Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
What does Matthew 5:14 mean?
Ye are the salt of the earth. Mankind, lying in ignorance and wickedness, were as a vast heap, ready to putrify; but Christ sent forth his disciples, by their lives and doctrines to season it with knowledge and grace.
Key themes
Read with
Keep this verse inside Matthew 5:13-16 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Matthew 5:14
The light of the world - The light of the world often denotes the sun, John 11:9 . The sun renders objects visible, shows their form, their nature, their beauties, their deformities. The term light is often applied to religious teachers. See Matthew 4:16 ; Luke 2:32 ; John 1:4 ; John 8:12 ; Isaiah 49:6 . It is pre-eminently applied to Jesus in these places, because he is, in the moral world, what the sun is in the natural world.
Key words
- the Horns of Huttin
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the Horns of Huttin.
- light
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Ye are the light of the world,.
- world
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Ye are the light of the world,.
Context in Matthew 5
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Matthew 5 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as birth and preparation. Matthew presents Jesus as Davidic Messiah, new Moses, teacher of the kingdom, suffering Son of Man, and risen Lord who commissions the nations. Read this chapter with the wider themes of fulfillment, kingdom of heaven, and discipleship in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
Explore by topic
Verses on the fear of the Lord, wise speech, practical judgment, teachability, and the difference between biblical wisdom and mere cleverness.
Key passages on God's unmerited favour, the grace of Christ, salvation by grace through faith, and how grace transforms the way believers live.
Glossary
- City People
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The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain ( Gen. 4:17 ). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12).