Part 14 of 35 The light of the world
Crowds followed Jesus everywhere. One day "He went up on the mountain and sat down" and began to teach (Matthew 5:1). This teaching is called the Sermon on the Mount. It begins with blessings: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven… Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy… Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:3–9).
Then Jesus told his followers: "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket… In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:14–16).
Imagined The circle
Every evening, people gather around the great lamp. No one sits at the head of a circle, so everyone can see and hear everyone else.
Real world How far a little light shines
A small light is hard to hide in the dark. In 2015, two scientists worked out that on a clear, dark night, the human eye can see a single candle flame from about 2.6 kilometers away.
Art In this artwork
The illustration shows a circle of marble benches around a tall, glowing golden lamp.
Look closer
- Find the glowing lamp.
- How many benches are there?
Think about it
- Which blessing from the Sermon on the Mount do you like best, and why?
- What does it mean to "let your light shine"?
- What good deed could you do this week?
Key words
- Blessed
- Happy because God is pleased with you.
- Merciful
- Kind and forgiving to people who do not deserve it.
- Peacemaker
- Someone who helps people stop fighting and get along.
Sources
Bible quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible, which is in the public domain. The other facts on this page come from these sources:
- The Bible, Gospel of Matthew
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, "Sermon on the Mount"
- Kevin Krisciunas and Don Carona, "At what distance can the human eye detect a candle flame?" (2015)
