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Matthew 5:16
Witness and Good Works
Matthew 5:16
Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
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Why it is worth knowing
- Christians are called to be visible, not hidden
- Good works are meant to point to God, not to the person doing them
- The purpose of shining is not applause but glory given to the Father
- This follows Jesus calling his disciples salt and light: identity shapes mission
Where it sits: Matthew 5:14-16
“You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. Neither do you light a lamp and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
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Background
Jesus speaks these words in the Sermon on the Mount, immediately after declaring his disciples the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world.” Both metaphors describe Christians as people whose very existence should benefit the world around them. Light does not exist for its own sake: it illuminates others. The goal of visible, good living is not self-promotion but the praise of God.