
operates upon unbelievers. He is like a handful of salt castupon flesh–he has a
savorin himself and this penetrate those who are in contactwith him. The
unobserved, almostunconscious influence, of a holy life is most effectualto
serving societyand the prevention of moral putrefaction. May there be salt in

every one of us, for, “saltis good.” Have saltin yourselves and then you will
become a blessing to all around you.
But there is about every true Christian a manifest and visible trait which he is
bound to exercise andthis our Lord sets forth under the figure of light–“You
are the light of the world. A city that is on a hill cannotbe hid.” In any case
the genuine Christian will manifest the silent and unseen salting influence
upon those who come into immediate contactwith him, but let him also labor
to possessesthe second, or illuminating influence, which covers a far larger
area and deals more with real life–forsalt is for dead flesh and light for living
men. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your goodworks,
and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.”
Saltiness and light are the power of a Christian! I do not believe that any man
gives forth light if he has not, first, receivedsalt and yet some have an
abundance of salt who are none too liberal with their light. May God grant us
Grace to balance the inward and the outward. May we have serving salt and
the diffusive light! Our thoughts will now run on giving light and I pray that I
may be helped to move the more and less active among us to exert their
influence upon others to this extent–to crown the silent testimonies of their
humble faith by an outspokenwitness-bearing fortheir Lord and Savior.
All who have salt will now be urged to show their light. The figure which our
Savior uses is a homely one, borrowedfrom the easterntent and house. He
speaks ofa candle, or, more accurately, of a lamp. We should read the
passage–“Neitherdo men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on the
lamp stand, and it gives light unto all that are in the house.” I shall use the
figure both in its easternand in its westerndress and sometimes we will make
a lamp of it and sometimes a candle. Perhaps we shall see all the better with
both a lamp and a candle and, though we may confuse the metaphor, we shall
not confuse anybody’s mind upon the important Truth of God which it sets
forth.
Three things are in the text. The first is the lighting, the secondis the placing
and the third is the shining. The first two are both intended to produce the
third. May He who alone can create light, illuminate our minds while we dwell
on His Word.
1. First let us considerTHE LIGHTING. “Neither do men light a candle.”
What is this lighting up of the souls of men? They are without light by
nature, “having the understanding darkened, being alienatedfrom the
life of God through the ignorance that is in them.” What, then, is this
lighting? It is, first of all, a Divine work. God beganHis creating work

of old by saying, “Let there be light” and there was light. And as in the
old creation, so in the new–the first thing that God works in the heart of
man is light–“the entrance of Your Word gives light.” Well saidDavid,
“The Lord is my light and my salvation.”
The Holy Spirit enlightens the understanding so that the man perceives the
desperatenessofhis own condition and his inability to win salvationby his
own works. The Lord pours fight into the soul so that Christ is seenby faith
and, at the sight of Him, the heart catches fire and light takes hold upon the
inner man so that he not only sees light but has light. The light not only shines
upon the heart but from the heart. “You were sometime darkness”–notonly
in the dark, but darkness!“But now you are light in the Lord”–not only have
you light from the Lord, but you are light–your souls having caughtthe flame.
The Holy Spirit, alone, canaccomplishthis work. No human being will ever
have light within himself till God who spoke the fiat at Creation shall, by the
same Word, create light in the soul. The Apostle Paul says of all the saints,
“God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our
hearts, to give the light of the knowledge ofthe Glory of God in the face of
Jesus Christ.” This lighting is a separating work. When this Light of God
comes, it separates a man from those around him who are as darkness. It does
not take him awayfrom his surroundings. It does not shut him up in a
monastery, but the separationis complete, for to set a division betweena
candle and the darkness all that is neededis to light it. The tiniest spark will,
by its very existence, be distinguished from the darkness.
There is no need to label light to prevent its being confusedwith darkness and
there is no need for it to sound a trumpet before itself, saying, “Here I am.”
What fellowship has light with darkness? No soonercomes the light into a
man’s heart than he is separate from those who are round about him–he is
called, by the Grace of God, to a vocation which at once sets a difference
betweenthe calledones and the rest of the sons of men. The darkness could
not have createdthe light, for it does not even comprehend it, “The light
shines in the darkness and the darkness comprehendedit not.”
Those that are round about the Christian man cannotmake him out, for his
life is hid with Christ in God. At his conversionthey perceive that a strange
alterationhas come over him and, as Dr. Watts says, they gaze and admire
and hate the change, but they know no more about it than owls do of the sun!
At first they set the change down to melancholy, until the man’s experience
flashes into delight and then they callit fanaticism or a kind of madness–a
sort of twist of the mind. Oh, blessedtwist! Would God that those who know it
not could be twisted after the same fashion! It is the kindling of the candle, so

that where all was darkness before, there may now be the heavenly Light of
God!
The darkness, though it does not understand or love the light, is, nevertheless,
compelled to yield to it, for the battle betweenlight and darkness is short and
decisive. Up to the measure of the light is the measure of its conquest. Though
only a few beams should irradiate the easternsky, yet so far the arrows of the
sun have pierced the heart of the night and as that light shall glow into high
noon, all traces of darkness must fly before it. Beloved, if God has given light
to us, He has put within us a principle that shall go forth conquering and to
conquer! Let the darkness be as dense as that which plagued the Egyptians,
yet must it yield to light.
A conflict is to be expected, but a conquestis guaranteed. We must not dream
that the darkness will put forth its black arms to embrace our light, nor may
we imagine that it will come cowering at the foot of our candlestick and ask to
make a league with us. Light cannot dwell side by side with the darkness,
making a covenant, for it is written, “Goddivided the light from the darkness,
and God calledthe light day, and the darkness He callednight”–thus giving to
eachits own distinguishing name–that none might confuse them. No man shall
ever be able to mingle the two–they are and must be foreverdistinct. To the
end of time there shall be two seeds–the heirs of light and the children of
darkness–andthese two cannotbe one.
The light shall war with the darkness till the eternal light has fully risen and
reachedits zenith–and then the earth shall be filled with the light of the Glory
of God! Till then, you children of light, see to it that you have no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness. This lighting up of the candle takes
place at regenerationand you perceive it in enlightenment, conviction,
conversion. The question is, have you ever been lit, dear Friend? Have you
ever receivedthat Divine Light of God? Have you ever felt the touch of the
heavenly torch of the Word of God by which the Light has come to you and
now dwells within you, so that you have become a light and are shining to the
Glory of God?
Furthermore, this light giving is a personal work to every man who is the
subject of it. The text says, “Let your light so shine before men.” When a man
lights a candle, the light does not belong to the candle, at first. But when once
the candle has acceptedthe flame, the light becomes the candle’s own light
and the candle begins to shine by its ownlight. So, Beloved, the Grace of God,
the Light from Heaven, must come to eachone of us individually from the
Divine hand and we must personally receive it. Light is not inherent in any

one of us and, therefore, it must be bestowed. Its bestowalnecessitatesa
personalacceptance.
It is not bestowedupon us as part of a nation or family. In its enlightening
operations, Divine Grace does not deal with men in the gross, but with each
man by himself. Sin is personaland so must Grace be. We are individually in
the darkness and must be individually kindled into light. One by one, each
man must acceptthe Light of God, permitting it, as it were, to kindle upon
him, so that the very wick of his being, that innermost life which goes through
the very center of his nature shall embrace the flame and begin to burn with
it! There must be an individual appropriation of the light so that to eachone
of you it becomes your own. “Let YOUR light so shine before men.”
Do not deceive yourselves with the notion of national Christianity or
hereditary Christianity–the only true religion is personalgodliness. We
cannot light these candles by the pound at a time, nor heap up lamps in a pile
and light them in a mass. We have, nowadays, wonderful lights which canbe
all lit in an instant by a single touch of electricity–but even then eachone of
the lights has to receive a flame for itself–whichbecomes all its own. There is
no way by which individuality can be destroyed and men saveden masse. In
eachman the light is peculiar and distinct. The light that burns in one true
minister of Christ is the same which shines forth from another and yet one
star differs from another star in Glory–Peteris not John, Paul is not James,
Whitefield is not Wesley.
You shall examine the whole range of God’s lamps and candlesticks andyou
shall not find two exactly alike. Many artists exhaust themselves and then
repeatthemselves, but Godis inexhaustibly original–no two touches of His
pencil are the same. Light is one and its glory is one–andyet there is one glory
of the sun and another glory of the moon and another glory of the stars. There
is a difference in the lights of various oils and gases andso there is in your
light, my Brothers and Sisters, and my light. It is very possible that you would
like to put my candle in order–you may do so if you can–but do not snuff me
out!
Your own light is, however, your main concernand you had better ask for
specialGrace that it may not fail. Your light is distinct from mine–as distinct
as your life is from mine–though, in another sense, it is true that your spiritual
light is one with all the light that evershone in this world. There is in the
lighting, a personalappropriation of the Divine flame and afterwards a
personaland distinct sending forth of the sacredLight in the individual’s own
way. Look you well to this, lest you be mistakenand suppose yourselves to be
lighted from Heaven when you are the mere will-o'-the-wisps of delusion.

I like our translator’s reading the word candle–“Neitherdo men light a
candle,” for nowadays a candle is the smallestof all lights. We almost despise
a candle in these days of the electric light, yet small lights are useful and tiny
lamps have their sphere. God has many small lights. In His greathouse He
has candles as well as stars and He would not have even a small light wasted.
Even the most twinkling ray of light is of God’s kindling–think of that, you
who cannot do more than talk to a child or give awaya tract for love of His
dear name. You are a little light, but if the Lord has given you even a spark of
the sacredfire, He means that you should shine!
In this world there are many lights, but none too many. We could not spare
the sun and it would be a calamity if the smalleststarwere quenched. We
cannot spare those modern inventions which so cheer us by turning our city’s
night into day, but I know we should miss even the glowwormfrom its dewy
haunt in the quiet lane! We cannot afford to lose a ray of light in this misty,
foggy, all-becloudedsky of ours. The Church and the world need all the light
that has been provided and much more. I, therefore, would press upon all my
Brothers and Sisters here who may happen to have but one talent, the
necessityoftheir putting it out to interest! Your light, my Friend, may be but
a farthing rushlight, but you must not hide it, for all lights are of God and are
sent with a kind and gracious purpose by the greatFatherof Lights.
Note further that lighting is a work which needs sustaining. While lighting is a
process performed in a moment, it is also, as a matter of fact, prolonged, for
the lamp needs to be trimmed and it would be worthless to light a lamp and
leave it to itself. The lamp must have fresh oil, from time to time, since by
shining it consumes its fuel. Do not, any of you, think, therefore, if you can fix
upon a certain time and say, “I was convertedthen,” that you may live as you
like afterwards. Godforbid! The saints prove their conversionby their
perseverance–andthat perseverancecomes from a continual supply of Divine
Grace to their souls. Judge, then, yourselves by this–not so much whether on a
certain specialoccasionyou were turned from darkness to light–but are you
still, “light in the Lord”?
Have you oil in your vesselwith your lamp? Are you looking unto Jesus?It
was well that you looked, but are you looking? That is the greatthing!
Remember, it is a presentbusiness, this looking. It is well that you came to
Jesus, but that is merely the beginning–it is “to whom coming,” coming
continually as unto a living stone. Our lungs must have, as we all know, fresh
supplies of air. It will avail me nothing that I breathed yesterday. I am dead
unless I breathe today. We must have constantfood–youate yesterday–but
could you, without hunger and weakness,go without food today? We

continually need to be built up as to our bodies and it is just the same with our
souls!And if we neglectthis–if we fancy that something done 20 years ago is
all that is needed–we shallmake a great mistake. There must be the frequent
trimming of the lamp, which is, in effect, a continuation of the lighting.
Once again, let me say that this work of lighting is a work which, when it is
done upon a man, consecrateshim entirely to the service of giving light. A
candle once lit, if it continues alight, will be all consumed in giving light. It is
what it was made for, not to be laid by in a glass caseand lookedat, but to be
burned away. Blessedis the man who can say, “My zeal has consumed me.”
You will saythat in the case ofthe lamp–the lamp itself is not consumed. No,
but it is consecratedto the one purpose of lighting the house and it contains
the supply of oil by which the flame is fed. The whole of the lamp, whether it is
of gold or silver or clay, or whateverit may be–is dedicated to the one purpose
of giving light–and if God ever comes and lights you, my dear Brothers and
Sisters, you are, from now on, separatedfrom all other purpose and appointed
to the one calling.
You may be a greatmany other things according to your human calling, but
these must be subordinate. I wish that some men kept earthly things much
more subordinate than they do. The first thing in a Christian is his
Christianity. The chief business of one whom God has calledis that he should
live as the electof God. Look at Christ Jesus–He was a carpenter, but I
confess I seldomthink of Him as such. It is as the Saviorof men and, the
Servant of God that He comes before my mind. And thus a Christian man
ought to live so, if he is a carpenter, the Christian swallowsup the carpenter!
And if he is a businessman, or a man of letters, or an orator, he ought so to
live that the most conspicuous factabout him is that he is a Christian!
He is a lamp and his one business is to shine. You may use a candle for many
purposes. I saw a man greasea saw with one the other day and another made
his boots fit for walking in the snow in like manner. But still, these are not the
objectives for which a candle is designed–ithas missedthe purpose of its
existence if it does not give light. I suppose, on occasions, youmight use a
lamp for a weight, or for some other purposes, but it would not be, then, a fit
instrument for any purpose except that of giving light. Everything is best
when fulfilling its proper purpose. Have you ever seena swanout of water?
How ungainly is its walk!What an unwieldy bird it seems!
But look at him on the water. What a fine model for a ship! What Grace!
What beauty! So is it with the Christian! His beauty is best seenin its proper
element. Give him any other aim and he is awkwardand uncomely. When
seeking to instruct and save his fellow man, he is where God would have him

and then all the lines of creating wisdom and all the beauties of Divine Grace
are manifestedin him. Let us take care, then, about this lighting–that it is
lighting from above, that it is a lighting such as makes the light our own and
that it is a lighting which takes possessionofus and consecratesus entirely–
and is perpetually sustainedby the visitation of the Spirit of God. So much on
the first point.
II. We will now, in the secondplace, consider THE PLACING. “No man lights
a candle and puts it under a bushel.” It is a greatpoint, this placing of a man–
it may hide his light or send it further afield. The chief matter is the lighting
him and getting him to have light to give. But the next most important thing is
where to put him when he is alight. Forsome men, when they first find Christ,
are in the wrong place altogether. How can a lamp shine if it is dropped into a
river? After the conversionof certain persons their removal becomes
necessary. It is significant that when God calledAbraham He did not let him
stop in Ur of the Chaldees–the place for Abraham to shine was not even in
Haran, but he must get in to the chosencountry and wander as a shepherd
prince–for only there and in that character couldAbraham shine to the Glory
of God.
Mostmen will be wise to stay where they are and shine, but others must
undergo a greatchange of position before they will be able to scattertheir
light to the extent which the Lord intends for them. That may account, my
Friend, for your having more trouble since you were converted than you ever
had before. You have been left to lie still till now, but you are neededand so
you are fetched out from your hiding place. It did not matter where you were
when you gave no light–you were just as well behind a box or in a closetas
anywhere else!But now that you are lighted you must be put on a lamp stand
and, therefore, you are undergoing processesofProvidence that are somewhat
painful to you. Our placing, whether it has necessitatedremovalor not, is
largely done by the Providence of God–one man is placed here and another
there–and it is well for us to look at our positionfrom this point of view.
God puts us where we can best serve His cause and bless our age. If you had
your choice, perhaps, if you had to be a streetlamp, you would like to be a
lamp in Hyde Park to shine upon the nobles who pass that way. But the poor
souls need lights far more down that blind alley; down that den of a court
where wild Irish are quarrelling, or drunks murdering their wives. He that
loves God, if he had his choice, might soonerchooseto shine in the worse place
than in the better. “Oh that I lived in the midst of a warm-hearted Church!”
one says. If you are an earnest, thorough-going man or woman, I am glad that

you are placed in that dreary village where the people are pretty nearly
starved for spiritual life!
“What?” cries one, “are you glad that I have to suffer so much?” No, not for
that, but because if you are a strong man, you will not suffer, but you will
make other people suffer–that is to say–make it hard for the minister, the
deacons and the Church to remain in their wretched condition of
lukewarmness!I hope you will be the means of awakening them and bringing
them nearer to Christ. How often a place which appears undesirable will
become desirable if we regardit in this light. Providence puts us where we can
give the most light and if our lamp is set up in the midst of darkness, where
else should it be?
This Tabernacle reminds me of those frames on wheels, filled with lamps,
which are used at our railway stations–here we have scoresoflamps all
burning together–andwhen first one and then another is dropped through the
roof into a carriage andwhisked awayalong the line, though it is to Australia,
or America, or India, I am sorry to lose you, but I am gladthat you are going
where you will do more goodthan you will do here. Why should you not be
scatteredabroadlike the first Believers? Why should not the candles be
carried where the darkness is? Why should we keepup an everlasting
illumination upon this particular spot just to gladden our own eyes instead of
lending light to all the world?
It is ours to say to others, “Here is a candle, let it shine in your houses.” Or,
“Here is a lamp, set it up in your tents, that God may bless you.” But though I
have thus spokenof Providence, a good dealof our placing is in our own
hands. There are ways of placing yourselves–forinstance, that mentioned in
the text, which may be as ruinous to our influence as if a candle were placed
under a bushel! Or you can put yourself in a place of advantage, as when a
lamp is set upon a lamp stand. First, note the word in the negative–“Neither
do men place it under a bushel.” A bushel is a goodand useful article. In
almost every easternhouse there was a corn-measure, here calleda bushel,
though it did not generallymeasure much more than a peck.
This measure was commonly in every house because they ground their own
corn and so were generallydealing with the neighbors. That useful corn-
measure, to me, represents the pursuits of ordinary life–the proper and
natural avocations ofthe household. Many men and womenhide the candle
that God has lit under the bushel of business and domestic cares. Butyou ask,
“Is not a housewife to be a housewife?” Certainly, but not so a housewife as to
concealhergodliness!Is not the laboring man to work with his hands?
Certainly, but not so to work for the bread that he perishes as to miss Eternal

Life. Is not the man of business to give his best attention to his business? Of
course he is, but he must see to it that he does not lose his soul, or injure the
souls of others.
Take care ofyour bushel–nobody asks you to burn it–but keepit in its place.
Subordinate all worldly things to the Glory of God. Suffer not your
possessionsoryour desires, your pleasures oryour cares to actas a bushel
hiding His Light. This happens with a greatmany. I must ask Conscienceto
be so kind as to preach for me for a minute or two. Will you look at home,
dear Friends, and see where you place your business and your religion?
Which is uppermost? Which is foremost? Is religion your business, or is
business your religion? Does your candle shine on the bushel, or does the
bushel hide the candle? I will not dwell upon the question because it will be
well for you to answerit in quiet, eachman for himself.
I know how a minister can put his light under a bushel. He can be a mere
official and perform services, being nothing more than a performer. The
worstthing to do with the Gospelis to parsonificate it. As soonas we preach
as mere officials, we have lost all power–we must speak as men to men! A
brother minister said to me one day, “The moment I shut the pulpit door, I
shut out my natural self.” This will never do! A man must be all there when
He is serving God and if ever he is himself, it must be in preaching. We can
also coverthe candle by using difficult words–words whichare not difficult to
educatedpeople, but to the bulk of our hearers.
We canalso use technicalcreedwords, such as we might use in the class room
or in the discussionhall and these may concealour meaning from the people. I
know some Christians who put their light under a bushel by being excessively
bashful and shamefaced. Theyare not so dreadfully retiring when five-pound
notes are to be made, but if anything is to be said for Christ, then they blush
and stammer! Oh that they could overcome this hindrance! Others put their
light under a bushel by inconsistency–theydo not act as Christians should
act–andwhen people see their bad works they do not glorify God. Godforbid
that our darkness in the house should be more conspicuous than our light!
Some, I fear, cover their light under the bushel of indifference–they do not
seemto care how things go with the cause and Kingdom of Christ. They look
well to the state of their flocks and herds, but for the House of the Lord they
have small concern. I pray you, dear Friends, do not hide your light in any
way! Lot not your lawful callings, your relationships, your sicknesses, your
literary pursuits, or your personalsorrows become so exaggeratedas to
concealthe Divine Light within your soul.

The text is, however, positive. Put yourself on a candlestick oron a lamp
stand. What must that be? A candlestick is an appropriate exhibitor of the
light and eachman should make an appropriate confessionofhis faith. The
best way is prescribed in God’s Word. It is written, “He that believes and is
baptized shall be saved.” Takecare that when you have faith, you declare it in
the ordained manner, for he that with his heart believes and with his mouth
makes confessionofHim shall be saved. O Lamp, do not say, “I will shine, but
I will lie upon the floor and do it.” No, your place is on the stand which is
provided!
DearChristian Friend, join the Church that you may be placedwhere you
will be in order with the arrangements of the Divine household. A lamp stand
should also be something which makes the lamp sufficiently visible. If you do
not come out and exhibit your light willingly and cheerfully, it is very likely
the Masterofthe house will fetch you out. Providence will arrange that the
light shall not be hidden. See what the Lord did for His Church years ago–He
allowedher to be persecutedinto publicity! What a lamp stand was found for
Christianity in the martyrdoms of the Coliseum, in the public burnings by
pagans and papists and in all the other modes by which Believers in Christ
were forced into fame!
When there was no printing press;when there were scantyopportunities of
making the Gospelpublic comparedwith those of today, the Lord causedHis
witnesses to stand before rulers and kings and there publish, in the most
public places the Word of His salvation. Persecutionbuilt the lighthouse and
Divine Love setaloft the burning and shining Light of the sacredTruth of
God! You may find that God will make such a candlestick for you. You shall
be forced into testimony in your family by the opposition of those about you
unless you take other and happier methods. We ought to be valiant for the
Truth of God and speak of it with all prudence and without limit! I long for
the day when the precepts of the Christian religion shall be the rule among all
classesofmen, in all transactions!
I often hear it said, “Do not bring religion into politics.” This is precisely
where it ought to be brought and set there in the face of all men as on a
candlestick!I would have the Cabinet and the Members of Parliament do the
work of the nation as before the Lord and I would have the nation, either in
making war or peace, considerthe matter by the light of righteousness. We
are to deal with other nations about this or that upon the principles of the
New Testament. I thank God that I have lived to see the attempt made in one
or two instances and I pray that the principle may become dominant and

permanent! We have had enough of clever men without consciences–letus
now see whathonest, God-fearing men will do!
But we are told that we must study, “British interests,” as if it were not always
to a nation’s truest interestto do right! “But we must follow out our policy.” I
say, No! Let the policies which are founded on wrong be cast. like idols. to the
moles and to the bats! Stand to that most admirable of policies–“As youwould
that men should do to you, do you also to them likewise.”Whetherwe are
kings, or queens, or prime ministers, or members of Parliament, or crossing
sweepers,this is our rule if we are Christians! Yes, and bring religion into
your business and let the Light of God shine in the factory and in the
counting-house!Then we shall not have quite so much China clay in the
calicoeswith which to cheat the foreigner–norshall we see cheapand nasty
articles describedas of best quality, nor any other of the dodges in trade that
everybody seems to practice nowadays.
You trades people and manufacturers are very much one like the other in
this–there are tricks in all trades and one sees it everywhere. I believe
everybody to be honest in all England, Scotlandand Ireland until he is found
out. But whether there are any so incorruptible that they will never be found
wanting, this witness says not, for I am not a judge. Do not put your candle
under a bushel, but let it shine, for it was intended that it should be seen.
Religionought to be as much seenat our own table as at the Lord’s Table.
Godliness should as much influence the House of Commons as the Assembly
of Divines. God grant that the day may come when the mischievous division
betweensecularand religious things shall no more be heard of, for in all
things Christians are to glorify God, according to the precept, “Whetheryou
eat or drink, or whateveryou do, do all to the Glory of God.”
III. Our time has gone, but I must detain you a little while I speak upon the
SHINING–“Letyour light so shine before men.” When a candle shines, it is
because it cannot help it. Shining is the natural result of possessing light and I
want you, dear Brothers and Sisters, to exert a holy influence upon others
because the Grace of God is really in you. Some men made desperate attempts
to appear good–theywould be far more successfulif they would seek to be
good. Grace must be in a man as a living fountain and then rivers of Living
Waterwill flow from him. The natural result of a renewedheart is a renewed
life and the natural result of a renewedlife is that men see it and glorify God.
Shining, however, is not altogethera thing of necessityso as to forbid our
attention to it, for the text demands care of us. “Let your light so shine.” I
must ask the printer to put the two letters–“s, o”–invery large capitals. “Let
your light SO shine–letit SO shine that men may see your goodworks, and

glorify your Fatherwhich is in Heaven.” You will not shine in the best manner
though you may have Grace in your heart unless you abound in prayerful,
watchful, earnestcare. You must guard heart and lips and hands or your light
will not so shine before men as could be desired. Your light will need
trimming. Neglectit not.
The shining which comes from the Christian is here describedas, “good
works.” Goodtalk is very well, but it takes a greatdeal of talk to light a room!
Goodworks are the splendor of the Light of God. What works are good
works? I would answer–uprightactions, honestdealings, sincere behavior.
When a man is scrupulously true and sternly faithful, all right-minded
persons admit that His works are goodworks. Goodworks are works oflove,
unselfish works, works done for the benefit of others and the Glory of God.
Deeds of charity, kindness and brotherly love are goodworks. As also careful
attendance to duty and all service honestly done, togetherwith all courses
which promote the moral and spiritual goodof our fellow men.
Works of devotion in which you prove that you love God and His Christ, that
you love the Gospel, that you desire to spreadthe Kingdom of Christ–these
may not be so highly valued by ordinary people–but are eminently good
works. Let these goodand true things abound in you and shine out from you!
Do them not out of flamboyance, but still, without shame. Goodworks, like
the shining of a candle, have goodeffects. A candle cheers the gloom. What a
comfort it is when you have long been wandering in the dark, to spy out a
twinkling candle in a cottage window!A candle directs and guides men and by
its illumination it instructs them. In its light they see, discern, and discover.
He who acts teaches. The man who lives Christianity preaches it. He is the
true evangelistwhose life brings Glory to God and goodwillto men.
But note, it is said, “it gives light to all that are in the house,” so that when we
are lit from on High, we are first to shine at home. It is not only abroad that
we should make our Christianity known, but chiefly at the fireside to those
who are in the house. Some have a very little house–theylive in a couple of
rooms with a small family–let them take care that they have Grace enoughto
make a few thoroughly happy, which is not always the easiestthing in the
world. Others have a large family–may they have Grace enoughto influence
the whole. A few have large workshops andemploy many hands–and these
ought to exercise a holy influence over all their employees.
Some of us are preachers of the Gospeland have a large house in which to
shine–we shallneed more of the oil of Grace than others, that we may give
light to the whole of our house–andthat Grace is to be had. The whole world
is a house in which the Church is the candle and, therefore, the members of

the Church should so shine, eachone in his place, that the whole world shall
be filled with the knowledge ofthe Glory of God! The text says that the candle
gives light to all that are in the house.
Some professors give light only to a part of the house. I have known women
very goodto all but their husbands and these they nag from morning to night
so that they give no light to them! I have knownhusbands so often out at
meetings that they neglecthome and thus their wives miss the Light of God. I
have known employers who are utterly indifferent about their employees and
mistresses who quite forgetto seek the goodof their maids. If our light is in
goodorder, it will illuminate the parlor and the kitchen, the drawing room
and the pantry–shining upon all that are in the house!
Candles do not shed all their light either that wayor this, but they shine in all
directions. A Christian should be an “all-around man,” blessing all, both great
and small, who come in contactwith him. The objective of our shining is not
that men may see how goodwe are, nor even see us at all–but that they may
see God’s Grace in us and God in us and cry, “What a Fatherthese people
must have!” Is not this the first time in the New Testamentthat God is called
our Father? Is it not amazing that the first time it peeps out should be when
men are seeing the good works ofHis children?
The Fatherhoodof God is best seenin the holiness of saints. When men see
that the Light of God is good, they bless the Source of that Light and, seeing
that it comes from the Father of Lights, they glorify His name! I have had to
hasten overall this, but I pray God to make it, none the less, effectualfor the
stirring up of every Christian here to use all the Light he has. It is a dark
world and it seems to getdarker, for the emissaries ofSatanare going about
thirsting to quench every light. Look well to your lamps–look wellto your
lamps, you virgin souls! Trim well the flame and go forth even into the black
night to meet the Bridegroom. Lift high your torches into the very face of
darkness and make men see that Godthe Father is still in the midst of His
people!
The venerable Bede, when he was interpreting this text, saidthat Christ Jesus
brought the light of Deity into the poor lantern of our humanity and then set it
upon the candlestick ofHis Church that the whole house of the world might
be lit thereby. So, indeed, it is! The reasonwhy there is light in the Church is
that those who are in the dark may see. Churches do not exist for themselves,
but for the world at large. Have you thought of this, Brothers and Sisters?
You are blessedthat you may be a blessing!Take heedthat you behave aright.
You go to Christ’s wedding feastand you are glad to hear that He turns water
into wine and you are ready to bless Him that He has kept the best wine until

now. But oh, servants of God, remember what is said, “Draw out now and
bear.”
These are your orders. There is the God-made wine–“Draw outnow and
bear.” Receive from Christ’s fullness and distribute to others! Neglectnot
your duty as servitors at your Lord’s greatfeast. Your Masterhas takenthe
bread and has blessedand broken it and then He has given it to you. Is that
the end of the process? Do youstand there and munch your own personal
morsel with a miserable self-satisfaction? No, if you are, indeed, disciples of
Christ, you will remember that the next words, in another like incident, are,
“and the disciples to the multitude, and they did eat.” Break, then, your bread
among the hungry that surround you! Take the whole loaf of Christ and
rightly divide and distribute it–and you shall have as much left as at the first–
yes, more! You shall gatherof the fragments many baskets full.
Only see to it that you freely give what you have freely received, lesthoarded
manna breeds corruption! Lest a cankercome upon your hoarded gold and
silver! And lest your very souls grow moldy even to reeking rottenness before
God because you have not drawn out your souls unto the hungry, nor sought
to teachthose who are perishing for lack of knowledge!
The Baptist MissionarySocietywill enable you to teach the heathen. Take a
share in it. There, make the collection!Do your best!
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(16) Let your light so shine.—The Englishform of the sentence is somewhat
misleading, or at leastambiguous. It is not simply, Let your light so shine that
men may glorify; but, “Thus, like the lamp on its stand, let your light shine. . .
.” The motive to publicity is, however, the direct opposite of the temper which
led the Pharisee to his ostentatious prayers and almsgiving; not “to be seenof
men,” and win their praise, but to win men, through our use of the light which
we know to be not our own, to glorify the Giver of the light. We have at leasta
partial fulfilment of the command in the impression made on the heathen

world by the new life of the Church when they confessed, in spite of all
prejudices, “See how these Christians love one another.”
Your Father which is in heaven.—The name was in common use among
devout Jews, but its first occurrence in our Lord’s teaching deserves to be
noted. The thought of God as a Father was that which was to inspire men not
only when engagedin prayer (Matthew 6:9), but in the activity of obedience.
(See Note on Matthew 6:9.)
BensonCommentary
Matthew 5:16. Let your light — The light of that doctrine which you receive
from me, and the light of your holy conversation, so shine before men — Be so
evident and apparent unto men, that they may see your goodworks, and
glorify, &c. — That is, that seeing your goodworks they may both praise God
for sending such a religion into the world, and also, embracing your faith,
may imitate your holy example, or may be moved to love and serve God as
you do, and thereby to glorify him. Here then our Lord tells us, in plain
words, what he intended by the comparisonbefore mentioned.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
5:13-16 Ye are the salt of the earth. Mankind, lying in ignorance and
wickedness, were as a vast heap, ready to putrify; but Christ sent forth his
disciples, by their lives and doctrines to seasonit with knowledge and grace. If
they are not such as they should be, they are as saltthat has lost its savour. If
a man can take up the professionofChrist, and yet remain graceless, no other
doctrine, no other means, can make him profitable. Our light must shine, by
doing such goodworks as men may see. Whatis between Godand our souls,
must be kept to ourselves;but that which is of itself open to the sight of men,
we must study to make suitable to our profession, and praiseworthy. We must
aim at the glory of God.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Let your light so shine ... - Let your holy life, your pure conversation, and
your faithful instructions, be everywhere seenand known. Always, in all
societies, in all business, at home and abroad, in prosperity and adversity, let
it be seenthat you are real Christians.
That they may see your goodworks - The proper motive to influence us is not
simply that we may be seen(compare Matthew 6:1), but it should be that our
heavenly Father may be glorified. The Phariseesactedto be seenof men, true
Christians actto glorify God, and care little what people may think of them,

exceptas by their conduct others may he brought to honor God, yet they
should so live that people may see from their conduct what is the proper
nature of their religion.
Glorify your Father - Praise, or honor God, or be led to worship him. Seeing
in your lives the excellencyof religion, and the power and purity of the gospel,
they may be won to be Christians also, and give praise and glory to God for
his mercy to a lost world.
We learn here:
1. that religion, if it exists, cannot be concealed.
2. that where it is not manifest in the life, it does not exist.
3. that "professors"ofreligion, who live like other people, give evidence that
they have never been truly converted.
4. that to attempt to concealorhide our Christian knowledge orexperience is
to betray our trust, injure the cause of piety, and to render our lives useless.
And,
5. that goodactions will be seen, and will lead people to honor God. If we have
no other wayof doing good - if we are poor, and unlearned, and unknown yet
we may do goodby our lives. No sincere and humble Christian lives in vain.
The feeblestlight at midnight is of use.
"How far the little candle throws his beams!
So shines a gooddeed in a naughty world!"
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your goodworks,
and glorify your Father which is in heaven—As nobody lights a lamp only to
coverit up, but places it so conspicuouslyas to give light to all who need light,
so Christians, being the light of the world, instead of hiding their light, are so
to hold it forth before men that they may see what a life the disciples of Christ
lead, and seeing this, may glorify their Fatherfor so redeeming, transforming,
and ennobling earth's sinful children, and opening to themselves the way to
like redemption and transformation.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Our Saviour now plainly tells us what he intended by the comparisons before
mentioned. Let the light of that doctrine which you receive from me, and the
light of your holy conversation, (the latter by the following words seemethto
be here principally intended),

so shine before men, be so evident and apparent unto men,
that they may see your goodworks;all sorts of goodworks, whatsoeverI have
commanded or shall command you; and as I command you, and in obedience
to such commands, otherwise they are no goodworks;
and glorify your Father which is in heaven. You are not in your good actions
to aim at yourselves, to be seenof men, as Matthew 6:1, nor merely at doing
goodto others; goodworks are to be maintained for necessaryuses, Titus
3:14, but having a primary, and principal respectto the glorifying of your
Father; for, John 15:8, Herein is my Father glorified, if ye bear much fruit:
not that we can add any thing to God’s essentialglory, but we may predicate
and manifest his glory; which how we can do by goodworks, if they proceed
from mere power and liberty of our own wills, not from his specialefficacious
grace, is hard to understand. Our Fatheris saidto be in heaven, because,
though his essentialpresence filleth all places, yet he is pleased there, more
than any where, to manifest his glory and majesty.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Let your light so shine before men,.... Here Christ applies the foregoing simile
to his disciples, and more fully opens the meaning and design of it. His sense is
this; that the light of the Gospel, which he had communicated to them, the
spiritual knowledge ofthe mysteries of grace, which he had favoured them
with, were to be openly declared, and made manifest before men. Light was
not given merely for their own private use, but for the public goodof
mankind; and therefore, as they were placed as lights in the world, they were
to hold forth, in the most open and conspicuous manner, the word of light and
life:
that they may see your goodworks:meaning their zeal and fervency; their
plainness and openness;their sincerity, faithfulness, and integrity; their
courage and intrepidity; their diligence, industry, and indefatigableness in
preaching the Gospel;their strict regard to truth, the honour of Christ, and
the goodof souls;as also their very greatcare and concernto recommend the
doctrines of grace, by their example in their lives and conversations:
and glorify your Father which is in heaven; that is, that when the ministration
of the Gospelhas been blessed, for the illumination of the minds of men, to a
thorough conviction of their state;and for their regeneration, conversion,

sanctification, and comfort; they may give praise to God, and bless his name
for qualifying and sending such Gospelministers to show unto them the way
of salvation; and that the word has been made useful to them for
communicating spiritual light, life, joy, and comfort, , "Our and your Father
which is in heaven", is a name, appellation, or periphrasis of God, frequently
used by Jewishwriters (s); and is often expressedby Christ in these his
sermons on the mount.
(s) Vid. Misn. Sota, c. 9. sect. 15. & Yoma, c. 8. sect. 9.
Geneva Study Bible
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your goodworks, and
glorify your Fatherwhich is in heaven.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Matthew 5:16. Οὕτω]like a burning lamp upon its stand.
τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν] the light, of which you are the trusted possessors. This shines
before men, if the disciples come forward publicly in their office with fidelity
and courage, do not draw back, but spread abroadthe gospelboldly and
freely.
ὅτως ἴδωσιν ὑμῶν, κ.τ.λ.]that they may see the excellentworks done by you.
These are not their virtues in general, but, in accordance withthe whole
context from Matthew 5:11, their ministry as faithful to its obligations, their
specific works as disciples, which, however, are also of a moral nature.
καὶ δοξάσωσι, κ.τ.λ.]that He has made you fit (2 Corinthians 3:5) to perform
such works, they must recognise Him as their author; comp. Matthew 9:8; 1
Peter2:12. The opposite, Romans 2:24.
τ. πατ. ὑμῶντ. ἐν τοῖς οὐρ.]see on Matthew 6:9. This designationof God,
which Christ gives forth from the fundamental standpoint of His gospel,
already presupposes instructions previously given to the disciples upon the
point. Observe, moreover, that here it is not ὑμῶν which, as formerly, has the
emphasis.
Expositor's Greek Testament

Matthew 5:16. οὕτω. Do ye as they do in cottage life: apply the parable.—
λαμψάτω, letyour light shine. Don’t use means to prevent it, turning the rare
exceptionof householdpractice into the rule, so extinguishing your light, or at
leastrendering it useless.Cowardscanalways find plausible excuses forthe
policy of obscuration—reasons ofprudence and wisdom: gradual accustoming
of men to new ideas; deference to the prejudices of goodmen; avoidance of
rupture by premature outspokenness;but generallythe true reasonis fear of
unpleasant consequences to oneself. Theirconduct Jesus represents as
disloyalty to God—ὅπως, etc. The shining of light from the goodworks of
disciples glorifies God the Fatherin heaven. The hiding of the light means
withholding glory. The temptation arises from the fact—a sternlaw of the
moral world it is—that just when most glory is likely to accrue to God, least
glory comes to the light-bearer; not glory but dishonour and evil treatment his
share. Many are ready enough to let their light shine when honour comes to
themselves. But their “light” is not true heaven-kindled light; their works are
not καλὰ, noble, heroic, but πονηρὰ (Matthew 7:17), ignoble, worthless, at
best of the conventionaltype in fashion among religious people, and wrought
often in a spirit of vanity and ostentation. This is theatricalgoodness,whichis
emphatically not what Jesus wanted. Euthy. Zig. says:οὐ κελεύει θεατρίζειν
τὴν ἀρετὴν.
Note that here, for the first time in the Gospel, Christ’s distinctive name for
God, “Father,” occurs. It comes in as a thing of course. Does it presuppose
previous instruction? (So Meyer.)One might have expectedso important a
topic as the nature and name of God to have formed the subject of a distinct
lesson. But Christ’s method of teaching was not scholastic orformal. He
defined terms by discriminating use; Father, e.g., as a name for God, by using
it as a motive to noble conduct. The motive suggestedthrows light on the
name. God, we learn, as Father delights in noble conduct; as human fathers
find joy in sons who acquit themselves bravely. Jesus may have given formal
instruction on the point, but not necessarily. This first use of the title is very
significant. It is full, solemn, impressive: your Father, He who is in the
heavens;so again in Matthew 5:45. It is suggestive ofreasons forfaithfulness,
reasons oflove and reverence. It hints at a reflectedglory, the reward of
heroism. The noble works which glorify the Fatherreveal the workers to be
sons. The double-sided doctrine of this logionof Jesus is that the divine is
revealedby the heroic in human conduct, and that the moral hero is the true
son of God. Jesus Himself is the highest illustration of the twofold truth.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges

16. Let your light so shine …] The word translated“shine” is rendered
“giveth light” in the preceding verse. It would be better to use the same
English word in both cases.So = “in like manner.” That is final, not
consecutive = ‘in order that.’
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 5:16. Ἔμπροσθεντῶν ἀνθρώπων, before men) sc. all men.—ὅπως, in
order that) The force of this particle does not so much refer to the verb ἴδωσιν
(they may see)as to δοξάσωσι (may glorify).—ὑμῶν—ἔργα, yourworks)Your
works, not yourselves. The light, not the candle.[181]—τὸνΠατέρα ὑμῶν,
your Father) Who has begottenyou like unto Himself. In the whole of this
address, the Son shows Godto us as our Father, and that more richly than all
the prophets of old.
[181]So there follows [That men may See]Your Father; not yourselves:
comp. ch. Matthew 6:2.—Vers. Germ.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 16. - Matthew only. Let your light so shine; even so let your light shine
(RevisedVersion); οὕτως λαμψὰτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν. The RevisedVersion(cf.
Rheims) does awaywith the misinterpretation suggestedby the Authorized
Version, "so that," for οὕτως refers solelyto the method of shining spokenof
in ver. 15, "like a burning lamp upon its stand" (Meyer). Our Lord has here
no thought of effort in shining, such as may improve the brightness of the light
given, or of illuminating others, but of not concealing whatlight the disciples
have. (For a similar οὕτως, cf. 1 Corinthians 9:24.) Yet remember, "A lamp
for one is a lamp for a hundred" (Talm. Bab., 'Sabb.,' 122a)and "Adam was
the lamp of the world" (Talm. Jeremiah, 'Sabb.,' 2:4 - a play on Proverbs
20:27). Your light. Either genitive of apposition, the light which you are
(Achelis), cf. ver. 14; or genitive of possession, the light of which you are the
trusted possessors (Meyer, Weiss). The latter is preferable, as the disciples
have, in ver. 15, been compared to the lamp, i.e. the light-bearer. Before men
(ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων). More than ἐνώπιον, "in presence of," for the
position of the lamp "in front of" the people is what our Lord is here
emphasizing (cf. John 12:37). That they may see your goodworks (u(mw = n
τὰ καλὰ ἔργα). Your. Three times in this verse. Our Lord lays stress on
personalpossessionoflight, personalaction, personalrelationship and origin.
Goodworks;i.e. of your lives generally(Weiss-Meyer), notministerially
(Mever). "Noble works, workswhichby their generous and attractive
characterwin the natural admiration of men" (Bishop Westcott, onHebrews

10:24). And glorify. This is actually done in ch. 9:8; 15:31. St. Peter's language
(1 Peter2:12) is probably due to a reminiscence of our Lord's words. Your
Father which is in heaven. The Fatherhoodof God is here predicated in a
specialsense ofthe disciples, in the same way as the Fatherhoodof God is, in
the Old Testament, always connectedwith his covenant relationto his people
as a nation (cf. Isaiah63:16; Isaiah64:8; Jeremiah 3:4; Deuteronomy 32:6).
Our Lord here is not thinking of the original relationof God to being and
especiallyto humanity, in virtue of man's creationin the Divine image (ὁ
πατήρ), but of the relation into which the disciples have entered through the
revelation of God in Christ; cf. further Bishop Westcott, onJohn 4:21 (Add.
Note)and on 1 John 1:2 (Add. Note);also Weiss, 'Life,' 2:348. The phrase,
which occurs here for the first time in St. Matthew (but cf. ver. 9, note),
henceforth occurs frequently, becoming of greatimportance for this Gospel
(cf. vers. 45, 48;Matthew 6:1, 9, etc.).
Vincent's Word Studies
So shine (οὕτως)
Often misconceived, as if the meaning were, "Letyour light shine in such a
way that men may see," etc. Standing at the beginning of the sentence, it
points back to the illustration just used. "So," evenas that lamp just
mentioned, let your light shine. Wycliffe has apparently caught this correct
sense:So shine your light before men.
PRECEPT AUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCE HURT MD
Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot* be
hidden; (NASB: Lockman)
Greek:Humeis este (2PPAI)to phos tou kosmou. ou dunatai (3SPMI)polis
krubenai (APN) epano horous keimene;(PPPNSF)
Amplified: You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be
hidden. (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
KJV: Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

NLT: You are the light of the world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the
night for all to see. (NLT - Tyndale House)
Philips: "You are the world's light - it is impossible to hide a town built on the
top of a hill. (New Testamentin Modern English)
Wuest: As for you, you are the light of the world. A city is not able to be
hidden, situated on top of a mountain.
Young's Literal: 'Ye are the light of the world, a city set upon a mount is not
able to be hid
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
An Simple Outline
Chapter
Subject
Mt 5:3-9
Character
Mt 5:10-12
Conflict
Mt 5:13-7:27
Conduct
YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD: Humeis este (2PPAI) to phos tou
kosmou
Pr 4:18; John 5:35; 12:36;Ro 2:19,20;2 Cor 6:14; Ep 5:8-14;Philippians
2:15; 1Th 5:5; Revelation1:20; 2:1
Matthew 5 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
YOU ARE
THE LIGHT!
You are the light of the world - Greatprivilege carries with it great
responsibility! "Jesus gives the Christian both a great compliment and a great
responsibility when He says that we are the light of the world, because He
claimed that title for Himself as He walkedthis earth (John 8:12 and John
9:5)." (Guzik)
Paul adds "you were formerly darkness (NOT JUST "IN" DARKNESS BUT
ACTUALLY "DARKNESS!" AND HOW DARK WAS THAT DARKNESS
IN ADAM, IN SIN! WOE!), but now you are Light in the Lord; walk (present
imperative = not possible naturally! Only possible as we rely on the

supernatural enabling desire and powerof the Spirit!)) as children of Light
for (AND AS THE SPIRIT OF JESUS EMPOWERS US AND SHINES
THROUGH US THE WORLD ENSHROUDED IN DARKNESS WILL
SEE...)the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness andrighteousness and
truth." (Ephesians 5:8-9+). (BUT DON'T EXPECT EVERYONE TO LOVE
YOU! SEE JESUS'DESCRIPTIONOF THE EFFECT OF LIGHT ON THE
WORLD - John 3:19-20).
In a parallel passagePaulwrote "Do this (SPIRIT ENABLED LOVE - Ro
13:10), knowing the time (NOTE ALL THE TIME PHRASES IN THIS
PASSAGE!), that it is already the hour for you to awakenfrom sleep; for now
salvationis nearer to us than when we believed (NEARER BECAUSE OUR
ALLOTTED TIME ON EARTH IS ALMOST OVER AND ALSO NEARER
BECAUSE WE ARE ONE DAY CLOSER TO HIS GLORIOUS RETURN).
The night is almost gone, and the day is near (RETURN OF OUR "BLESSED
HOPE"). Therefore (O, WHAT A WONDERFULTERM OF CONCLUSION
BASED AS IT IS ON THE PRECEDINGGLORIOUS TRUTHS!) let us lay
aside (NOTE MIDDLE VOICE = WE INITIATE AND PARTICIPATE IN
LAYING ASIDE) the deeds (ERGON = WE ACTIVELY WORKED AT THE
DEEDS)ofdarkness (THIS SIGNIFIES THAT WE ARE "WEARING"
SOME OF THESE "DIRTYDARK RAGS" OF CLOTHING!) and put on
the armor of light (PARALLEL WITH V14 THE IDEA IS PUT ON JESUS -
IMITATE HIM - INCLUDING HIS RELIANCE ON THE SPIRIT FOR
SUPERNATURALPOWER!SEE The Holy Spirit-Walking Like Jesus
Walked!). 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and
drunkenness, not in sexualpromiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and
jealousy. 14 But put on (Aorist imperative = DO NOT DELAY! TO DELAY
IS TO DISOBEY!RELY ON THE SPIRIT TO OBEY!) the Lord Jesus Christ
(HE IS LIGHT [Jn 1:5, 8, 9+, Jn 8:12, 12:46]AND IN HIM THERE IS NO
DARKNESS AT ALL - 1 Jn 1:5+), and make no provision (present imperative
with a negative - DO NOT TRY TO DO THIS RELYING ON YOU OLD
NATURE, BUT BY RELYING WHOLLY ON THE SUPERNATURAL
POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!AND NOTE CAREFULLY THE ORDER
-- SET YOUR FOCUS FIRST ON JESUS!THEN IN THE LIGHT OF HIS
GLORY, THE TRIFLING TRINKETS OF THIS PASSING WORLD WILL
LOSE THEIR SPARKLE! SEE The Expulsive Powerofa New Affection) for
the flesh in regardto its lusts." (Ro 13:11-14+)
You (5210)(humeis) is emphatic (first in the Greek sentence)whichconveys
the sense of"you yourselves". Note that you is plural and in the context of the

rest of the NT would be applicable to the Church. Therefore this verse could
be paraphrased "As for you, you are the light of the world." (Wuest)
Phil Newton- The "you" is emphatic in the Greek text, so that we might
translate it "You, and you alone are the light of the world." We know that
Jesus uses the same language ofHimself in John 8:12, "I am the Light of the
world." That passage speaksoflight in an originative sense. He is the origin of
such light so that He canadd, "He who follows Me will not walk in the
darkness, but will have the Light of life." Christians are light in a derivative
sense in that the light we have comes as a result of relationship to Jesus
Christ. We do not produce the light, but like the moon that reflects the light of
the sun, we too reflectthe light of His indwelling life. (Gospelof Matthew)
YOU ARE LIKE A WINDOW
LETTING IN THE LIGHT
Ray Pritchard tells this story "A little boy was sitting in church with his mom
one day. As he lookedup at the beautiful stained glass windows, he saw faces
in the glass. “Mom, who are those people in the window?” he asked. “Those
are the saints,” she answered. The little boy thought for awhile and then said,
“Oh, I know who the saints are. They’re the ones that let the light in.” I spoke
earlier of the moral decaygoing on all around us. Let no one despair. The
darker the night, the brighter the light shines. (The Salt and Light Brigade)
Observe that the verb are is in the present tense signifying that citizens of the
Kingdom of Heavenare continually lights ("mobile lighthouses" if you will) in
this spiritually dark world. Are is also in the indicative mood which is the
mood of reality. In other words, believers really are the light of the world!
And don't forgetto observe the context to help accuratelyinterpret the
meaning of Jesus'metaphor of "light". In other words, from the preceding
context, what does the "light" look like for those who are in Christ (and He in
them cp Col 1:27-note, Ro 8:9, Jn 8:12)? Does notthe "light" which is to shine
forth the charactertraits of the "be attitudes" Jesus has just describedin Mt
5:3-12? And if Jesus is the ultimate "light of the world" (Jn 8:12), and He is in
us by His indwelling Spirit (Ro 8:9-note), should not our daily desire be that
Jesus be increasing in us, and that we be decreasing, so thatthey see daily see
more of Him and less of us? (Jn 3:30-note, 2Cor2:14,15,16!). Note that we
don't have to MAKE ourselves light (or salt)! Paul explains that while we were
"formerly darkness (not just in darkness, but actual darkness!), but now (we)
are light in the Lord" and this great truth (and privilege) should motivate us
to desire to obey the command to "walk (present imperative = command to
continually behave this way - only possible as we surrender to the Spirit's

enabling desire and power - Php 2:13NLT-note)as children of light." (Eph
5:8-note, 1Th 5:5-note, 1Th 5:8-note, cp Ps 27:1-note)
BEHIND US IS OUR TRUST
BEFORE US IS OUR HOPE
Charles Spurgeonin his sermon on Titus 2:11-14 comments on the two
appearings of Christ and how this truth should motivate us to let our light
shine before men....
Behind us is our trust; before us is our hope. Behind us is the Son of God in
humiliation; before us is the greatGod our Saviour in his glory (Titus 2:13+).
To use an ecclesiasticalterm, we stand betweentwo Epiphanies: the first is the
manifestation of the Son of God in human flesh in dishonor and weakness;the
secondis the manifestation of the same Son of God in all his powerand glory.
In what a position, then, do the saints stand! They have an era all to
themselves which begins and ends with the Lord’s appearing....
We are living in the age which lies betweenthe two blazing beacons ofthe
divine appearings; and we are called to hastenfrom one to the other....
We have everything to hope for in the last appearing, as we have everything to
trust to in the first appearing; and we have now to wait with patient hope
throughout that wearyinterval which intervenes....
Already I have given to you, in this description of our position, the very best
argument for a holy life. If it be so, my brethren, ye are not of the world even
as Jesus is not of the world (John 17:14). If this be so, that before you blazes
the supernatural splendour of the SecondAdvent, and behind you burns the
everlasting light of the Redeemer’s firstappearing, what manner of people
ought ye to be! If, indeed, you be but journeying through this present world,
suffer not your hearts to be defiled with its sins; learn not the manner of
speechof these aliens through whose country you are passing. Is it not written,
“The people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckonedamong the nations”?
(Nu 23:9KJV) “Come out (ED: aoristimperative - speaksofurgency. To obey
we must rely on the enabling power of the Spirit, not our natural, fleshly
power!) from among them, and be ye separate (ANOTHER aorist
imperative), touch not (present imperative with a negative - DO NOT TRY
TO DO THIS RELYING ON YOU OLD NATURE, BUT BY RELYING
WHOLLY ON THE SUPERNATURALPOWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!)
the uncleanthing,” (2 Cor 6:17) for the Lord hath said, “I will be a Father
unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters.” (2 Cor 6:18, cf PAUL'S
EXHORTATION IN 2 Cor 7:1+) They that lived before the coming of Christ
had responsibilities upon them, but not such as those which rest upon you who

have seenthe face of Godin Jesus Christ(2 Cor4:6+), and who expect to see
that face again(1 Jn 3:2+). You live in light which renders their brightest
knowledge a comparative darkness:walk (ED: presentimperative = only
possible as we rely on the Spirit!) as children of light (Eph 5:8+).
You stand betweentwo mornings (see 1 Pe 1:11+), betweenwhich there is no
evening. The glory of the Lord has risen upon you once in the incarnation and
atonement of your Lord (Isa 60:1-2): that light is shining more and more, and
soonthere will come the perfectday (Pr 4:18KJV), which shall be ushered in
by the SecondAdvent. The sun shall no more go down (Isa 60:20),, but it shall
unveil itself, and shed an indescribable splendour upon all hearts that look for
it. “Put on therefore the armour of light.” (Ro 13:12+)What a grand
expression!Helmet of light, breastplate of light, shoes of light—everything of
light. What a knight must he be who is clad, not in steel, but in light, light
which shall flash confusionon his foes!
There ought to be a holy light about you, O believer in Jesus, for there is the
appearing of grace behind you, and the appearing of glory before you.
Two manifestations of God shine upon you. Like a wall of fire the Lord’s
appearings are round about you: there ought to be a specialglory of holiness
in the midst. “Let your light so shine (ED: aorist imperative - speaks of
urgency. To obey we must rely on the enabling powerof the Spirit, not our
natural, fleshly power!) before men, that they may see your goodworks, and
glorify your Fatherwhich is in heaven.” (Mt 5:16+) That is the position of the
righteous according to my text (Titus 2:11+), and it furnishes a loud call to
holiness. (Titus 2:11-14 The Two Appearings and the Discipline of Grace)
YOU ARE LIKE A "DIVINE" WATERMARK
A watermark is "a faint designmade in some paper during manufacture that
is visible when held againstthe light and typically identifies the maker."
(Concise Oxford English Dictionary 11thed.) Beloveddisciple of Jesus, His
"mark" is in us, and becomes visible through us! We are no longerour own
but have been bought with a price and belong to Him. We as His disciples are
to stand ready to lovingly obey His command to let our life be seenin such a
way that they might see His "Watermark," thatthey might see Him, not us,
that they might believe His Gospeland be savedeternally. Play the soul
stirring song below by the group Watermark and prayerfully ponder the
"Bibliocentric" lyrics which are guaranteedto make you want to stop and
praise Him…
LIGHT OF THE WORLD
Giver of creation

Bringer of salvation
Word of God, Eternal Life
Praise the Son of God
PromisedOne of Heaven
To bring us to your kingdom
Rescuedus from darkness
Praise the Son of God.
Jesus, light of the world
Shine on us, Shine on us
Word of Life, spokenfor love
Breathe on us. Breathe on us.
LIGHT OF THE WORLD
KING JESUS!
Jesus is saying that those who possess"spirituallight" are to be light
transmitters! As believers, we are to let our actions speak louder than our
words. Our "Gospel" life should open doors of opportunity for our lips to
speak the Gospel(cp 1Pe 3:15-note). We must "speak"the Gospelwith our
lives so that it will validate the Gospelwe speak with our lips! What is the
"Gospel" yourlife is proclaiming to all you encounter?
YOU ARE LIKE A MOON WHO REFLECTS THE SON
Think of the believer's light this way - When Jesus walkedthe earth, He was
the light of the world (Jn 8:12, 9:5, 12:35, 36, 1:4, 9). He was like the sun. He
was the Source of all spiritual light. But just as the sun goes down and is
followedby the rising moon which reflects the light of the sun, so too believers
are now to be "moons" who reflect the light of the Son! His light shines on us
and in us and we shine forth His light to a spiritually dark world (Php 2:15-
note). Jesus left, but He did not leave us alone. He sent His Spirit to
"energize" His light in and through us. Believers should be like the veritable
"energizerbunnies" as portrayed in the classicEvereadybattery commercial!
W A Criswellexplained it this way - "A small problem confronts the
interpreter who discovers that Jesus saidto His disciples in Matthew 5:14,
“Ye are the light of the world.” Yet in John 8:12, Jesus said, “I am the light of
the world.” What appears to be a contradictionis not one at all. The moon
provides light for the earth just as the sun does. Yet, the actual source oflight
for both the sun and the moon is the sun. The moon only reflects the light of

the sun. By the same token, Jesus, the God-man, is the source of all light. His
disciples become reflectors in a darkenedworld, transmitting through their
lives the true light of the eternal Son of God. (LIGHT OF THE WORLD)
Believers now have the light for as Paul wrote it was "God, Who said, "Light
shall shine out of darkness," is the One Who has shone in our hearts to give
the light of the knowledge ofthe glory of God in the face of Christ. (2Cor 4:6-
note)
Let Solomon's proverb encourage you to walk as a child of light…
But (term of contrast - don't "miss" these opportunities to observe and
meditate on the passage!You can always ask atleastone question!) the path
of the righteous is like () the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter
until the full day. (Pr 4:18-William Arnot's comments on Proverbs 4:18, 19 =
The Path of the Just)
Light of the world - C H Spurgeonmakes the point that…
THIS title had been given by the Jews to certain of their eminent Rabbis.
With greatpomposity they spoke ofRabbi Judah, or Rabbi Jochanan, as the
lamps of the universe, the lights of the world. It must have sounded strangely
in the ears of the Scribes and Pharisees to hear that same title, in all
soberness,applied to a few bronzed-faced and horny-handed peasants and
fishermen, who had become disciples of Jesus. Jesus, in effect, said, — not the
Rabbis, not the Scribes, not the assembledSanhedrim, but ye, my humble
followers, ye are the light of the world.
He gave them this title, not after he had educatedthem for three years, but at
almost the outset of his ministry; and from this I gather that the title was
given them, not so much on accountof what they knew, as on accountof what
they were. Nottheir knowledge, but their charactermade them the light of the
world. They were not yet fully trained in his spiritual school, and yet he saith
to them, “Ye are the light of the world;” the fact being, that whereverthere is
faith in Christ there is light, for our Lord has said “I am come a light into the
world, that whosoeverbelievethin me should not walk in darkness.” “The
entrance of thy word giveth light.”
Genuine faith in Christ turns a man from darkness to marvellous light, and
transforms him into “light in the Lord”; his aims and objects, his desires, his
speech, his actions, become full of divine light, which illuminates all the
chambers of his soul, and then pours forth from the windows so as to be seen
of men.

The believer is appointed to be a lighthouse to others, a cheering lamp, a
guiding star. It is true that his light will be increasedas he learns more of
Christ, he will be able to impart more instruction to others when he has
receivedmore, but evenwhile he is yet a beginner, his faith in Jesus is in itself
a light; men see his goodworlds even before they discoverhis knowledge.
The man of faith who aims at holiness is a light of the world, even though his
knowledge may be very limited, and his experience that of a babe.
I mention this at the outset in order that every Christian may see the
application of the text to himself. It is not spokento the apostles,orto
ministers exclusively, but to the entire body of the faithful — “Ye are the light
of the world.” Ye humble men and women whose usefulness will be confined
to your cottages,orto your work-shops, ye whose voices will never be heard in
the streets, whose speechwillonly be eloquent in the ears of those who gather
by your firesides, you, even you, noiselessand unobserved as your lives will
be, — ye are the true light of the world. Not alone the men whose learned
volumes load our shelves, not alone the men whose thundering tones startle
the nations, or who with busy care for God’s glory compass sea and land to
find subjects for the kingdom of Jesus, but you, eachone of you, who are
humbly resting upon the Savior, and lovingly carrying out your high vocation
as the children of God, and followers ofhis dearSon.
Let us never forget that light must first be imparted to us, or it cannever go
forth from us. We are not lights of the world by nature; at best we are but
lamps unlit until the Spirit of God comes. Enquire, therefore, my hearer, of
thyself whether God has ever kindled thee by the flame of his Spirit. Hast thou
been delivered from the powerof darkness and translatedinto light? Has the
flame immortal of the divine life touched thee? If so, thou hast light in thyself,
and light towards others, and thy light will work effectually in many ways. It
will revealthe darkness ofthose who are round about thee. Thy light will
show the darkness how dark it is.
Even as Christ’s life judged upon the men of his age, so does the faith of
Christians expose the evils of unbelief, and the holiness of believers reveals the
wickednessofsin.
Our light also reproves the deeds of darkness, and condemns them. Even
though we were never to use a severe word, a godly life would be a stern
rebuke of sin.
Hence it comes to pass that we must expect to be opposed, for “he that doeth
evil hearth the light.” The world does not understand us, “forthe light shineth
in darkness, and the darkness understandeth it not”; and, therefore, it

misrepresents us, and rages againstus. In a certainsense the saints are day by
day the judges of mankind; they avoid all censoriousness, forthey know who
has said, “judge not, that ye be not judged,” but unconsciouslyto themselves
their godly, holy, and devout lives accuse and condemn the wicked, and the
Spirit of Godthrough them full often convinces the world of sin, of
righteousness, andof judgment…
Why doth God make men to be lights to other men? There are three answers;
first, it averts from the light-givers themselves many evils; secondly, it bestows
upon them many benefits; and, thirdly, it has an encouraging aspecttowards
the light receivers — those who are meanwhile sitting in darkness and needing
the light. (See Spurgeon's entire sermon for amplification of eachof these
points The Light of the World)
Charles Simeon writes…
IF we had not been authorized by God Himself, we should never have
presumed to designate the saints by such honorable appellations as are
unreservedly given to them in the Scriptures. Of all the objects in the visible
creation, the sun is the most glorious;nor is there any thing, either in this
terraqueous (consisting of land and water)globe or in the firmament of
heaven, which does not partake of its benign influence: yet even to that are the
saints compared; “Ye are the light of the world.” That all the parts of our text
may come easilyand profitably under our view, we shall consider,
I. The office to which God has destined His people— Strictly speaking, neither
Prophets nor Apostles could arrogate to themselves the honour which is here
in a subordinate sense conferredon all the saints: it belongs exclusively to the
Lord Jesus Christ, who is “the Sun of Righteousness;” (Malachi4:2) and who
says of himself, “I am the light of the world.” (Jn 8:12) St. John, speaking of
the Baptist, (who was greaterthan all the prophets,) expresslydeclares, that
“he was not that Light; but that Christ was the true Light, which lighteth
every man that cometh into the world.” (Jn 1:8, 9) In this view, the name of
stars would rather befit us, because we shine only with a borrowed lustre;
reflecting merely the rays which we have receivedfrom the Lord Jesus:but,
as exhibiting to the world all the true light that is in it, God has been pleased
to dignify us with that higher name, “The light of the world.” He has sent his
people to fulfil that office in the moral, which the sun performs in the natural
world. (Readthe entire sermon - Matthew 5:14-16 Christians the Light of the
World)
You are the light - Not "a" light, but "the" light. God has left eachof us here,
to shine for Him, to shine His Gospelfor His Kingdom and for His glory. Dear

disciple of Jesus, neverunderestimate your value in the eyes of your Heavenly
Father or of your value and integral role in His Kingdom Work! Is this
Scriptural? The apostle Paulwould answerthat "we are His workmanship
("masterpieces,""worksofart," "poems" - Greek = poiema), createdin
Christ Jesus forgoodworks, which God prepared beforehand, that we should
walk in them. (Eph 2:10-note)
Alexander Maclarenemphasizes the "power" fora disciple's light noting
that…
We shall be ‘light’ if we are ‘in the Lord.’ It is by union with Jesus Christthat
we partake of His illumination. A sunbeam has no more powerto shine if it be
severedfrom the sun than a man has to give light in this dark world if He be
parted from Jesus Christ. Cut the current and the electric light dies; slacken
the engine and the electric arc becomes dim, quicken it and it burns bright. So
the condition of my being light is my keeping unbroken my communication
with Jesus Christ; and every variation in the extent to which I receive into my
heart the influx of His powerand of His love is correctlymeasured and
representedby the greateror the lesserbrilliancy of the light with which I
reflectHis radiance. Ye were some time darkness, but now are ye light in the
Lord.’ Keep near to Him, and a firm hold of His hand, and then you will be
light. (Matthew)
Comment: While I thoroughly agree with Maclaren, one needs to ask in the
New Covenantage, the Church Age, what provision has Jesus made for His
disciples to be "energized?" Iwould submit that it is via His indwelling Spirit,
the Spirit of Christ (Ro 8:9), the Spirit of Jesus (Acts 16:7). Not only did the
church have to wait for the "power" to be turned on so to speak (Acts 1:8,
2:1-4), but throughout Acts we see the repetitive theme of the powerof the
Spirit of Christ. Forexample see the Spirit and His associationwith power
(dunamis) - Acts 1:8, Acts 4:7-8, 33, Acts 6:5, 8, Acts 10:38, Eph 3:16, Luke
1:35 Ro 15:13, Ro 15:19, 1Cor2:4-5 (cp Descriptionof the "Kingdom of God"
in 1Cor4:20 with Ro 14:17). See also the references to filled with the Spirit -
Acts 2:4. Acts 2:14, Acts 4:8, 31, Acts 9:17, Acts 13:9, 52, (compare "abundant
grace" = Acts 4:33), Stephen - Acts 6:5, 8, 10, Acts 7:55, 56, 57, 58
Light (5457)(phos from pháo = to shine) speaks ofluminousness which may
be a literal light but more often as in this verse is figurative.
Light Penetrates
and
Dispels Darkness

(John 1:5ESV)
Light is that which enables you to see or which makes visionpossible. Light
goes with sight. Light illuminates, exposes, guides, and directs. Light gives life
(to vegetable and animal).
The opposite of light is dark or darkness which speaks ofobscurity, delusion,
confusion, camouflage, gloom, murkiness, shadows,nightfall and death.
Dwight Pentecostreminds us that "The nature of light is to shine. There is no
such thing as light that does not communicate itself. There is no such thing as
self containedlight. Light may originate in a distant star and travel a span of
light-years, but it does not gettired of shining and cease to shine. Its nature is
to shine. Christ says He has made us lights in the world, and we are not self-
contained. It is the nature of the child of God who has been made light to
communicate the light given to him. (Pentecost, J. D. Designfor living:
Lessons in Holiness from the Sermon on the Mount. Kregel Publications)
Jesus while in Jerusalemand having just cried out that He alone could quench
their spiritual thirst (John 4:1, 14, 15, John 7:37-39), then declares to the
Jewishaudience that He is the Light of the World - "Again therefore Jesus
spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall
not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12)
John had earlierrecorded of Jesus that " In Him was life, and the life was the
light of men (cf 1John1:5 "Godis light" thus Jesus is God). And the light
shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it (katalambano
= take eagerly;possess, attain, seize with hostile intent. Thus translated
variously with ideas of extinguish it, overcome it, put it out, understand or
perceive it). There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John (John
5:35). He came for a witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all
might believe through him. He was not the light, but came that he might bear
witness of the light. There was the true light which, coming into the world,
enlightens every man. (John 1:4-9)
Jesus calledJohn the Baptist a light declaring that "He was the lamp that was
burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his
light. (John 5:35)
Now He turns to His audience and tells them "You and you alone are the
Light of the world." These words must have come as quite a shock for "THE
PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT,
AND TO THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW
OF DEATH, UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED. (Mt 4:16, from Isaiah9:1).

And yet now that His Light had dawned on them, He was declaring that they
themselves were "the light". And how could they be the light? In the last week
of His life in John 12:35-36 Jesusexplains how one canthemselves become
light declaring "Jesus therefore saidto them, "Fora little while longer the
light is among you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness may not
overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.
While you have the light, believe in the light, in order that you may become
sons of light." These things Jesus spoke, andHe departed and hid Himself
from them." (John 12:35-36)
Luke adds that Jesus charge to Paul was to go to be a minister and a witness
(especiallythrough the proclamation of the Gospelto the Gentiles)"to open
their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion
of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgivenessofsins and an
inheritance among those who have been sanctifiedby faith in Me.'(Acts
26:18)
What Jesus has just presentedin the eight beatitudes (Mt 5:3-12)is the
characterof men and women who belong to the Kingdom of Heaven, and are
the ones who are to be the light of the world "those who were poor in spirit,
mourned over sin, were meek not mean spirited, hungered and thirsted for a
truly righteous life instead of self-righteousness, were merciful (and willing to
forgive as they had been forgiven), were pure in heart with a single minded
focus on God, were peacemakers andas a result of being all the above, were
persecutedfor the sake ofGod's righteousness lived out in their everyday
lives.
As true citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven these men and women would be the
lights who would shine into the darkness of the kingdom of this world (Luke
4:5-6, 1Jn 5:19).
Believers who are surrendering to the powerof the Spirit (Eph 5:18-note, Eph
3:16-note, Eph 3:20-note, Gal 5:16-note)are thereby (and only thereby!)
enabled to live out the reality of the "be attitudes" and in do doing shine forth
like the light of a city on a hill or a lamp on a stand. We must not try to hide
from the world but let our lives count for Christ in such a way that God will
get the glory for the good(God) deeds (Spirit initiated and enabled deeds,
"John15:5 deeds" if you will) in our lives.
Notice that it is the distinctiveness of our Christian character, conduct, and
conversationwhich inevitably and naturally points men to Christ. It is not our
winsome programs but our regenerate, Spirit empowered, holy lives that
expose the moral morass ofour culture.

Are you a living light where Christ has placed you as His ambassadorthat you
might have an opportunity to speak forth the word of reconciliation(2Cor
5:20-note )?
In Ephesians Paul exhorts us…
Therefore (term of conclusion - always pause and ponder with some 5W/H
questions!) (See Eph 5:1-2-note. Eph 5:3-4-note, Eph 5:5-6-note, Eph 5:7-note)
do not be partakers with them (the sons of disobedience, Eph 5:6); for you
were (past tense - "were" is emphatic - you really were! is the idea) formerly
darkness, but now you are light (not a lamp but light itself) in the Lord; walk
(command to make this our lifestyle = present imperative) as children of light
(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodnessand righteousness andtruth),
trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. And do not participate in the
unfruitful deeds of darkness, but insteadeven expose them (this is the purpose
of citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven - expose the deeds of darkness, but don't
expectthe darkness to thank you, cf Mt 5:10-12);for it is disgracefuleven to
speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become
visible when they are exposedby the light, for everything that becomes visible
is light. Forthis reasonit says, "Awake,sleeper, andarise from the dead, and
Christ will shine on you." Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise
men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So
then do not be foolish, (present imperative) but understand (present
imperative) what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for
that is dissipation, but be filled (present imperative) with the Spirit" (see notes
Eph 5:8; 5:9; 5:10; 5:11; 5:12; 5:13; 5:14; 5:15; 5:16; 5:17; 5:18)
When Paul says "awake(presentimperative) sleeperand arise from the
dead" one interpretation is that it represents an invitation to those in
darkness to enter the light of Christ. The light of the life of a Christian should
always be preaching a sermon, always exposing the surrounding darkness.
Some will become hostile (cp Jn 3:19, 20, 21), but some will see the light of
Christ in us the hope of glory (Col 1:27-note). The other interpretation, which
is also reasonable, is that Paul is instructing "sleepy" believers to "Wake up!
Quit fixing your mind on the things of this earth! Quit allowing the world to
"pour you into it's mold! Quit living like citizens of earth rather than heaven!,
etc" (Col 3:2-note, Ro 12:2-note Phillips translation, Php 3:18, 19-note, Php
3:20, 21-note, cpRo 13:11-note, Ro 13:12-note, 1Th5:6-7-note)
Warren Wiersbe reminds us that "Christians are not sleeping in sin and
death. We have been raisedfrom the dead through faith in Him. The darkness
of the graveyardis past, and we are now walking in the light of salvation.
Salvationis the beginning of a new day, and we ought to live as those who

belong to the light, not to the darkness. (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition
Commentary)
Note that in describing who we were before Christ in Ephesians 5:8, Paul does
not sayyou were "in darkness" or"ofdarkness" but that you "were
darkness" itself!Our total existence, including our being and our behavior,
was totally characterizedby darkness. Theirwas no other aspectto our
spiritual life other than that of darkness. As "sons of disobedience" we were
children of darkness. Note also that we were not simply "innocent" victims of
the Evil One, Satanthe Prince of darkness, but we were actually contributors
to the darkness. Our very nature was characterizedby darkness and sin
which is the rotten fruit of darkness. Thus the striking contrastin this verse
and the incredible proclamationby Jesus that those who once were literally
the essence ofdarkness now have the glorious privilege to be light in the Lord.
In Ephesians 5:8, Paul is teaching an incredible truth - believers are not
simply enlightened ones (which we are)but even more he teaches thatwe are
now actually light! Somehow our incorporation into Christ allows us to some
extent to be light, howeverimperfect. Our light is still derived from Him, and
not a ray of it comes from ourselves, but this light is more than simply
reflectedlight (see illustration below from Dr Barnhouse). Peterteaches that
we are actually "partakers of the divine nature" (2Pe 1:4 [note] - note that
this truth does not make us "little Christs" as some have falselytaught!). This
is indeed a glorious, albeit mysterious truth that is difficult to fully
comprehend (cf 1Cor13:12, cf 2Cor3:18). Somehow believers shine with the
light of Christ, that radiates forth with life-changing effect. Jesus is the Light
of the world, a world which is dead in darkness and His life in and through us
as believers somehow transforms us into the lights of the world in His stead
and for His Father's glory! If you are a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven you
will shine somehow, some way. Don't try to hide what you are by nature. Now
your conduct is to continually conform to your essentialcharacter(light).
Peterechoes the truth that we are to let our light shine and "Keep(present
tense = continually = only possible as we yield to the enabling power of the
indwelling Spirit of Christ!) your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so
that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account
of your good(Spirit enabled) deeds, as they observe them, glorify (give a
proper opinion of) God in the day of visitation. (see note 1 Peter2:12)
Hugh Latimer was an English martyr, a light to the world, who said to his
fellow martyr to be, Nicholas Ridley, as the the fire was lit to burn them at the
stake "Be ofgoodcheer, MasterRidley, and play the man. We shall this day

light such a candle by God's grace in England as shall never be put out. (click
for more detail)
Kent Hughes explains how believers are lights noting that "Dr. Barnhouse,
the masterof illustration, used to explain it this way. He said that when Christ
was in the world, he was like the shining sun that is here in the day and gone
at night. When the sun sets, the moon comes up. The moon, the church,
shines, but not with its own light. It shines with reflectedlight. When Jesus
was in the world he said, "I am the light of the world." But as he
contemplated leaving this world, he said, "You are the light of the world." At
times the church has been at full moon, dazzling the world with an almost
daytime light. These have been times of great enlightenment, times such as
those of Paul and Luther and Wesley. And at other times the church has been
only a thumbnail moon, with very little light shining upon the earth. Whether
the church is a full moon or a new thumbnail moon, waxing or waning, it
reflects the light of the sun. (Hughes, R. K. Sermon on the Mount: The
Messageofthe Kingdom. CrosswayBooks)
The implication of the need for light in the world is that there is darkness. Phil
Newtongives a nice discussionof darkness explaining that "Darkness impairs
vision. In a spiritual sense, the kind of darkness that the Bible speaks of
impairs a person morally. He cannotsee. He does not understand the effects of
sin or even the root of it in the depravity of the human heart. His entire way of
thinking is warped by the darkness. His understanding has been switchedoff
when it comes to grasping moral issues relatedto his own life. And so he joins
organizations that go to greatlengths to protect snail darters or endangered
fish or certain species ofanimals but then supports the abortion of an unborn
child. In his mind a snail or a mouse or a whale has as much value as a human
being that has been made in the image of God. His thinking is warped by the
darkness. He shakes his head in disgust over the gunning down of eight
innocent people then plugs in his music that advocates killing, immorality, and
drugs or sits down to three hours of non-stop violence in front of the
television. Darkness has blinded his ability to see his own hypocrisy. A
politician having an affair with an intern or a serialrapist being releasedfrom
prison appalls him, but then he sits down in front of a screenand indulges his
mind in pornography on the Internet. Darknesshas twistedhis thinking so
that he has no objective standard of morality or a sense of approaching
judgment. (The Powerof Christians as Light)
RELATED RESOURCES:
American Tract SocietyLight

BridgewayBible Dictionary Light
BakerEvangelicalDictionaryLight
Charles Buck Dictionary Light Divine Light of Nature
Easton's Bible Dictionary Light
Spurgeon's Illustration Collection God:Is Light
Holman Bible Dictionary Light, Light of the World
Hastings'Dictionary of the Bible Light
Hastings'Dictionary of the NT Light Light and Darkness
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Light
Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Light
The JewishEncyclopedia Light of Truth Light and Air Light
Cyclopedia of Biblical, TheologicalandEcclesiasticalLiterature Light
Hawker's PoorMan's Dictionary Light
Watson's TheologicalDictionaryLight
Nave TopicalBible Light
Torrey TopicalTextbook Light
World (2889)(kosmos)means orderly arrangement(thus our English word
"cosmetics"!) and in this context refers to the human race in general(which is
interesting for as we look at our "world" it looks to be in moral and spiritual
chaos!). It should also be noted that kosmos refers to world in a spiritual sense
of the man-centered, Satan-directedsystem (1Jn 5:19,Jn12:31)of this present
age, which is alienatedfrom and hostile towardGod and God’s people (cf Mt
5:10, 11, 12).
It is intriguing that in Matthew, the most "Jewish" ofall the Gospels, Jesus
enlarges His audience's sphere of intended influence to the entire "world" and
not just the community of Jews in Israel. This truth is paralleledin Jesus'
GreatCommission
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given
to Me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore (term of conclusion= Ask "Why
are we to go?" or "Whatis the basis for His commission?")and make
disciples (matheteuo in the aoristimperative = the only command in the
commission)of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and
the Sonand the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded
you (Notice that real believers, genuine disciples, really obey, validating with

their lives the professionoftheir lips!); and lo, I am with you always (How will
He be with them always? His indwelling Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, Acts 16:7,
Lk 24:49, Acts 1:8-note), even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)
Comment: Don't miss what Jesus is saying - we can only "go" in the powerof
the "lo" (the provision of His presence andpower through His Spirit!)
Kosmos often is used in the NT to describe the self-centered, godless value
system and mores of fallen mankind. The goalof the "world" is humanistic,
exaltation of man, self-glory, self-fulfillment, self-indulgence, self-satisfaction,
and every other form of self-serving (cp Paul's description of the last days -
2Ti 3:1-4 notes 2 Ti 3:1-2; 3:3-4).
John explains that…
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil
one. (1John 5:19)
In Revelationwe read about the eventual fate of this present darkness…
And the seventh angel sounded; and there arose loud voices in heaven, saying,
"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His
Christ; and He will reign forever and ever." (See note Revelation11:15)
His Lamps
God's lamps we are,
To shine where He shall say:
And lamps are not for sunny rooms,
Nor for the light of day;
But for the dark places of the earth,
Where shame and wrong and crime have birth,
Or for the murky twilight grey,
Where wandering sheep have gone astray,
Or where the Lamp of Faith grows dim,
And souls are groping after Him.
And as sometimes a flame we find,
Clear-shining through the night,
So dark we do not see the lamp
But only see the Light,

So may we shine, God's love the flame,
That men may glorify His Name
--Annie JohnsonFlint
A CITY SET ON A HILL CANNOT BE HIDDEN:ou dunatai (3SPMI)polis
krubenai (APN) epano horous keimene (PPPNSF)
Genesis 11:4, 5, 6, 7, 8; Revelation21:14-27
Matthew 5 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
City (4172)(polis) in Scripture usually referred to a city enclosedwith a wall.
Citizens of the Kingdom of Christ now reside as aliens and strangers (see
notes 1 Peter1:1, 1 Peter2:11) in the "Kingdom of this World" (See note
Revelation11:15)but our King instructs us
"You do not live in some spiritual ghetto! No, No! You illuminate the
darkness of the Kingdom of this World whereveryou reside!"
What a privilege we have beloved. Does the Church really grasp what the
King is proclaiming is true about us?
There is no such thing as an invisible believer!
It is difficult for modern readers to understand the importance of Jesus'
statement, for we have lights everywhere at night. Not so in ancientPalestine.
And if one was traveling at night, he did not have freewaylamps, but was
dependent on the glow of the lamp lights in the windows of houses in the cities
to help direct him on his journey.
Set (2749)(keimai)means to be in a place frequently in sense of `being
containedin' or `resting on' as in the present contextof a city set on a hill
Hill (3735)(oros)describes a relatively high elevationof land and contrasts
with the Greek wordbounos which also means `hill' albeit somewhatlower.
Jesus'point is that this is not a city down in the deepestvalley but is clearly
visible, in view of all to see.
Cannot is the combination of not (3756)(ou = absolutely not) + can(1410)
(dunamai) see in depth study of related word dunamis) which means to be
able or to have power by virtue of inherent ability. What Jesus is saying that
just as it is impossible for a city set on the side of a hill to be hidden so too it
should be true of every genuine believer -- the Spirit of "the Light of the
world" inhabits their body so they have the inherent powerto shine, but still
must make that choice daily. Will I shine or will I shy away? A city absolutely
cannot be hidden and neither should a genuine followerof Jesus.

Jesus' Teachings on Good Works and Influencing Others

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