Matthew 5:13 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ye are the salt of the earth— This relates to all the disciples who were then present, Luke 14:34 and also to all Christians in general (1 Thessalonians 5:5.Philippians 2:15.); but more especially to the apostles. See on Matthew 5:16. Salt is the emblem of wisdom,anditservesalsoto preserve things from putrefaction. Now the first disciples of Christ were more especially appointed to diffuse the wisdom of the Gospel throughout the whole world, and to promote the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and holiness and virtue, among men by their doctrines and examples. The meaning is, "Who could instruct and reform you, if you should happen to fall into error or vice; you that are to be entrusted under grace with the sanctification and instruction of others?" Compare Mark 9:49. Colossians 4:6. Livy calls Greece sal gentium, "the salt of all the nations," on account of those intellectual improvements which they learned thence. The word μωρανθη, rendered Have lost his savour, may be translated, Is become insipid. This rendering has, I think, a peculiar beauty and strength here. The original might be literally translated, If it be infatuated or grown foolish; alluding to the common figure, in which sense and spirit are expressed by salt. Our Lord's supposition of the salt's losing its savour is illustrated by Mr. Maundrell, who tells us, that "in the valley of salt, near Gebul, and about four hours' journey from Aleppo, there is a small precipice, occasioned by the continual taking away of the salt. In this, says he, you may see how the veins of it lie: I broke a piece of it, of which the part exposed to the rain, sun, and air, though it had the sparks and particles of salt, yet it had perfectly lost its savour, as in Matthew 5. The innermost, which had been connected with the rock, retained its savour, as I found by proof." See Grotius, and Wetstein.