Matthew 5:13-16

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 5:15

Neither do men light a lamp and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house. Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.This passage sets forth instructions regarding the Christian's light, or influence, in the world: (1) Christ forbade hiding it under a bushel (Matthew 5:14), that is, permitting business and commerce to obscure one's influence for the truth. (2) He warned... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 5:13

Matthew 5:13. Ye are the salt of the earth— This relates to all the disciples who were then present, Luk 14:34 and also to all Christians in general (1 Thessalonians 5:5.Philippians 2:15; Philippians 2:15.); but more especially to the apostles. See on Matthew 5:16. Salt is the emblem of wisdom,anditservesalsoto preserve things from putrefaction. Now the first disciples of Christ were more especially appointed to diffuse the wisdom of the Gospel throughout the whole world, and to promote the... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 5:14

Matthew 5:14. Ye are the light of the world— Jesus compares his disciples to the sun, representingtheefficacyoftheirministry(accompanied by his divine Spirit), to fill the world with the gladsome light of truth; a thing as necessary in the moral world, as light in the natural: ye are the light of the world. This appellation was given by the Jews to their wise men and doctors. See John 5:35. 2 Peter 1:19. The Lord Jesus Christ bestows it on his disciples, because they were appointed to preach... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 5:15-16

Matthew 5:15-16. Neither do men light a candle, &c.— This seems to be a proverbial expression. See the application that Christ makes of it on another occasion; Mark 4:21.Luke 8:16; Luke 8:16; Luke 11:33. They formerly used lamps only, instead of candles, and the candlestick was the foot on which they were set up. The meaning of this comparison is the same with that foregoing. The disciples and Christians, being the lights of the world, were designed to light men out of the ways of ignorance... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 5:13

13-16. We have here the practical application of the foregoing principles to those disciples who sat listening to them, and to their successors in all time. Our Lord, though He began by pronouncing certain characters to be blessed—without express reference to any of His hearers—does not close the beatitudes without intimating that such characters were in existence, and that already they were before Him. Accordingly, from characters He comes to persons possessing them, saying, "Blessed are ye... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 5:14

14. Ye are the light of the world—This being the distinctive title which our Lord appropriates to Himself (John 8:12; John 9:5; and see John 1:4; John 1:9; John 3:19; John 12:35; John 12:36) —a title expressly said to be unsuitable even to the highest of all the prophets (John 1:8) —it must be applied here by our Lord to His disciples only as they shine with His light upon the world, in virtue of His Spirit dwelling in them, and the same mind being in them which was also in Christ Jesus. Nor... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 5:15

15. Neither do men light a candle—or, lamp. and put it under a bushel—a dry measure. but on a candlestick—rather, "under the bushel, but on the lampstand." The article is inserted in both cases to express the familiarity of everyone with those household utensils. and it giveth light—shineth "unto all that are in the house." read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 5:16

16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven—As nobody lights a lamp only to cover it up, but places it so conspicuously as to give light to all who need light, so Christians, being the light of the world, instead of hiding their light, are so to hold it forth before men that they may see what a life the disciples of Christ lead, and seeing this, may glorify their Father for so redeeming, transforming, and ennobling... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 5:11-16

Their calling 5:11-16Jesus proceeded to clarify His disciples’ calling and ministry in the world to encourage them to endure persecution and to fulfill God’s purpose for them."Some might think that Matthew 5:11-12 constitute the concluding Beatitude, since these verses begin with the words ’blessed are you". But it is noteworthy that only here in the Beatitudes do we meet a verb in the second person (i.e., ’blessed are you’). In addition there are 36 (Greek) words in this Beatitude compared to... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 5:13

Matthew 5:13-16 have been called the epilogue to the Beatitudes and have been compared to the prologue to the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-6). [Note: Edersheim, 1:529.] By placing "you" (Gr. hymeis) in the emphatic position in the Greek text, Jesus was stressing the unique calling of His disciples (cf. Matthew 5:14). Salt was important in the ancient Near East because it flavored food, retarded decay in food, and in small doses fertilized land. [Note: Eugene P. Deatrick, "Salt, Soil, Savor,"... read more

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