The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 161

opportunities, etc., are but "few things ; " that the salt o/ thi, country [ie. Palestinel hereaft.er they will be "many things" (eh. when in canto.et with theground,or exposecl. xxv. 21). For. Not as giving a reason for to rain and sun, does beoome insipid and the assurance of reward (apparently Meyer useless. From the manner in whioh it is and Weiss), but for the command, "rejoice, gathered [1'ide infra], much earth and and be exceeding glad," and perhaps aleo other impurities are necessarily oollected for the predicate "blessed." Rejoice if per- with it. Not a little of it is so impure l!eonted, for such persecutions prove you to that it cannot be used at all; and such be tbe true successors of the prophets, your salt soon effioresoes and turns to dust predecessors in like faithfulness (cf. J as. v. -not to fruitful soil, however, It is not 10). So. By reproach, e.g. Elijah (1 Kings only good for nething itself, but it actually xviii. 17). Amos (vii. 12, 13); by persecution, destroys all fertility wherever it is thrown. e.g. Hanani (2 Chron. xvi. 10), Jeremiah • . • No man will allow it to be thrown on (xxxvii. 15); by saying all manner of evil, to his field, and the only place for it is the e.g. Amos (vii. 10), Jeremiah (xxxvii. 13), street; and there it is cast, to be trodden Daniel (vi. 13). Which were before you. under foot of men." It should be observed Added, surely, not as a mere temporal fa.et, that the salt used in Palestine is not manu- but to indicate spiritual relationship (1/ide factured by boiling clean Be.It water, nor fflpra). quarried from mines, but is obtained from --Ver. 13.-Ye are the salt, eto. (cf, a marshes along the see.shore, es in Cyprus, similar saying in Mark ix. 50; Luke xiv. or from BB.lt lakes in the interior, which dry 84, 85). Weiss thinks that St. Luke gives np in sum.mer,as the one in the desert north it in its original context; that St. Matthew of Palmyra, and the great Lake of Jebbfil, is right in interpreting it as of special south-east of Aleppo. Further, rock-salt is reference to the disciples; and that St. Mark found in abundance at the south end of the applies it the most freely. It may, indeed, Dead Sea (cf. Thomson, loo. cit. ). Where- lie that its position here is only the result of with shall it be salted t i.e. not if yon will the inspired guidance of the evangelist; bnt, not act e.s salt, wherewith shall the eorth be on the whole, it seems more probable that eo salted? (apparently Luther and Erasmus); natural a figure was used more than once but what quality can take the place of moral by our Lord, and that he really spoke these tone to produce in you the same result? words in his sermon on the mount, as well You are as so.It. If you lose your distinctive as on the later occasion indicated by St. qualities, where can you find that which Luke. Ye; i.e. the µ.a.(hi.-al of ver. 1, .Are, answers to them? It is thenoeforth good for in fact ( ,1.,..,..); therefore recognize the re- nothing. Our Lord here lays stress, not on sponsibility. The salt of the earth. It bas want of fitness (EIIB•Tov, Luke), but on wan\ been disputed whether allusion is here ma.de of inherent power. "It is only useful for to the preservative properties of salt or to that purpose to which one applies what is the flavour it imparts; i.e. whether Christ absolutely useless" (Weiss-Meyer). is thinking of his disciples as preserving the Ver.14.-Matthewonly. Ye are the light world from decay, or as giving it a good of the world. After speaking of the morel flavour to the Divine taste. Surely a use- tone that the disciples were to give to the less question; forgetful of the fact that world, in contrast to sin in its corrupting epiri tual realities e.re being dealt with, e.nd power, Christ refers to them as enlight- that it is therefore impossible for the one ening, in contrast to sin as darkness and effect to be really separated from the other. ignore.nee. Our Lord further naturally Our Lord is thinking of the moral tone exchanges the term "the earth" (which which his disciples are to give to humanity. from its strong materialism had suited the The connexion with vers. 11, 12 is-Per- figure of the salt) for "the world "-a phrase eecutioo must be borne unless yon are to which must, indeed, as regards the disciples, lose your moral tone, which is to be to the be limited to this earth, but as regards the earth what ea.It is to its surroundings, pre- light, need not be limited to less than the serving from corruption and fitting for (in solar system. In other words, the simple your case Divine) appreciation. What xd.p,r reason why he exchanges "earth " for is to be to the Christian >.o-yor (Col. iv. 6), that " world " is that they are respectively the 1.he Chri.etie.n himself is to be to the world. best suited to the figure employed. Notice If ... h.e.ve lost it1 se.vour (µ,wpav8fi); so that Christ never applies the former figure, elsewhere in Luke xiv. 34 only. Salt that has of salt, to himself; but the l11tter, of light, lost its distiuctive qualities is here said to once or twice, especially John viii. 12, lack its proper mind or sense. Salt without where, since he is speaking of himself, and she.rpness is like an ll.v8p=or ll.>.o-yos; for man not of others, he adds the thought of life is e. (oiov 11-o-y,~&v. On the fact of so.It losing being connected with light, A oity, etc.; its virtue, er. Thomson(' Land and the Book,' literally, a city cannot be hid when set on p. 382 : 1887), '' It is a well-known fact a mountain. H seems at first slightly on, v. 1-48.] Tilt GOSPEL ACCORD1NG 'l'O S'l'.'. MATTHEW. 153