Salt and Light
Matthew 5:13-16
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Matt.5.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Υμεις: PRON,nom,pl,2
- εστε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- αλας: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- γης·εαν: NOUN,gen,sg,f+CONJ
- δε: CONJ
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- αλας: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- μωρανθη: VERB,aor,pass,subj,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- τινι: PRON,dat,sg
- αλισθησεται: VERB,fut,pass,ind,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- ουδεν: PRON,acc,sg,n
- ισχυει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ετι: ADV
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- μη: PART
- βληθεν: VERB,aor,pass,part,nom,sg,n
- εξω: ADV
- καταπατεισθαι: VERB,pres,pass,inf
- υπο: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- ανθρωπων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Mark 9:50 (verbal): Uses the same salt metaphor; echoes 'have salt in yourselves' and the warning about salt losing its taste, linking Jesus' teaching in Mark to Matthew's saying.
- Luke 14:34-35 (verbal): Parallel saying with nearly identical imagery about salt that has lost its taste being good for nothing and thrown out, reinforcing the teaching's early tradition.
- Leviticus 2:13 (allusion): Prescribes that grain offerings be seasoned with salt and speaks of 'the salt of the covenant,' providing background for salt as a preservative, covenantal, and consecrating symbol in Israelite religion.
- Colossians 4:6 (thematic): Applies the salt metaphor to Christian speech ('seasoned with salt'), developing the idea of believers' influence and preserving/seasoning role in conduct and communication.
Alternative generated candidates
- You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt has lost its taste, how will its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
- You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste, how can it be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by people.
Matt.5.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Υμεις: PRON,nom,pl,2
- εστε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- φως: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- του: ART,gen,sg,m
- κοσμου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ου: PART,neg
- δυναται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,sg
- πολις: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- κρυβηναι: VERB,aor,pass,inf
- επανω: ADV
- ορους: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- κειμενη·: VERB,pres,mp,part,nom,sg,f
Parallels
- John 8:12 (verbal): Jesus declares, “I am the light of the world,” using the same light-of-the-world language and metaphor for moral/spiritual illumination.
- John 9:5 (verbal): Another first‑person use of the light metaphor by Jesus (“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world”), reinforcing the light imagery and mission context.
- John 1:4–5 (thematic): Speaks of ‘the light of men’ coming into the world and overcoming darkness — establishes the cosmic/light motif behind Jesus’ identity and the call for others to reflect that light.
- Isaiah 49:6 (allusion): The servant is called to be ‘a light to the nations,’ a prophetic basis for Jesus’ followers being a public, world‑directed light (missional aspect of Matt. 5:14).
- Luke 11:33 (verbal): Uses the lamp-under-a-basket image (“no one after lighting a lamp puts it in a secret place… sets it on a stand”), paralleling Matthew’s teaching about visibility and public witness.
Alternative generated candidates
- You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
- You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Matt.5.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ουδε: CONJ
- καιουσιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- λυχνον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- τιθεασιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- υπο: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- μοδιον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αλλ᾽επι: CONJ+PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- λυχνιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- λαμπει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- πασιν: ADJ,dat,pl,m
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- οικια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
Parallels
- Luke 8:16 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel: Jesus warns against lighting a lamp and hiding it, placing it instead on a stand so it gives light — closely parallels Matt 5:15 (likely from the same teaching tradition).
- Luke 11:33 (verbal): Another verbal parallel in Luke with the same lamp-on-a-stand image used to teach about making what is hidden visible; echoes the wording and intent of Matt 5:15.
- Mark 4:21 (verbal): Uses the lamp-under-a-basket motif within a teaching about revealing truth; parallels Matt 5:15 in imagery and function (light revealing what is in the house).
- Matt.5:14 (structural): Immediate context: 'You are the light of the world' provides the identity basis for the admonition in 5:15 about not hiding that light.
- John 8:12 (thematic): Thematic connection: Jesus' self-identification as 'the light of the world' broadens the light-imagery in Matthew, linking moral/eschatological illumination to Jesus and his followers' witness.
Alternative generated candidates
- Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but place it on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.
- Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.
Matt.5.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ουτως: ADV
- λαμψατω: VERB,pres,act,imp,3,sg
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- φως: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- εμπροσθεν: PREP,gen
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- ανθρωπων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- οπως: CONJ
- ιδωσιν: VERB,aor,act,subj,3,pl
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- τα: ART,acc,pl,neut
- καλα: ADJ,acc,pl,n
- εργα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- και: CONJ
- δοξασωσιν: VERB,aor,act,subj,3,pl
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- πατερα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- ουρανοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
Parallels
- Luke 8:16 (verbal): Uses the same lamp/light image (no one lights a lamp and hides it) and the imperative to let the light be visible—synoptic verbal parallel to Matt 5:15–16.
- John 8:12 (thematic): Jesus as 'the light of the world' and the call to walk in that light resonates with Matt 5:16's light imagery and moral witness.
- 1 Peter 2:12 (thematic): Calls believers to live honorable lives so outsiders may see their good deeds and glorify God—close thematic parallel to 'so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father.'
- Philippians 2:15 (verbal): Speaks of believers 'shining as lights in the world' amid a crooked generation—uses the same metaphor of visible holiness as effective witness.
- Ephesians 5:8-9 (thematic): Contrasts darkness and light and links being 'light in the Lord' to producing 'fruit of light'—connecting moral conduct with the light-metaphor witness of Matt 5:16.
Alternative generated candidates
- So let your light shine before people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
- Let your light shine before people, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand; and it gives light to all in the house.
Let your light so shine before people that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.