City on a Hill
"City on a Hill" comes from Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:14, where he says a city set on a hill cannot be hidden. It pictures the visible witness of his disciples in the world.
At a Glance
"City on a Hill" comes from Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:14, where he says a city set on a hill cannot be hidden. It pictures the visible witness of his disciples in the world.
Description
"City on a Hill" is a biblical image drawn from Matthew 5:14 in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In context, it is not mainly a title for a nation, culture, or political program, but a picture of the public, visible character of faithful discipleship. Jesus calls his followers the light of the world and immediately connects that calling with lives that shine before others through good works, leading people to glorify God the Father (Matt. 5:14-16). Interpreters may apply the image more broadly to the church’s corporate witness, but the safest conclusion is that the phrase refers first to the visible testimony of Jesus’ disciples as they live in obedience to him before the watching world.