BELIEVERS ARE SALT AND LIGHT
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
OUTLINE
Verse 13
“salt”
What is it?
not pure sodium chloride but collected around the dead sea mixed with other minerals. The salt content could probably be washed out.
flavor
col 4:6
preservation
help prevent the world’s corruption
everlasting covenant
numbers 18:19
the gospel is everlasting
a little goes a long way like leavening
Mat 13:33
required in all the OT sacrifices
Lev 2:13
Ez 43:24 (used in Ezekiel’s mystical temple)
Now that Christ’s disciples learned the doctrine of the Gospel they are to teach it to others. These disciples are like salt. We are to be like salt as Christ’s disciples as well.
Mark 9:50
Salt must be spread far and wide not remain in a heap in Jerusalem. Hence, salt of the earth = whole world.
“salt lose its saltiness”
“If you, who should season others, are yourselves unsavoury, void of spiritual life, relish, and vigour; if a Christian be so, especially if a minister be so, his condition is very sad” - M.H.
The verb for “become tasteless” more literally means “become foolish”. Disciples who have lost their distinctiveness and no longer have anything to contribute to society. Let’s think about that for a few moments and then discuss. What are some ways Christians can lose their saltiness?
“trampled underfoot”
thrown into the street as refuse – not made into a useful walking path or used to melt ice (which wouldn’t work with unsalty salt and the climate was too warm for icy roads anyway).
