Matthew 5:12-14
13″You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14″You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
The reason I’m writing this post it’s because this verse has been in my head for sometime now and I use this verse in prayer once in a while so I wonder what Jesus meant when He said it on the Mount.
I did a word study on salt and there are several different possibilities for the originally intended meaning of the salt metaphor:
- Exodus, Ezekiel, and Kings present salt as a purifying agent
- Leviticus, Numbers, and Chronicles present it as a sign of God’s covenant.
- The most important use of salt was as a preservative and hence the most common interpretation of the metaphor is as asserting the duty to preserve the purity of the world.
- In the Rabbinic literature of the period salt was a metaphor for wisdom.
- Salt was a minor but essential ingredient in fertilizer and so a few scholars such as Gundry believe that earth should be translated as soil (i.e. salt of the soil), and hence the metaphor asserts that the audience should help the world grow and prosper.
- One interpretation of salt of the earth is that it orders the audience to take part in the world rather than withdraw from it.
And as for light it’s amazing that it’s the ultimate source of colors and God reveal it on His covenant and promise; the rainbow (Genesis 9:8-16). Jesus wants us to bring colors to people’s life and not hide it but to illumine so that people will draw near and know the truth.
Luke 8:16
16“No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.
Am I what Jesus said I am the salt and light of the world? Have I lost my saltiness and become a candle in a jug? As the season of salvation is around the corner and year end is near, God I pray that You will make me salty and bright so that Your glory be reveal. Amen.
Salt – Preserve, purify, fertilize
Light - Illuminate, radiate and shine
