Two verses, three
statements,… and the common denominator is “salt.” Other than that it’s wide open
for interpretation. In the opinion of many theologians, these quotes weren’t
necessarily said by Jesus at this precise moment in the Gospel of Mark.
Regardless, let’s move forward – one, two three – and delve into “salt.”
“For everyone will be salted with fire.”
“According to the Jewish
law every sacrifice must be salted with salt before it was offered to God on
the altar. That sacrificial salt was called the
salt of the covenant.” [i] This ties into three Old
Testament verses: Leviticus 2:13;
Numbers 18:19;
2 Chronicles 13:5.
“Observant Jews sprinkle
salt on bread before reciting the b’rakhah
[blessing] over it. This follows from the rabbinic equating of the home dining
table with the Temple altar.” [ii] This blessing is “Barukh attah, Adonai Eloheynu
Melekh-ha’olam, haMotzi lechem min ha’aretz” (“Praised be you, Adonai our God,
King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.”) [iii]
So how is this verse “salted
with fire” relatable for us today? Fire is the salt in order for our lives to
be acceptable to God. …Come again?
Think of it this way. Gold,
which is a precious metal, is purified by fire. The process includes plunging
it into the heart of a fire until it no longer resembles what it once looked
like. Its final shape will be formed by the goldsmith.
What we go through in our
lives each day strengthens us, and in a way, sends us through the fire – to
ultimately purify us. We are not the same as we were after going through the
fire.
Another way to look at
this is… fire destroys. Consider the forest which has been decimated by fire.
It has undergone hardship as the fire consumes everything in its path.
Nevertheless, the power of fire actually leads to regrowth. “The heat from
burning trees pops open the cones on those trees, releasing seeds that have
been waiting to get loose for years. Millions of those seeds are dumped on the
forest floor,… they germinate, pop through the soil and start growing into
little seedlings.” [iv]
Each of us will face
varying levels of trials and persecution. As Patrick * said, “Everyone will be
tempted; we’ll all go through the fire; we’ll each be tested.” Through the
experience of “fire,” we place ourselves before God as an offering, a
sacrifice. By doing so, being salted with fire, we are purified and experience
new growth.
“Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how
can you season it?”
Salt is flavorful and adds
to the enjoyment of food. It’s also a preservative. “Salt was an essential item
in first-century Palestine in a hot climate, without refrigeration; salt was
the practical means of preserving food.” [v]
As a child, I remember my
grandfather rubbing a mixture of salt and other ingredients over meat. The
process was called “dry curing” – a means of preserving. He would then hang the
meat in the smoke house behind his home. But if the meat had not been “dry cured”
with the mixture of salt, it would’ve been corrupted.
The world, in which Jesus
and his followers spread the Good News, was corrupt. As then as now, the
world needs this “salt” which is good; yet, if the follower of Christ has lost
their flavor, what will the world be seasoned with? Something to reflect upon.
“Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one
another.”
“The ancients declared
that there was nothing in the world purer than salt because it came from the
two purest things, the sun and the sea. The very glistening whiteness of salt
was a picture of purity.” [vi]
Let us be purified by the
light and Spirit of Christ. Let us be purified from that which disconnects and
separates us from God. Let us be refreshed by the clear, clean water as we are
reshaped. Let us salt the earth with the love of Christ and the message of the
Good News.
By having salt in
ourselves, let us live with one another in peace. As Leah * said to the study
group, “We’re all in this together.”
NEXT
A sticky-wicket called
“Divorce”
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