The Meaning of Luke 14:34 Explained

Luke 14:34

KJV: Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

YLT: The salt is good, but if the salt doth become tasteless, with what shall it be seasoned?

Darby: Salt then is good, but if the salt also has become savourless, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

ASV: Salt therefore is good: but if even the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Salt  [is] good:  but  if  the salt  have lost his savour,  wherewith  shall it be seasoned? 

What does Luke 14:34 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 14:25-35 - The Cost Of Discipleship
Here we have our Lord's use of the winnowing-fan. Amid the teeming crowds He knew that there were many light and superficial souls who had not realized the cost involved in discipleship. Mark the thrice-repeated words-cannot be my disciple.
Our love must be greater than the ties of family affection, Luke 14:26; must be greater than our love for our own way, which must be nailed to the Cross, Luke 14:27; must be greater than our love of possessions and property, Luke 14:33. Christ has done more than any other teacher to cement the relationships of human love, but He always asks that they should be subordinated to the claims of God. Oh, for the love that Paul had! See Philippians 3:8.
What a comfort it is to realize that God counted the cost before He set about the task of redemption, whether of a world or of us as individuals. He knew all that it would cost, and surely He did not begin what He cannot complete! [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 14

1  Jesus heals the dropsy on the Sabbath;
7  teaches humility;
12  to feast the poor;
15  under the parable of the great supper,
23  shows how worldly minded men shall be shut out of heaven
25  Those who will be his disciples, to bear their cross must make their accounts beforehand,
31  lest with shame they revolt from him afterward;
34  and become altogether unprofitable, like salt that has lost its flavor

Greek Commentary for Luke 14:34

Have lost its savor []
See on Matthew 5:13. [source]
Shall it be seasoned []
See on Mark 9:50. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 14:34

1 Corinthians 1:20 Hath not God made foolish? [ουχι εμωρανεν ο τεοσ]
Strong negative form with aorist active indicative difficult of precise translation, “Did not God make foolish?” The old verb μωραινω — mōrainō from μωρος — mōros foolish, was to be foolish, to act foolish, then to prove one foolish as here or to make foolish as in Romans 1:22. In Matthew 5:13; Luke 14:34 it is used of salt that is tasteless. World (κοσμου — kosmou). Synonymous with αιων — aiōn (age), orderly arrangement, then the non-Christian cosmos. [source]
Colossians 4:6 Seasoned with salt [αλατι ηρτυμενος]
The same verb αρτυω — artuō (old verb from αιρω — airō to fit, to arrange) about salt in Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34. Nowhere else in the N.T. Not too much salt, not too little. Plutarch uses salt of speech, the wit which flavours speech (cf. Attic salt). Our word salacious is this same word degenerated into vulgarity. Grace and salt (wit, sense) make an ideal combination. Every teacher will sympathize with Paul‘s desire “that ye know how ye must answer each one” Who does know? [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 14:34 mean?

Good [is] therefore the salt if however even becomes tasteless with what will it be seasoned
Καλὸν οὖν τὸ ἅλας ἐὰν δὲ καὶ μωρανθῇ ἐν τίνι ἀρτυθήσεται

Καλὸν  Good  [is] 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: καλός  
Sense: beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable.
ἅλας  salt 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ἅλα 
Sense: salt with which food is seasoned and sacrifices are sprinkled.
δὲ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
καὶ  even 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
μωρανθῇ  becomes  tasteless 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: μωραίνω  
Sense: to be foolish, to act foolishly.
ἀρτυθήσεται  will  it  be  seasoned 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀρτύω  
Sense: to prepare, arrange, with respect to food.

What are the major concepts related to Luke 14:34?

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