The Words of a King: Part 3 - Salt and Light

Matthew 5:13-16

Salt and Light

13 “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.

14 “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.

Jesus uses two metaphors: light and salt to describe the purposes of believers on earth. The characteristics of light are relatively easy to understand. In addition, the commentary He gave regarding light illuminates His meaning, because light and darkness are common themes in scripture and God’s Kingdom, but the commentary on the salt only referenced it losing its flavor and because of that losing its earthly purpose. I’m not trying to overdo this but does salt actually have flavor? So what is the meaning of the word for taste/savor in reference to salt?

μωραίνω mōrainō; from 3474; to become insipid; figuratively, to make (passively a simpleton): — become fool, make foolish, lose savour.

Insipidus

insipid- dilute, tasteless, bland weak, unappetizing, unpalatable, wishy washy.

Mark 9:49-50

49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

This verse is used to conclude a teaching where His disciples are being corrected after engaging in selfishness and jealousy. We know that Jesus said that the world will know that we are His disciples by the love that we have for one another (JN 13:35). Jealousy and selfish ambition are the opposite traits of Jesus’ nature. If He is the true light and the true salt and His glory has been given to us in order that we carry His hope to the world, if we don’t reflect Him, we don’t preserve God’s truth on earth.

He said, “everyone will be salted with fire” fire in some sense fire will touch everyone. [fiery trial 1 Peter 4:12; trial of your faith 1 Peter 1:7]. God’s covenant purposes for humanity will endure. He will see His work to completion. Salt and fire is the talk of refining and enduring. What remains will be purified. People who refuse the will of God will be salted by fire their own way and the people of God will be salted by fire another way, so that what is Christ will remain…be preserved and endure.

Salt as a preservative represents God’s enduring purposes.

The Old Testament sacrifices were seasoned with salt (Lev. 2:13; Ezek. 43:24; Num. 18:19 Aaron’s priesthood; [2 Chr. 13:5 David’s throne] ). Disciples, living sacrifices…the purpose of our presence is to be a reflection and reminder of Him. (cf. Rom. 12:1)

Genesis 18:19

For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”

Galatians 3:16

Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.

1. Preservation

During ancient times, salt was used to cure or preserve meat. I do believe that one of the intended purposes of God’s people both Israel in a) OT (Deuteronomy nations 4:5-9; children 6:1-9; themselves 8:1-3) and the b) church since Pentecost has been to preserve His presence, His character and His plan in a lost and dying world. When God’s people follow Him and live for Him, they are the flavor of God and a constant reminder of His existence and reality. In this way, they preserve the things of God.

2. Distinction

This actually brings me to another aspect of salt, while it doesn’t really have its own flavor, it’s addition to food causes a distinction between the various flavors that are in the pot. Adding salt will help your tastebuds identify garlic and cumin, cilantro and onion. God’s people existing on earth according to His will (based on the instruction of His word) will distinguish between lies and truth who is the one true God, and it will distinguish between true believers and false believers. Listen, we are nearing the end and Satan is only going to become more angry, knowing his time is short. It’s already happening, but let’s understand that God’s plan for the church is distinction and Satan’s plan for true believers is extinction. Understand what I am saying… Satan will not just tolerate false Christianity, he will endorse and bless it, but he will do his best to destroy the real thing, and his first order of action is destroying you. His desire is to tear apart the church one lively stone at a time (1 Peter 2:5).

3. Defection

The last thing that I want to say about salt is that the Greek word μωραίνω mōrainō is used in…Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

God’s intended purpose for humanity as a reflection of His glory and image became— moraino. Through the fall that reflected image became perverted and left to itself, the image that was created inwardly began to pervert the image outwardly as it began to create the image outwardly after its own likeness… Romans 1:23

And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Light

14 “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.

A city on a hill

A light in a house

Travel through Israel was dangerous in ancient times. The topography alone made the task difficult rocky hills and valleys made for a slow and grueling journey. In addition, there were oftentimes bandits hidden within the rocky crags along the way. Travel at night would be even more difficult, and a city on a hill would be a welcome site, a beacon in the night, signaling a couple things:

1. You are nearing your destination—celestial city

2. And most importantly, you’re headed in the right direction

In addition, a light’s purpose is not to be obscured. You do not light a candle and hide its illumination, which would be unfruitful. Light in a house that would otherwise be dark allows the people that are in there to see what they are doing, to see where they are going, to see what needs to be accomplished, without light, the work that must be done cannot be completed.

Christians are the light of the world, and it requires light to find lost things: Luke 19:10

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Luke 15:8-10 ESV

The Parable of the Lost Coin

8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Matt 5:16 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.

The plan of God is that He would send His light to earth in the form of His Son

John 1:1-9 ESV

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

Through the cross:

Colossians 1:12-14

12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Through the cross, peace is made between man and God, God’s Spirit comes to live in man, and now, the light that has come into the world (Jesus) through faith, has come into man. And now true believer’s have become the light of the world, and as they allow the true works of God to flow through them, The Father is glorified, just as He was glorified in the Son

I give them the glory

John 17:1-5

The High Priestly Prayer

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

John 17:22-23

22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

John 1:12

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

I wanted to come back to John and use the KJV because the word sons is used instead of children. The point that is being made is that God sent His glory from heaven to earth in His Son. His son, who is the express image of His glory, which directly correlates with light.

Jesus is the light that  came into darkness, and through salvation, the glory and light of God is transferred into us, the “sons” of God, and we become the physical vessel in the earthly realm that releases the glory of God in earth, which allows those that are lost to see their lostness and allows the light to shine into their darkness, so that they can be found and heaven can rejoice.

“Hell lost another one and I am free, I am free!”