Lesson 2. You Are the Salt of the Earth. The “Foundations of the Teachings of Christ” School. A series of foundational teachings that Jesus Christ taught His disciples on the mountain.
Matthew 5:13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
- Earth is a figurative expression, and it is clear that this does not refer to soil. The Greek word for earth [gē, gen] also means – humanity, people. Clearly, Jesus was not telling us that we are meant to be salt for the soil, but that we are meant to be salt for the people of the earth.
- Salt was widely used in ancient times to prevent decay and preserve food. Jesus said directly – You are the people who preserve humanity from decay. I have appointed you to be “salt.”
This is one reason why the Lord did not take us to heaven immediately after our repentance. When Jesus said, “You are salt,” – He was speaking about our mission on earth. This is not a matter of our choice – it is a matter of God’s purpose for us.
Matthew 5:13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
- Trampled underfoot – to trample, tread underfoot. Among the Jews in synagogues, there was a custom: if a Jew became an apostate and later returned to his faith, then, in order to be readmitted to the synagogue, he had to lie across the synagogue doorway in repentance so that people entering the synagogue would trample him underfoot.
In some places, the Christian Church adopted this custom, and a Christian who had once been excommunicated had to lie at the church doors before being readmitted and say: “Trample me, because I am – salt that has lost its flavor” (Barclay).
Our mission is to have the same influence on society that salt has on food. Wherever we live, work, and minister, we must preserve what is decaying. We must not remain silent or inactive.
Do you know why the world hates us? The world hates Christians because we are His salt. We do not let the world live in peace. While they sin and decay undisturbed, we suddenly appear—Christians—and speak the truth.
The people of this world are dissatisfied. They are angry that we interfere in their lives. They are unhappy that we disturb their peace and comfort zone. They do not want to hear anything. But salt has the power to bring change. God’s truth – is the only remedy for the decay and corruption of the world. God loves all people and does not want them to perish.
We must not forget our mission; we need to always remember who we are. We are – the salt of the earth. Salt is not better than other foods, but it has its own purpose. A Christian should be a purifying element in society and preserve it from corruption.
End of lesson.
Source: Father’s Blessing Church
Teacher: Dmitriy Leo
