Matthew 5:13 (WEB)
“You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.
Catechism · 2
The Seven Petitions
“This petition is taken up and granted in the prayer of Jesus which is present and effective in the Eucharist; it bears its fruit in new life in keeping with the Beatitudes.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Jn 17:17-20; Mt 5:13-16; 6:24; 7:12-13.
The Church - People of God, Body of Christ, Temple of the Holy Spirit
- §782Paragraph 2 · The Church - People of God, Body of Christ, Temple of the Holy SpiritRead at vatican.va
“This is the "new" law of the Holy Spirit. - Its mission is to be salt of the earth and light of the world.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mt 5:13-16.
Fathers and councils · 32
Origen
- Origen, Against Celsus VIII.70Book VIII
“He that hath ears, let him hear” the meaning of these words.” — editor's note: Luke xiv. 34, 35; Matt. v. 13.
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Irenaeus of Lyons
“And this they declare to be “the salt” and “the light of the world.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 13, 14.
Read the whole comment“…which endures for ever; and by those natural processes which appertain to the human race, indicating that the Church also, which is the salt of the earth, has been left behind within the confines of the earth, and subject to human sufferings; and while entire members are often taken away from it, the pillar of…” — editor's note: Matt. v. 13.
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Augustine of Hippo
“A good thing it is therefore wisely to be humbled.” — editor's note: Matt. v. 13.
Read the whole comment““And He led them astray in the pathless place, and not in a way.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 13.
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John Chrysostom
“As thus: the injunctions being high, and far surpassing those in the Old Testament; lest they should be disturbed and confounded, and say, “How shall we be able to achieve these things?” hear what He saith: “Ye are the salt of the earth.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 13.
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Jerome
“Salt that has lost its savor is good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of swine.” — editor's note: Matt. v. 13.
Read the whole comment““Ye are the light of the world,” “ye are the salt of the earth,” ye are “vessels of gold and of silver.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 13.
Read the whole comment“But “if the salt have lost his savour,” it is cast out.” — editor's note: Matt. v. 13.
Read the whole comment“L. Pray, have you not read what is said concerning the bishops,“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted?” — editor's note: Matt. v. 13.
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Ephrem the Syrian
“Let us gain a new savour by that whereby the ancient people lost their savour.” — editor's note: Matt. v. 13.
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Cyprian of Carthage
“Since the Lord warns us, saying, “Ye are the salt of the earth,” and since He bids us to be simple to harmlessness, and yet with our simplicity to be prudent, what else, beloved brethren, befits us, than to use foresight and…” — editor's note: Matt. v. 13.
Read the whole comment“It is good for nothing, but to be cast out abroad, and to be trodden under foot of men.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 13.
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Aphrahat
“Accordingly, by the coming of the offspring of the Blessed Mary the thorns are uprooted, the sweat wiped away, the fig-tree cursed, the dust made salt, the curse nailed to the cross, the edge of the sword removed from before the tree of life and it given as food to the faithful, and Paradise promised to the…” — editor's note: Matt. v. 13.
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Clement of Alexandria
““For we are the salt of the earth.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 13.
Read the whole comment“Wherefore it was not said to all, “Ye are the salt of the earth.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 13.
Read the whole comment“…the ineffable mysteries, and disdaining to let their nobleness be seen in the world; whom the Word calls “the light of the world, and the salt of the earth.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 13, 14.
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
When He had delivered to His Apostles such sublime precepts, so much greater than the precepts of the Law, that they might not be dismayed and say, How shall we be able to fulfil these things? He sooths their fears…
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
There may be here seen a propriety in our Lord’s language which may be gathered by considering the Apostle’s office, and the nature of salt. This, used as it is by men for almost every purpose, preserves from decay…
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
Moreover, salt is changed into another kind of substance by three means, water, the heat of the sun, and the breath of the wind. Thus Apostolic men also were changed into spiritual regeneration by the water of…
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Apostles are “the salt of the earth,” that is, of worldly men who are called the earth, because they love this earth.
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, because by the Apostles the whole human race is seasoned.
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
A doctor when he is adorned with all the preceding virtues, then is like good salt, and his whole people are salted by seeing and hearing him.
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
It should be known, that in the Old Testament no sacrifice was offered to God unless it were first sprinkled with salt, for none can present an acceptable sacrifice to God without the flavour of heavenly wisdom.
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
And because man is ever liable to change, He therefore warns the Apostles, who have been entitled “the salt of the earth,” to continue steadfast in the might of the power committed to them, when He adds, “If the salt…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
That is, if the doctor have erred, by what other doctor shall he be corrected?
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
If you by whom the nations are to be salted shall lose the kingdom of heaven through fear of temporal persecution, who are they by whom your error shall be corrected? Another copy has, “If the salt have lost all…
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
But if the doctors having become senseless, and having lost all the savour they once enjoyed, are unable to restore soundness to things corrupt, they are become useless; and “are thenceforth fit only to be cast out…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
The illustration is taken from husbandry. Salt, though it be necessary for seasoning of meats and preserving flesh, has no further use. Indeed we read in Scripture of vanquished cities sown with salt by the victors,…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
When then they who are the heads have fallen away, they are fit for no use but to be cast out from the office of teacher.
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or even cast out from the Church’s store rooms to be trodden under foot by those that walk.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Not he that suffers persecution is trodden under foot of men, but he who through fear of persecution falls away. For we can tread only on what is below us; but he is no way below us, who however much he may suffer in…
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Cross-references · 27
Cited together in Catechism §2821.
Cited together in Catechism §2821.
Cited together in Against Celsus VIII.70.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.31.
Cited together in Against Celsus VIII.70.
Cited together in Against Celsus VIII.70.
Cited together in Against Heresies I.6.
Cited together in Catechism §782.
Cited together in Catechism §782.
Cited together in Catechism §782.
Cited together in Against Heresies I.6.
Cited together in Catechism §2821.
Cited together in Catechism §2821.
Cited together in Catechism §2821.
Cited together in Catechism §2821.
Cited together in Catechism §782.
Cited together in Against Heresies I.6.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.31.
Cited together in Catechism §782.
Cited together in Catechism §782.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.31.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.31.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.31.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.31.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.31.
Cited together in Remigius of Auxerre on Matthew 5:13 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.31.