Jesus' metaphor of the "city on a hill" (Matthew 5:14–16) places the Church into the arena of public witness. "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Jesus uses this symbology in the Sermon on the Mount, which establishes the high standard of the kingdom of heaven on earth. Christians must be visible, not hidden, and on display with a radical witness of God's message as presented through Jesus Christ.
Historically, the phrase in our western context has been popularized by John Winthrop's 1630 written discourse titled Model of Christian Charity. It is unknown whether Winthrop ever gave it as a speech. Politically, it has been popular to use the phrase "city on a hill" as a call for American exceptionalism, with the assumption that the Puritans defined themselves in such a manner. This is doubtful since they had left England to form a community in the New World where they could study and worship in accordance with their interpretation of Scripture. They saw their new land as a refuge more than an opportunity to bring the kingdom of God to earth as a City on a Hill.
Christians must be visible, not hidden — on display with a radical witness of God's message as presented through Jesus Christ.
Over the centuries, however, American political rhetoric has secularized the image, transforming it into a symbol of American exceptionalism, especially through former President Ronald Reagan. Reagan has not been the only politician to popularize the term, although others did not use it to emphasize American exceptionalism as much as Reagan did.
In setting politics aside and focusing on its application for the Church, the ideal of a City on a Hill remains an inspiring symbol of how the kingdom of God on earth might look one day. For the modern Church, the City on a Hill is still a command from our Lord to put our faith on display for all to see. It has nothing to do with establishing a political Christendom and everything to do with living our lives out before a world that does not understand us.
Modern Christianity faces a paradox: while called to be a light to the world, the Church often defaults to a rhetoric of self-promotion to achieve its own ends. Inevitably, we turn such statements of truth into slogans that will fit our agenda. This is what took place with the phrase City on a Hill. Jesus never meant it politically, except as representative of His kingdom. As citizens of His kingdom, we must ensure that the truth of Scripture is always presented in its fullness, not as slogans that advance our own agenda.
I believe that Christians are entering an age where we must reflect the brightness of heaven through our love and peace to such a degree that chaos and sin cannot hide. By complete rest in Christ, the world will see new life and hope through us. Through such brilliance, people will be overwhelmed by a desire to know Jesus. 2 Corinthians 3:18 teaches that as we see Christ's glory, we are transformed into His image from one level of glory to the next.
The standards of the Sermon on the Mount have not yet been attained — and consequently, our public witness remains subdued and suspect.
Unfortunately, this brilliance to date is not obvious in the Church. The standards presented by the Sermon on the Mount have not been attained. And consequently, our public witness is still subdued and suspect.
Richard M. Gamble, In Search of the City on a Hill: The Making and Unmaking of an American Myth (Continuum Books, 2012).