Matthew 5:13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 5:13-16

Christ had lately called his disciples, and told them that they should be fishers of men; here he tells them further what he designed them to be?the salt of the earth, and lights of the world, that they might be indeed what it was expected they should be. I. Ye are the salt of the earth. This would encourage and support them under their sufferings, that, though they should be treated with contempt, yet they should really be blessings to the world, and the more so for their suffering thus. The... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 5:1-48

As we have already seen, Matthew has a careful pattern in his gospel. In his story of the baptism of Jesus he shows us Jesus realizing that the hour has struck, that the call to action has come, and that Jesus must go forth on his crusade. In his story of the Temptations he shows us Jesus deliberately choosing the method he will use to carry out his task, and deliberately rejecting methods which he knew to be against the will of God. If a man sets his hand to a great task, he needs his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:13

Ye are the salt of the earth ,.... This is to be understood of the disciples and apostles of Christ; who might be compared to "salt", because of the savoury doctrines they preached; as all such are, which are agreeable to the Scriptures, and are of the evangelic kind, which are full of Christ, serve to exalt him, and to magnify the grace of God; and are suitable to the experiences of the saints, and are according to godliness, and tend to promote it: also because of their savoury lives and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 5:13

Ye are the salt of the earth - Our Lord shows here what the preachers of the Gospel, and what all who profess to follow him, should be; the salt of the earth, to preserve the world from putrefaction and destruction. See the note on Leviticus 2:13 . But if the salt have lost his savor - That this is possible in the land of Judea, we have proof from Mr. Maundrell, who, describing the Valley of Salt, speaks thus: "Along, on one side of the valley, toward Gibul, there is a small precipice... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 5:13

Verse 13 Matthew 5:13.Ye are the salt of the earth. What belongs to doctrine is applied to the persons to whom the administration of it has been committed. When Christ calls the apostles the salt of the earth, he means, that it is their office to salt the earth: because men have nothing in them but what is tasteless, till they have been seasoned with the salt of heavenly doctrine. After having reminded them to what they are called, he pronounces against them a heavy and dreadful judgment, if... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 5:1-16

The sermon on the mount. The first part of the sermon: the law of the kingdom of heaven. I. THE BEATITUDES . 1 . The first Beatitude. 2 . The second Beatitude. (a) It seems a paradox. Sorrow and joy are opposed to one another; but the Lord says that there is a sorrow which is blessed. Life is full of sorrows. There is more sorrow in the world than joy, more pain than pleasure. Outward sorrows are blessed if they are meekly borne, in patience and in trustful faith. When... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 5:3-16

1. The ideal character of his disciples. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 5:11-16

Some critics ( e.g. Godet, Weiss) think that Matthew 5:13-16 are no part of the original sermon, but only an interweaving of sayings which were originally spoken at other times. This is possible, but external evidence exists only in the case of Matthew 5:13 and Matthew 5:15 (for Matthew 5:14 and Matthew 5:16 are peculiar to Matthew); and even in the ease of these verses it is by no means clear ( vide infra ) that the occasions on which, according to the other Gospels, the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 5:13

Ye are the salt , etc.. Weiss thinks that St. Luke gives it in its original context; that St. Matthew is right in interpreting it as of special reference to the disciples; and that St. Mark applies it the most freely. It may, indeed, be that its position here is only the result of the inspired guidance of the evangelist; but, on the whole, it seems more probable that so natural a figure was used more than once by our Lord, and that he really spoke these words in his sermon on the mount, as... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 5:13-14

Salt and light. Christ regards his people as the salt of the earth and as the light of the world. In both characters they have a mission to others. The Church exists for the sake of the world. She has a large vocation; the whole earth is the field of her work, and there she is to labour not for her own ends, but to benefit mankind. How grievous is the perversion of those who exactly reverse the position of Christ, and behave as though the world only existed for the benefit of the Church! ... read more

Group of Brands