Lukas 14:35

35 It is useless either for the land or for the dung hill; they throw it away. The one who has ears to hear, shema!

Lukas 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).

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Lukas 14:35 In-Context

33 So, then, none of you can become my talmid if you do not renounce all your [idolatrous] holdings.

34 Therefore, melach (salt) is tov; but if even melach should become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned?

35 It is useless either for the land or for the dung hill; they throw it away. The one who has ears to hear, shema!