Luke 14:35

35 Neither in earth, nor in [the] dunghill it is profitable, but it shall be cast out. He that hath ears of hearing, hear he.

Luke 14:35 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 14:35

It is neither fit for the land
For the manuring of it, when it has lost its savour and spirit; otherwise it makes land fruitful, if too much is not used, and especially fixed salts have this use; though Pliny says F15,

``every place in which salt is found, it is barren and brings forth nothing.''

Nor yet for the dunghill;
to mix with dung, and help it, that it may be the more serviceable for the earth; and just such useless things, are a mere external profession of religion, and professors of it, and ministers of the word, without the grace of God; they are of no use, but hurtful to the church, and to the world; these phrases are left out in the Persic and Ethiopic versions:

but men cast it out;
into the streets, as entirely useless: and so such graceless professors and ministers, are to be cast out of the churches of Christ now, and will be excluded the kingdom of heaven hereafter:

he that hath ears to hear, let him hear;
this being a point of great importance and consequence; (See Gill on Matthew 11:15).


FOOTNOTES:

F15 Nat. Hist. l. 31. c. 7.

Luke 14:35 In-Context

33 So therefore each of you, that forsaketh not all things that he hath [that renounceth not, or forsaketh not, all things that he wieldeth], may not be my disciple.
34 Salt is good; but if salt [shall] vanish, in what thing shall it be savoured?
35 Neither in earth, nor in [the] dunghill it is profitable, but it shall be cast out. He that hath ears of hearing, hear he.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.