Jesus Christ gave many parables about the kingdom of God.
In this blog, I will be discussing the “light of the world” parable.
Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
At first glance, it seems like the “light of the world” parable can be easily interpreted.
However, this parable by Jesus Christ has a deep spiritual meaning and it is often misinterpreted.
Becoming A Good Person
Most interpretations explaining this parable of our Lord Jesus Christ are putting a lot of emphasis on the believers becoming “good people”.
Yes, we are to shine our light in this dark world as believers of God and Christ and this parable of Jesus Christ gives us plenty of encouragement to “let our light shine” so that our good deeds are seen by the whole world.
However, the “light of the world” parable is not just about becoming a good person. Instead, this parable has a lot to do with the kingdom of God —Mount Zion.
How is this so?
The Break Down
We’ll let’s break down this parable:
Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
The Light
The “light” of the world is the King Jesus Christ. He is the cornerstone of Zion.
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
There will be other kings who will become priests just like the Lord Jesus. These kings and priests will offer spiritual sacrifices and will rule in His kingdom. They will “let their light shine” in the kingdom of God. The good news is, you could be one of them!
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
The City
The meaning of “A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden”:
You see, the “city” Jesus is referring to in this parable is the heavenly Jerusalem—Mount Zion. She is the “body” as well as the bride of Christ. She is the mother of our spirits.
The verse below is just one of the many verses in the Bible that talks about the “city” of God.
Hebrews 12:22-24 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels in joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous, made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
However, Mount Zion can only be discerned spiritually. You must live in the spirit in order to see it.
Luke 17:20-21 …Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs. nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
The Lord Jesus Christ was referring to himself in the previous verse because he was the king in the spirit realm. He was the light.
Additionally, you could be woken up by Christ and become king in His kingdom also where you can let your light shine with other chosen believers..
Mount Zion is the unshakable kingdom of God that will soon be re-established by God here on earth in these last days.
If you search for it wholeheartedly, you will find it. Let God’s truth and light lead you there.
The Hill Or Mountain
The “hill” Jesus is referring to is the Holy Hill or the Holy Mountain.
Here’s the original Greek text meaning:
a hill
ὄρους (orous)
Noun – Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong’s 3735: A mountain, hill. Probably from an obsolete oro; a mountain: -hill, mount(-ain).
Therefore, in this parable, “hill” can be interchanged with “mountain”.
Psalm 48:1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, His holy mountain. 2Beautiful in loftiness, the joy of all the earth, like the peaks of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the great King.
As the previous verse implies, the “city” is also the Holy Mountain which is called Mount Zion.
Mount Zion is God’s holy mountain. It is the heavenly Jerusalem. It’s where God allows His chosen kings to rule in His kingdom.
Psalm 2:6 “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.”
And there are many more verses that will back up my interpretation of the “light of the world” parable.
I’m only covering the basics here because I just want to stress the main point, which is, that the parable is about the kingdom of God more than anything else.
Conclusion
The parable of Jesus about “the light of the world, a city situated on a hill cannot be hidden” is about the kingdom of God. In this city, people will walk in the truth and light of God. When this parable has fully manifested here on earth, the whole world will witness it. The chosen kings and believers will let their light shine in the kingdom of God.
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