Salt and Light
The Sermon on the Mount
. Seeing the crowds, he (Jesus) went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
5 Seeing the crowds, he (Jesus) went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
5 Seeing the crowds, he (Jesus) went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
Then Jesus taught them, saying: Blessed are . . .
Blessed are . . .
Each of these has its corresponding blessing:
Then Jesus addresses his disciples specifically.
Then Jesus says some things to his disciples that require further examination to ascertain possible meanings.
You are the light of the world
You are the salt of the earth
You are the salt of the earth
You are the light of the world
What are we to make of these statements?
You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all 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 who is in heaven.
You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
μωρανθῇ is literally ‘is made or become foolish/mad/stupefied’. There is no documented use of the term in the sense clearly required here (‘become insipid/lose [its] saltiness’).
The various explanations offered for how ancient (impure) salt may have lost its saltiness are probably beside the point. The point is that it would be bizarre and unnatural for salt to lose its saltiness: if other foodstuffs are or become insipid, they can be salted into palatability, but this won’t work for the salt itself!
the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.” 20 He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the LORD, I have healed this water
And as for your birth, on the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in swaddling cloths.
Ezekiel described normal birth practices such as rubbing the newborn with salt, water, and oil, then wrapping the baby in cloth strips for seven days and repeating the process for forty days. This was supposed to enhance the child’s character and promote general health and well-being for newborn children.
custom, possibly with an apotropaic purpose,