This week finds us continuing a lot of the threads we’ve been following throughout Epiphany: the Sermon on the Mount, Corinthians. Lots of good things to read. I have to admit that sometimes I get overwhelmed at the teachings in a short span of readings; there really is enough to ponder here for many days, at least this week. I’m afraid I’m hardly up to the task, but I’m grateful that you will walk with me just a little here.
Gospel: Matthew 5:13-20
We pick up the Sermon on the Mount immediately after the Beatitudes of last week. Again, these are familiar words. So familiar, in fact, that I think I risk not hearing them. When you are sitting in church this weekend, or reading the passage yourself, I encourage you to stop and listen to each sentence. Try to imagine what it was like to hear them for the first time. What exactly did Jesus mean?
Salt and light—both necessary for a good life. Salt gives flavor and it preserves. Light, well, illuminates. Keeps us from stumbling. Helps us see beauty and ugliness. It reveals.
And then Jesus goes on to say that He is NOT here to do away with the Law. If anyone thinks that they can just do whatever they want because of Jesus, well, they are sadly mistaken. God is still pursuing righteousness, and that righteousness is even more than the outward appearance of the Pharisees.
I find that phrase “salt of the earth” so interesting. We hear it and barely think about it, but what does salt really do? I remember being taught in middle school biology class that our tongue had “zones” of taste but that’s not actually true! Did you know that? It turns out that our taste buds can each sense a variety of tastes.
A little salt enhances sweetness and reduces bitterness. WE should enhance sweetness of life, don’t you think? More salt increases that “taste” called umami, the mouth-filling good sensation you get from a rich savory food, like Parmesan cheese or a good broth-based soup. Yummy, cozy, earthy foods. More salt makes things more savory.
I had the misfortune of leaving the salt out of a batch of bread I made once. Sad and flavorless loaves were the result. I’ve never made that mistake again!
A lot of salt preserves food, and combats the growth of food-spoiling bacteria. Salt actually pulls the water out of bacteria, depriving them of the chance to grow. This was a huge and extremely valuable use for salt before refrigeration. Salt makes it hard for bad things to thrive.
Maybe this deep dive into taste wasn’t helpful, but personally this week I’m going to think about how reducing bitterness and increasing sweetness are important to righteousness.
Old Testament: Isaiah 58:1-9 (10-12)
Righteousness is definitely the theme this week, such a “church-y” word that really shouldn’t be relegated to Sundays. I like this passage so much; I found it worthwhile to read slowly through it a couple of times just to really get the sense of it. I suspect that God is being a little sarcastic in some of His words (is it okay to attribute sarcasm to the One True God? I think so.). What do you think?
The passage starts with God instructing his prophet Isaiah in what to say. God complains that “His” people are saying: “Hey, we fasted just like You said. Now, where’s my stuff?”
God answers (my paraphrase, as always): “Well, I’ll tell you. On the day you fast, you’re still being a jerk to your employees. You still fight and argue with each other. You just put on a show. Is there anything about this that I asked for?” And then He describes what actual righteousness would look like.
Real righteousness is goodness, and generosity, it is kindness. It is freedom. It is sharing what you have with those who are in need.
And IF that was how we approached fasting, then “the glory of God would be your rear guard” and “your gloom will be as midday”—the light of the world, so to speak.
I found this passage quite convicting. I don’t know about you, but I want to be like a watered garden, not some dried up desert.
If you finish reading this chapter with the last two verses, which aren’t included in the reading, God specifically calls out the Sabbath. Out of the specific commandments that God expects us to follow, He calls out one that we modern Christians typically overlook. Do you keep the Sabbath in any way?
Psalm 112 is one of the Wisdom Psalms, that takes the themes of Wisdom literature like Proverbs and puts them into verse. As with all wisdom literature, it’s better to take these as guidelines rather than as promises of salvation through righteous acts. That way of promises holds a lot of problems; Job could probably tell you some.
As we saw Jesus discuss righteousness in his Sermon on the Mount, and God describe a truly righteous people, it’s good to ask, “What does a righteous individual man look like?” Psalm 112 offers an answer.
The first four verses offer a rough description of the results of a righteous man’s life. The next verses tell more about his character. Among other things, a righteous man IS firm in his principles, he understands justice, and he is generous. He is not afraid and he does not sway. What an interesting and full picture of righteousness we see here. It’s good to remember that Jesus AND His disciples would have known both this Psalm and the passage from Isaiah.
New Testament: 1 Corinthians 2:1-12
We are back with the Corinthians for a couple more weeks. Next week we will pick ups with Chapter 3, so you might as well just read the entire chapter here!
Paul has just gotten done saying that Jesus is just folly to the world, but to those who believe he is everything. These verses reinforce that. Paul came to Corinth in all humility (think how hard that would have been for this former big-shot Pharisee!), teaching by the Holy Spirit.
None of the righteousness that Jesus talks about looks like “world-honoring” wisdom. But true righteousness, following after Jesus, is salvation for the whole world.
Prayer
Father, make us salt for the world, making the world less bitter, more savory. Make us light, true light that informs and illuminates and beautifies. Give us firm hearts that trust in You. Thank You for the gift of Jesus Christ, a mystery to the world but everything to those who believe. Help us to be your gentle hearts and generous hands in the world this week. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
