Sometimes the most common items are of the greatest value and contain the most important lessons. One of the traits that made Jesus the greatest teacher was His ability to use the common items and turn them into powerful visual lessons. When Jesus finished giving the beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12 which describe the character of His people, He immediately turned His attention to the influence that His people should manifest in the world because of their character. He used two of the most common and necessary items in life to convey His message – Salt and Light.
“During the grim winter of Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow, salt starvation decimated his troops, lowing resistance to disease. Epidemic spread. Wounds that might otherwise have healed became fatal. Thousands died” (National Geographic, September 1977, p. 384). Salt is valuable in many areas of our life. It’s no wonder that Jesus told His people, “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). When the Jews heard the word “salt” several key thoughts about salt came to their mind which should also come to our mind when we think about being the salt of the earth.
Salt Declares One’s Loyalty.
Often in biblical times, when a covenant was made between individuals, it was sealed by each eating salt. It was called a “covenant of salt.” Three times in the Old Testament the phrase “covenant of salt” is used (Leviticus 2:13; Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5). It is interesting that Abijah said to Jeroboam, “The Lord God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt?” (2 Chronicles 13:5). At lease symbolically, God and David entered a covenant of salt which declared God’s loyalty to David that his descendants would rule His people. Christ, as a descendant of David, is still ruling over God’s people.
When one is baptized into Christ (Romans 6:3-4), he enters a covenant with God. When Jesus said we are “the salt of the earth” it ought to remind us that we have entered a covenant with God. It is a serious covenant and God expects us to uphold our part of that covenant. Our declaration of loyalty was declared when we confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord. “Lord” means we accept Him as the master of our life. In any “master-slave” relationship, whatever the master required, the slave had to obey. That is true in this spiritual covenant we have entered with Christ. How seriously do we look at all that Christ commands? Because we are the “salt of the earth” we need to be reminded that we are to be loyal to Christ, no matter what the cost is.
Salt Reminds One of Sacrifice.
In all ancient cultures, salt was valuable and often thought of in connection with the heathen “gods.” Homer spoke of salt as “divine.” Plato hailed it as “a substance dear to the gods.” Also, in the Old Testament, salt was offered with all sacrifices offered to the one true God. “Every grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking from your grain offerings; with all your offerings you shall offer salt” (Leviticus 2:13). When we think of ourselves as “the salt of the earth” we are reminded of the sacrifice that Christ made for us and that our body is to be a sacrifice to God. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1-KJV).
Salt Is Essential to Life.
When babies were born, they were bathed in water and rubbed with salt (Ezekiel 16:4). This served as an antiseptic to prevent disease. Without salt in our physical bodies, one is prone to convulsion, paralysis and even death. We are “the salt of the earth” to rub on the world around us to prevent the spiritual disease of sin. We are all familiar with the idea of preserving meat by rubbing it with salt. We need to do what we can to preserve those around us. Our salt can lead to the preservation of the souls around us.
Of course, we all know that salt adds flavor to our food. It is interesting that Job said, “Can something tasteless be eaten without salt? (Job 6:6). Paul urges, “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, that you will know how you should respond to each person” (Colossians 4:6). In another book Paul continued this thought, even though he did not use the word “salt.” “Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another…Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:25, 29).
Salt, the Christian Value
We have heard the expression, “He is worth his salt.” That saying came about when laborers were paid in salt. In fact, our word “salary” comes from the Latin salarium which root comes from “salt.” At times when salt was scarce, an ounce of salt would purchase an ounce of gold (William Barclay, Commentary on Matthew). That is how valuable Christians are to this world. Let’s live to show that we are as valuable as gold and that people can say of us, “He/she is worth his salt. Jesus truly expects us to be the “salt of the earth.” The world needs salt’s saving power.
— Wayne Burger