A City on a Hill
On our last morning at The Cove, I went to my favorite spot and opened up my Bible Gateway app to read the verse of the day. Interestingly enough, it was the passage that I picked 8 years ago for our 25th wedding anniversary. I bought this candelabrum pictured below for the occasion. The candle in the middle represents Julie and I and the four surrounding candles represent each of you along with your families. Matthew 5:14-16 is inscribed on the base. Hopefully, this passage reflects our family’s lives in this world.
Matt 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
I love this passage from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. However, if you were continue to read on through his sermon into Chapter 6, you would come across another passage that seemingly contradicts what He just said above:
Matthew 6:1-4 “Take care not to practice your righteousness in the sight of people, to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they will be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your charitable giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you
This is one of a few well known but inaccurately framed “contradictions” in the Bible. The truth is that the Bible does not contradict itself. However, in order to fully understand how to reconcile these surface level “contradictions,” we have to take the time and effort to understand the full context of what is being said and who is saying it. This is the case with these two passages about works being done in full view of others versus works being done in secret.
In the first passage (Matt. 5:14-16) Jesus is commanding us to be the “light of the world.” He is telling us a few things here:
The Christian life is not meant to be lived in hiding. It is intended to be shared with others.
We should never be ashamed of our faith. Sometimes that requires that we do good deeds in public for God’s glory.
A true saving faith will radiate in our lives like a city on a hill. How could we hide such a great light that lives in us?
Jesus wants the world to know of God’s glory.
We are the hands and feet of Christ and we are called to do good deeds for Him.
The second passage (Matt. 6:1-4) does not contradict the first but addresses a different aspect aspect of good deeds - our motives. Here are the key points of teaching:
Our motives for doing works should be done solely for God’s glory - not our own.
Our works should point toward the goodness of God and not toward ourselves and our own attempt at godliness.
Every good deed has its beneficiaries, but its audience should not be broader than those who will truly see benefit from them.
So, now we see that there is no contradiction once we understand that the second passage is really about motives. Specifically, it comes down to humility vs. selfish ambition. God gives us His light and wants us to let it shine so that all the world will see Him. When He is glorified in the process, we are serving in obedience. We are not the light ourselves but are able to reflect His light through serving others - like “a city on a hill.”
Stay hungry,
Big E
Matt. 5:6