SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:15
Ni se enciende la lámpara y se pone debajo de un almud, sino en el candelero, y alumbra a todos los que están en la casa.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:15
Verse 15. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel] A bushel modiov:-a measure both among the Greeks and Romans, containing a little more than a peck English. From some ancient writers we learn, that only those who had bad designs hid a candle under a bushel; that, in the dead of the night, when all were asleep, they might rise up, and have light at hand to help them to effect their horrid purposes of murder, &c. See Wetstein, Kypke, Wolf, &c.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 15. Neither do men light a candle , etc.] Which may be read impersonally, “a candle is not lighted”: and by it may be meant the Gospel, and gifts qualifying men to preach it; which, like a candle, was lighted in the evening of the Jewish dispensation, though not confined to the land of Judea; but has shone throughout the world, being as a candle to be removed, and has been removed from place to place: wherever it is set, it gives light, more or less, and dispels darkness; it is useful both to work by and walk with; it does not always burn alike clearly, it needs looking after; it has its thieves, as candles sometimes have; and will give the greatest light towards the close of the world, as they usually do, when ready to go out. Now when a candle is lighted by men, they do not put it under a bushel , or anything which may hide and cover it, and so hinder its light and usefulness. The Greek word modiov , rendered a “bushel”, answers to the Hebrew has , “seah”, which is the very word used in Munster’s Hebrew Gospel; and this was a dry measure that held about a gallon and a half; and accordingly is rendered here by the Syriac atas . The design of the expression is, that Christ has lighted the candle of the everlasting Gospel, and given gifts to men for the ministration of it, not to be concealed and neglected, or to be used as the servant did his lord’s money, wrap it up in a napkin, and hide it in the earth. Ministers are not, through slothfulness, to neglect the gift that is in them; nor, through fear, to hide their talents, or keep back any part of the Gospel, or cover anything out of sight, which may be profitable to souls: “but” men, when they light a candle, put it on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house ; as on the candlestick in the temple, a type of the church; where Christ has set the light of the Gospel, where it is held forth particularly by the ministers of the word, to illuminate the whole house and family of God; by the light of which poor sinners, the lost pieces of silver, are looked up; straggling souls are brought home; hypocrites and formalists are detected; and saints are enlightened, directed, and comforted. Much such a proverbial saying is used by the Jews f259 : “do not leave a vessel of balsam in a dunghill, but move it from its place, that its smell may spread, and men may receive profit from it.”
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
ουδε 3761 ADV καιουσιν 2545 5719 V-PAI-3P λυχνον 3088 N-ASF και 2532 CONJ τιθεασιν 5087 5719 V-PAI-3P αυτον 846 P-ASM υπο 5259 PREP τον 3588 T-ASM μοδιον 3426 N-ASM αλλ 235 CONJ επι 1909 PREP την 3588 T-ASF λυχνιαν 3087 N-ASF και 2532 CONJ λαμπει 2989 5719 V-PAI-3S πασιν 3956 A-DPM τοις 3588 T-DPM εν 1722 PREP τη 3588 T-DSF οικια 3614 N-DSF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
15. A bushel (ton modion). Rev., rightly, "the bushel;" since the definite article is designed to indicate a familiar object - the grain-measure which is found in every house.A candlestick (thn lucnian). Rev., the stand. Also a part of the furniture of every house, and commonly but one in the house: hence the article. The word, which occurs four times in the Gospels and eight times elsewhere, means, in every case, not a candlestick, but a lamp-stand. In Heb. ix. 2, the golden "candlestick" of the tabernacle is called lucnia; but in the description of this article (Exod. xxv. 31, 39), we read, "Thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof;" and in Zech. iv. 2, where the imagery is drawn from the sanctuary, we have a "candlestick" with a bowl on the top of it, "and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes (for the oil) to the lamps which are upon the top thereof."
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:15 {Under the bushel} (hupo ton modion). Not a bushel. "The figure is taken from lowly cottage life. There was a projecting stone in the wall on which the lamp was set. The house consisted of a single room, so that the tiny light sufficed for all" (Bruce). It was not put under the bushel (the only one in the room) save to put it out or to hide it. The bushel was an earthenware grain measure. "{The stand}" (tˆn luchnian), not "candlestick." It is "lamp-stand" in each of the twelve examples in the Bible. There was the one lamp-stand for the single room.
