August 19, 2020
Matthew 5
Salt and Light vv. 13-16 – Part 1
You don’t have to be a scientist. All you do is “Google” the question. “Can salt lose its saltiness?” The answer is clear. “Sodium chloride is readily water-soluble, so if this crude salt were exposed to condensation or rain water, the sodium chloride could be dissolved and removed, and the salt could in effect lose its saltiness.” (askscientist.co.uk). I start with this because there has been debate by Bible commentators over the years as to the permanence of saltiness. Some say salt is salt and will always be salty, others say it can deteriorate. Jesus is vindicated on this count by the scientist. Salt can decay.
Salty salt, of course, both preserves and provides flavour. And, just as a little bit of light will dispel darkness, a little bit of salt will prevent food from rotting. Both are indispensable to sustainable life on earth.
Jesus looks his little band of blue-collar followers in the eye and says, “You are going to save the world from rottenness and darkness. And, you’re going to make life on earth worth living.” Preserve, enlighten, and flavour the world? Yes. THat’s what his disciples will do.
