Commentary on the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount with Seventeen Related Sermons

54. HOW TO 'LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN'

SERMON 54 H ow to 'let your light shine before men,' and not 'practice your justice before men.' (Matt. 5.16; 6.1) (1) In the Sermon related in the Gospel, our Lord Jesus Christ says in one passage: 'Take heed not to practice your justice before men, in order to be seen by them,' although in an earlier passage He had said: 'Let your light shine before men, in order that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.' And this fact, dearly beloved, usually occasions perplexity to many persons, for the mind which does not fully understand those precepts and is anxious to obey both the one and the other is perturbed and perplexed by their difference and opposition. Indeed, it is just as true that no one can obey even one master who gives contradictory orders as it is that no one can serve two masters, and in that same Sermon the Saviour Himself has borne witness to this latter impossibility. What, then, is the wavering mind to do when it thinks itself unable to obey, and dreads the consequences of not obeying? For, if a man places his good works in the light where they will be visible to men, in order that he may obey the precept, 'Let your light so shine before men, in order that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven,' he will think that he is held accountable for having acted contrary to the precept, 'Take heed not to practice your justice before men, in order 227 228 SAINT AUGUSTINE to be seen by them.' On the other hand, if, in his fear of this transgression and in his precaution against it, he keeps his good works hidden, then he will think that he is not obeying the command of Him who says: 'Let your light shine before men, in order that they may see your good works.' (2) But, whoever rightly understands these precepts can fulfill both of them, and will be able to serve the Supreme Master. If that Master were to give commands which could by no means be fulfilled, He would not condemn the slothful servant. Hearken, then, to 'Paul, the servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an Apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,'l while he both observes and teaches the one precept and the other. See how his light shines before men, so that they may see his good works. 'We commend ourselves,' says he, 'to every man's conscience in the sight of God.'2 And again: 'For we take forethought for what is honorable, not only before God, but also in the sight of men.'3 And yet again: 'Be pleasing to all men in all things, as I myself in all things try to please all men.'f On the other hand, see how he takes heed 'not to practice his justice before men, in order to be seen by them.' For he says: 'But let everyone test his own work, and so he will have glory in himself, and not in comparison with another.'5 And again: 'For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience.'6 And nothing is plainer than this other saying, namely, 'If I were still trying to please men, I should not be the servant of Christ.'7 Let none of 1 Rom. 1.1. 22 Cor. 4.2. lJ 2 Cor. 8.21. 4 1 Cor. 10.!!!!. 5 Gal. 6.4. 6 2 Cor. 1.12. 7 Gal. 1.10. SERMON ON THE MOUNT 229 those who are disconcerted by the apparently contradictory commands of the Lord Himself become all the more perplexed regarding the Apostle's meaning. Let them not ask him how he can say to us: 'Be pleasing to all men in all things, as I myself in all things try to please all men,' while he also says to us: 'If I were still trying to please men, I should not be the servant of Christ.' Rather, may we receive the aid of the Lord Himself, who has spoken through the person of His servant and apostle. May the Lord Himself reveal His will to us, and may He enable us to fulfill it. (3) Of course, the very words of the Gospel are selfexplanatory , but, while they...