SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:14
Vosotros sois la luz del mundo; una ciudad asentada sobre un monte no se puede esconder.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:14
Verse 14. Ye are the light of the world] That is, the instruments which God chooses to make use of to illuminate the minds of men; as he uses the sun (to which probably he pointed) to enlighten the world. Light of the world, lw[ rn ner olam, was a title applied to the most eminent rabbins. Christ transfers the title from these, and gives it to his own disciples, who, by the doctrines that he taught them, were to be the means of diffusing the light of life throughout the universe.
A city that is set on a hill] This place may receive light from the following passage in Maundrell's Travels. "A few points toward the north (of Tabor) appears that which they call the Mount of Beatitudes, a small rising, from which our blessed saviour delivered his sermon in the fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of Matthew. (See the note on "ver. 5".) Not far from this little hill is the city Saphet, supposed to be the ancient Bethulia. It stands upon a very eminent and conspicuous mountain, and is SEEN FAR and NEAR. May we not suppose that Christ alludes to this city, in these words of his, A city set on a hill cannot be hid?" p. 115. Quesnell remarks here: "The Christian life is something very high and sublime, to which we cannot arrive without pains: while it withdraws us from the earth, and carries us nearer heaven, it places us in view, and as a mark, to the malice of carnal men."
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 14. Ye are the light of the world , etc.] What the luminaries, the sun and moon, are in the heavens, with respect to corporal light, that the apostles were in the world with regard to spiritual light; carrying and spreading the light of the Gospel not only in Judea, but all over the world, which was in great darkness of ignorance and error; and through a divine blessing attending their ministry, many were turned from the darkness of Judaism and Gentilism, of sin and infidelity, to the marvellous light of divine grace. The Jews were wont to say, that of the Israelites in general, and particularly of their sanhedrim, and of their learned doctors, what Christ more truly applies here to his apostles; they observe f253 , that on the fourth day it was said, let there be light: which was done with respect to the Israelites, because they are they lw[l yryam , which give light to the world, as it is written, ( Daniel 12:3) And in another place f254 , say they, how beautiful are the great ones of the congregation, and the wise men, who sit in the sanhedrim! for they are they aml[l yrhnm , that enlighten the world, the people of the house of Israel.
So. R. Meir, R. Akiba his disciple, and R. Judah the prince, are each of them called lw[h rwa , the light of the world; as R. Jochanan ben Zaccai is by his disciples, lw[ rn , the lamp of the world f256 : and it was usual for the head of a school, or of an university to be styled aml[d arwhn , the light of the world; but this title much better agrees and suits with the persons Christ gives it to, who, no question, had a view to those exalted characters the Jews gave to their celebrated Rabbins. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid ; alluding either to Nazareth, where he was educated, and had lately preached, which was built on an hill, from the brow of which the inhabitants sought to have cast him headlong, ( Luke 4:29) or to Capernaum, which, on account of its height, is said to be exalted unto heaven , ( Matthew 11:23) or to the city of Jerusalem, which was situated on a very considerable eminence. The land of Israel, the Jews say f258 , was higher than all other lands; and the temple at Jerusalem was higher than any other part of the land of Israel. And as a city cannot be hid which is built on a high place, so neither could, nor ought the doctrines which the apostles were commissioned to preach, be hid, or concealed from men: they were not to shun to declare the whole counsel of God, nor study to avoid the reproaches and persecutions of men; for they were to be made a spectacle; to be set as in a public theatre, to be seen by the world, angels, and men.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 13-16 - Ye are the salt of the earth. Mankind, lying in ignorance an wickedness, were as a vast heap, ready to putrify; but Christ sen forth his disciples, by their lives and doctrines to season it with knowledge and grace. If they are not such as they should be, they ar as salt that has lost its savour. If a man can take up the professio of Christ, and yet remain graceless, no other doctrine, no other means can make him profitable. Our light must shine, by doing such good work as men may see. What is between God and our souls, must be kept to ourselves; but that which is of itself open to the sight of men, we must study to make suitable to our profession, and praiseworthy. We must aim at the glory of God.
Greek Textus Receptus
υμεις 5210 P-2NP εστε 2075 5748 V-PXI-2P το 3588 T-NSN φως 5457 N-NSN του 3588 T-GSM κοσμου 2889 N-GSM ου 3756 PRT-N δυναται 1410 5736 V-PNI-3S πολις 4172 N-NSF κρυβηναι 2928 5650 V-2APN επανω 1883 ADV ορους 3735 N-GSN κειμενη 2749 5740 V-PNP-NSF
