Matthew 5:13-16

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
“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 a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 5:13-16

The next bit of teaching in the "Sermon on the Mount" is about salt and light.  First, Jesus tells them that they are the salt of the earth.  Who is he talking to?  He's talking to the great crowds.  These are the great crowds we learn about in chapter 4.  His fame was spread and this resulted in many people bringing the sick to Jesus for Jesus to heal them.  This also resulted in people following him.  Jesus is speaking to his followers and these people are those who are the salt of the earth.  So, what's the big deal with salt?  Why are the followers of Jesus being described as salt?  Salt is unique and there is nothing else like it.  Salt gives a flavor and makes food tasty.  Comparing food with salt and food without salt, I'd assume that the one with salt is more delightful to taste.  Yes, you can add too much salt, but that's not the point.  Yes, salt can be used to preserve things, but that's not the point either.  There is a unique characteristic about the followers of Jesus just like salt has a unique characteristic.  This uniqueness is something so important that Jesus begins talking about salt as if it could lose it's taste.  So, what happens if salt loses it's taste?  Salt is useless without it's taste without any way to restore it.  Followers of Jesus are unique and what makes them unique (their saltiness) is so important that they are useless without it.  So what is it?  What is Jesus referring to?  Perhaps he's talking about a unique kind of blessing that followers of Jesus are to bring to others.  This blessing must be referring to the gospel.  If it is the gospel, then if you are in fact salt and you lost your taste (the gospel) then you are of no use.  What use is a Christian who does not bring the good news of the gospel?

Teaching about light immediately follows the teaching about salt.  Instead of being salt of the earth, Jesus is describing them as "light of the world".  What is so special about light?  Well, light is meant to be seen.  In a silly example, Jesus describes a lamp that is lit, but is then placed underneath a basket.  That doesn't make sense, since light is meant to let it's light shine instead of being hidden.  Not only does light simply shine, but it gives light to so much more than itself.  The example of a lamp lit in a room describes the light giving light to all in the house.  The light will spread and give light to so much more.  So, like light, the followers are Jesus are told to let their light shine before others.  They are not meant to be hidden away, but to shine forth to others.  Specifically, they are to "see your good works".  Your good works and what you do are what shine forth for others to see.  The purpose is not so that they would think highly of you.  Instead, upon seeing your good deeds, they are supposed to react in such a way that they glorify God.  It should be evident or explained that your good deeds are as a result of God, which is why seeing the good deeds would result in giving glory to God.