1 Machabæorum 5:14

Nova Vulgata

Vos estis lux mundi. Non potest civitas abscondi supra montem posita;

Parallel Translations

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
Vos estis lux mundi. Non potest civitas abscondi supra montem posita,

Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405)
Vos estis lux mundi. Non potest civitas abscondi supra montem posita,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the light: Proverbs 4:18, John 5:35, John 12:36, Romans 2:19, Romans 2:20, 2 Corinthians 6:14, Ephesians 5:8-14, Philippians 2:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:5, Revelation 1:20, Revelation 2:1

a city: Genesis 11:4-8, Revelation 21:14-27

Reciprocal: Exodus 25:37 - give Exodus 35:14 - candlestick Exodus 39:37 - even with Numbers 8:2 - General 1 Kings 7:49 - the candlesticks 1 Chronicles 28:8 - in the sight 2 Chronicles 4:7 - ten candlesticks Ezekiel 5:5 - I have Zechariah 4:2 - a candlestick 1 Corinthians 5:10 - for Revelation 11:4 - two candlesticks

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ye are the light of the world,.... 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 l, that

"on the fourth day it was said, "let there be light": which was done with respect to the Israelites, because they are they מאירים לעולם, "which give light to the world", as it is written, Daniel 12:3'

And in another place m, say they,

"how beautiful are the great ones of the congregation, and the wise men, who sit in the sanhedrim! for they are they

מנהרין לעלמא, "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 n אור העולם, "the light of the world"; as R. Jochanan ben Zaccai is by his disciples, נר עולם, "the lamp of the world" o: and it was usual for the head of a school, or of an university to be styled p נהורא דעלמא, "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 q, 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".

l Tzeror Hammor, fol. 1. 3. m Targum in Cant. iv. 1. n Juchasin, fol. 63. 2. o Abot R. Nathan, c. 25. fol. 6. 3. p Juchasin. fol. 121. 1. q T. Bab. Kiddushin, fol. 69. 1. Sanhedrim, fol. 87. 1. Zebachim, fol. 54. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The light of the world - The light of the world often denotes the sun, John 11:9. The sun renders objects visible, shows their form, their nature, their beauties, their deformities. The term light is often applied to religious teachers. See Matthew 4:16; Luke 2:32; John 1:4; John 8:12; Isaiah 49:6. It is pre-eminently applied to Jesus in these places, because he is, in the moral world, what the sun is in the natural world. The apostles, Christian ministers, and all Christians, are lights of the world, because they, by their instructions and example, show what God requires, what is the condition of man, what is the way of duty, peace, and happiness the way that leads to heaven.

A city that is set on a hill ... - Many of the cities of Judea were placed on the summits or sides of mountains, and could be seen from afar. Perhaps Jesus pointed to such a city, and told his disciples that they were like it. Their actions could not be hid. The eyes of the world were upon them. They must be seen; and as this was the case, they ought to be holy, harmless, and undefiled.

Maundrell, Jowett, and others suppose that the Sermon on the Mount was delivered in the vicinity of the present city of Safed, or “the Horns of Huttin” (see the notes at Matthew 5:1), and that this city may have been in his eye, and may have been directly referred to by the Saviour when he uttered this sentiment. It would give additional force and beauty to the passage to suppose that he pointed to the city. Of this Dr. Thomson (The Land and the Book, vol. i. pp. 420, 421) says, “The shape of the hill is a well-described oval, and the wall corresponds to it. The bottom of the outer ditch is now a very flourishing vineyard, and the entire circuit is not far from half a mile. The wall is mostly modern, but built on one more ancient, portions of which can be seen on the east side. The interior summit rises about a hundred feet higher than this wall, and was a separate castle, strongly defended. Here are beveled stones, as heavy, and as aged in appearance, as those of the most celebrated ruins in the country; and they prove that this has been a place of importance from a remote age. These ancient parts of the castle render it all but certain that there was then a city or citadel on this most conspicuous ‘hill’ top; and our Lord might well point to it to illustrate and confirm his precept. The present Hebrew name is Zephath, and may either refer to its elevation like a watchtower, or to the beauty and grandeur of the surrounding prospects. Certainly they are quite sufficient to suggest the name. There lies Gennesaret, like a mirror set in framework of dark mountains and many-faced hills. Beyond is the vast plateau of the Hauran, faintly shading with its rocky ranges the utmost horizon eastward. Thence the eye sweeps over Gilead and Bashan, Samaria and Carmel, the plains of Galilee, the coasts of Phoenicia, the hills of Naphtali, the long line of Lebanon, and the lofty head of Hermen - a vast panorama, embracing a thousand points of historic and sacred interest.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 5:14. 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, נר עולם 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. (Matthew 5:5.) 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."