Tim Mackie, the lead scholar for BibleProject, dives into the profound metaphors of 'salt' and 'light' in the biblical context. He outlines how salt represents God's covenant, ensuring purity and preservation, while light symbolizes divine wisdom. Through engaging discussions, he connects these metaphors to the teachings of Jesus and the prophetic insights found in Isaiah. Mackie emphasizes the transformative power of embodying these symbols in daily life, urging followers to reflect God’s guidance and fulfill their covenantal identity within their communities.
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insights INSIGHT
Light and Torah Wordplay
In Hebrew, the words "light" ("or") and "instruction" ("Torah") share a wordplay.
Jesus uses this connection to convey that God's light is linked to his instruction.
insights INSIGHT
Jerusalem: City of Light and Torah
Isaiah envisions Jerusalem as a beacon of God's instruction, drawing nations seeking wisdom and peace.
This vision connects God's light with his Torah and its impact on the world.
insights INSIGHT
From Walking in Light to Being the Light
Initially, Israel was meant to walk in God's light and share his instruction.
However, their failure shifts this role to a servant who embodies the covenant.
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In this volume, Jonathan T. Pennington provides a comprehensive commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, situating it within the contexts of Jewish wisdom literature and Greco-Roman virtue ethics. He argues that the Sermon envisions the realization of true human flourishing through doing the will of God as whole persons, balancing the unique work of Jesus with the necessity for his disciples to live in accord with the ethics of the kingdom. The book addresses contemporary issues such as ethics, philosophy, and economics, and offers a macroscopic reading strategy for understanding the Sermon's message in the twenty-first century.
Matthew 1-7: Volume 1
International Critical Commentary
Dale Allison
Christopher M. Tuckett
W. D. Davies
This volume provides a detailed analysis of Matthew 1-7, incorporating linguistic, textual, archaeological, historical, literary, and theological insights. It is part of the International Critical Commentary series, which has been a benchmark for biblical scholarship for over a century. The series is known for its diverse scholarly perspectives, offering a wealth of information and research in an accessible format.
Sermon on the Mount E8 – Why does Jesus call his followers salt and light? In the Hebrew Bible, salt is a metaphor for God’s long-lasting covenant with Israel, connected to priestly sacrifices, ritual purity, and social bonds. And the Hebrew word for light, or, shares a wordplay with torah, meaning God’s wise instruction. God’s wisdom given in the Torah is a light for Israel that they are called to share with the nations. In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss the meanings of salt and light, showing how Jesus applies these covenant words to his new community of followers.
You can experience our entire library of resources in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.
Show Music
Original Sermon on the Mount music by Richie Kohen
BibleProject theme song by TENTS
Show Credits
Dan Gummel is the creative producer for today’s show, and Tim Mackie is the lead scholar. Production of today’s episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer; Cooper Peltz, managing producer; Colin Wilson, producer; and Stephanie Tam, consultant and editor. Tyler Bailey is our audio editor and engineer, and he provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Special thanks to Jonathan Penngington. Today’s hosts are Jon Collins and Michelle Jones.
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