Letting Your Light Shine or Not?

In our discussion of James Moore's new book, Sunday, there came a discussion about Jesus contradicting himself in Matthew 5:13-15 and Matthew 6: 5-8. My voice and energy level was not strong enough to fully engage in the discussion. This is not a new issue. We frequently are puzzled by what Jesus said in one place and what he said in another. The Disciples were no different from us in that regard. They had the advantage of being able to turn to Jesus and ask for clarification. They also understood the societal context of the statements. They knew the nature of lighting in the average Jewish home as referenced in Matt. 5. They were also well aware of the problem that Jesus was addressing in Matt. 6.

In Matt. 5, Dr. William Barclay spends several pages explaining the lighting (or lack thereof) in the average Jewish home and notes that the purpose of the very inefficient lamp is to give some light. It is, therefore, set upon a stand to spread its feeble light as far as possible. He equates this to our efforts to reflect the light of Christ to the world. They are not nearly as bright as the true light of Christ, but we are obligated to do the best that we can. Barclay quotes an unknown source, "There can be no such thing as secret discipleship, for either the secrecy destroys the discipleship, or the discipleship destroys the secrecy. " Our Christianity is reflected by every act in our lives. As Reggie McNeil states in Missional Renissance, "Our 'thereness' is what the world needs. That includes what happens when we have worship services and when we have service as worship. If we are ashamed to own our discipleship as Peter was by the watch fire, our light does not shine.

In Matt 6, Barclay tells us that prayer had become a cottage industry in the Jewish faith. Many rabbis were sad that they could not pray all day long. There were prayers that had to be recited at least twice a day. In the morning t first light and in the evening before 9pm, the Shema was to be recited. These were, not only, long and complex, but they became a mumbled recitation that resembled some of our table graces that are repeated as Barclay called it, "gabbled". I would like it to meaningless drivel. There were even "Reader's Digest" versions to speed things up. The disciples knew what Jesus was talking about when he said not to try to overwhelm God with words. God invented the words. There was one Jewish prayer that actually began with sixteen adjectives attached to the name of God. The custom was that the Jew would try to position himself in a place of high visibility at the exact time for prayer. The top step of the synagogue was a good one. A busy street corner worked well. To make a show of the prayer was the purpose. We have all heard those that will pile words on top of words to make their prayers more notable. Prayer is important, but the public exhibition of prayer is an affront to God. The rabbis said that "Great is prayer; greater than all good works." Jesus spent a great deal of time telling how not to pray. He follows with instructions in Matt 6: 9-15 of how to pray. Barclay concludes that Jesus had two simple rules about prayer. 1. Jesus insists that all true prayer must be offered to God. 2. The God to whom we pray is a God of love that is more ready to answer our prayers than we are to pray.

All this is to say that when we read what Jesus had to say, we need to remember to look at why he is saying it and to whom he is saying it. Without the context, it is even more difficult to understand.