The
salt verse follows the Beatitudes, Matthew 5:3-12, which can seem so overwhelming
in their nine-fold blessings. The salt statement can be overlooked. However,
the two themes together create an even more powerful statement. Each beatitude
is a blessing for the Christian believer to understand, climaxing with persecution,
the way of the cross. The vitality of the sincere believer, blessed by Jesus
Christ, in verse 13 is expressed by salt in verse 13, a tiny amount of mineral
in comparison with most other elements of Creation but essential in life. In
the Old Testament, salt was used for preserving food, for seasoning, and for
healing wounds. A salt covenant could not be broken.
When
people drift away from the Faith, especially clergy and teachers, they become
consumed by the cares and riches of this life. They often pursue the luxuries and
honors of this life, losing their vitality and turning the Gospel into a
convenience. The energy of the Word of God is set aside and becomes a burden
enhancing apostasy. Salt becomes a form without its essence, just as a lukewarm
faith becomes a show without real meaning.
The Mark 9:50 salt verse urges followers to remain on the Way of the Cross and display the forgiveness – peace – that comes from faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
