1. The Life of Christ – Lesson 7
May 2, 2018
Matthew Chapters 5-7
Luke 6:20-49
The Life of Christ – Lesson 7
The Sermon on the Mount – Matthew 5:13-16
You are the salt of the earth … the light of the world.

2. Salt of the earth and lights of the world – Matthew 5:13-16
Jesus shifts the discussion from qualities we are to have to the impact or influence we are to have. How might we be tempted if we know that persecution and suffering await?
Acts 26:11; 8:3; 1 Timothy 1:13

3. Our influence …
Metaphors having to do with influence in contrast to the world around us.
Salt
Light – Ephesians 5:8
Leaven – Luke 13:21
Aroma – Philippians 4:18
God needs the influence of the blessed.
salt is emblematic of loyalty and friendship (see above). A person who has once joined in a "salt covenant" with God and then breaks it is fit only to be cast out (compare Mt 5:13; Mk 9:50).
COVENANT OF SALT [ISBE]
COVENANT OF SALT - solt (berith melach; halas, classical Greek hals): As salt was regarded as a necessary ingredient of the daily food, and so of all sacrifices offered to Yahweh (Lev 2:13), it became an easy step to the very close connection between salt and covenant-making. When men ate together they became friends. Compare the Arabic expression, "There is salt between us"; "He has eaten of my salt," which means partaking of hospitality which cemented friendship; compare "eat the salt of the palace" (Ezr 4:14). Covenants were generally confirmed by sacrificial meals and salt was always present. Since, too, salt is a preservative, it would easily become symbolic of an enduring covenant. So offerings to Yahweh were to be by a statute forever, "a covenant of salt for ever before Yahweh" (Nu 18:19). David received his kingdom forever from Yahweh by a "covenant of salt" (2 Ch 13:5). In the light of these conceptions the remark of our Lord becomes the more significant: "Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace one with another" (Mk 9:50).
COVENANT OF SALT
An Old Testament expression for a covenant, or agreement, that was supposed to be honored forever (Num 18:19). Salt apparently was used as a figure of speech for binding agreements because it was a basic part of the Hebrew diet and it was also used as a food preservative in the ancient world.
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Morgan describes its influence as “aseptic, that is, preventing the spread of corruption

4. You are the salt of the earth …
Matthew 5:13; “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.”
Mark 9:50; “Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
Luke 14:34-35, “Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned? 35 It is useless either for the soil or for the manure pile; it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
salt is emblematic of loyalty and friendship (see above). A person who has once joined in a "salt covenant" with God and then breaks it is fit only to be cast out (compare Mt 5:13; Mk 9:50).
COVENANT OF SALT [ISBE]
COVENANT OF SALT - solt (berith melach; halas, classical Greek hals): As salt was regarded as a necessary ingredient of the daily food, and so of all sacrifices offered to Yahweh (Lev 2:13), it became an easy step to the very close connection between salt and covenant-making. When men ate together they became friends. Compare the Arabic expression, "There is salt between us"; "He has eaten of my salt," which means partaking of hospitality which cemented friendship; compare "eat the salt of the palace" (Ezr 4:14). Covenants were generally confirmed by sacrificial meals and salt was always present. Since, too, salt is a preservative, it would easily become symbolic of an enduring covenant. So offerings to Yahweh were to be by a statute forever, "a covenant of salt for ever before Yahweh" (Nu 18:19). David received his kingdom forever from Yahweh by a "covenant of salt" (2 Ch 13:5). In the light of these conceptions the remark of our Lord becomes the more significant: "Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace one with another" (Mk 9:50).
COVENANT OF SALT
An Old Testament expression for a covenant, or agreement, that was supposed to be honored forever (Num 18:19). Salt apparently was used as a figure of speech for binding agreements because it was a basic part of the Hebrew diet and it was also used as a food preservative in the ancient world.
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Morgan describes its influence as “aseptic, that is, preventing the spread of corruption
“Good” – beautiful, but chiefly valuable or virtuous. Matthew 13:23

5. You are the salt of the earth …
What is the pronoun used by Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:13-14?
“You”!
Who is “you” referring to?
The poor in spirit, the mournful, the meek, the hungry, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemaker, the joyful persecuted.
An individual – a personal choice.
salt is emblematic of loyalty and friendship (see above). A person who has once joined in a "salt covenant" with God and then breaks it is fit only to be cast out (compare Mt 5:13; Mk 9:50).
COVENANT OF SALT [ISBE]
COVENANT OF SALT - solt (berith melach; halas, classical Greek hals): As salt was regarded as a necessary ingredient of the daily food, and so of all sacrifices offered to Yahweh (Lev 2:13), it became an easy step to the very close connection between salt and covenant-making. When men ate together they became friends. Compare the Arabic expression, "There is salt between us"; "He has eaten of my salt," which means partaking of hospitality which cemented friendship; compare "eat the salt of the palace" (Ezr 4:14). Covenants were generally confirmed by sacrificial meals and salt was always present. Since, too, salt is a preservative, it would easily become symbolic of an enduring covenant. So offerings to Yahweh were to be by a statute forever, "a covenant of salt for ever before Yahweh" (Nu 18:19). David received his kingdom forever from Yahweh by a "covenant of salt" (2 Ch 13:5). In the light of these conceptions the remark of our Lord becomes the more significant: "Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace one with another" (Mk 9:50).
COVENANT OF SALT
An Old Testament expression for a covenant, or agreement, that was supposed to be honored forever (Num 18:19). Salt apparently was used as a figure of speech for binding agreements because it was a basic part of the Hebrew diet and it was also used as a food preservative in the ancient world.
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Morgan describes its influence as “aseptic, that is, preventing the spread of corruption
“Good” – beautiful, but chiefly valuable or virtuous. Matthew 13:23

6. You are the salt of the earth …
Not possessing salt but being salt. (“You are the salt of the earth …”) Not just wearing the name but having the impact.
The Christian belongs to the world as its preservative and savoring agent. To fail to serve this function is to reject the purpose and nature of a citizen of the kingdom.
We’re to be useful not useless. 2 Timothy 2:21; Matthew 25:30
He writes, “Jesus surely did not allude to pure sodium chloride, which is a chemically stable compound, but rather to one of the complex salts of Palestine, which can lose savor through physical disintegration or through mixture with gypsum” (44).

7. You are the salt of the earth …
Characteristics of salt:
Preservation – Genesis 18:22ff
Flavor – palatability. 2 Corinthians 2:14- 16; Job 6:6
Symbols of faithfulness and fidelity in a covenant relationship. 2 Chronicles 13:5 (Covenant of salt); Leviticus 2:13; Numbers 18:19; Ezra 4:14
Valuable -
salt is emblematic of loyalty and friendship (see above). A person who has once joined in a "salt covenant" with God and then breaks it is fit only to be cast out (compare Mt 5:13; Mk 9:50).
COVENANT OF SALT [ISBE]
COVENANT OF SALT - solt (berith melach; halas, classical Greek hals): As salt was regarded as a necessary ingredient of the daily food, and so of all sacrifices offered to Yahweh (Lev 2:13), it became an easy step to the very close connection between salt and covenant-making. When men ate together they became friends. Compare the Arabic expression, "There is salt between us"; "He has eaten of my salt," which means partaking of hospitality which cemented friendship; compare "eat the salt of the palace" (Ezr 4:14). Covenants were generally confirmed by sacrificial meals and salt was always present. Since, too, salt is a preservative, it would easily become symbolic of an enduring covenant. So offerings to Yahweh were to be by a statute forever, "a covenant of salt for ever before Yahweh" (Nu 18:19). David received his kingdom forever from Yahweh by a "covenant of salt" (2 Ch 13:5). In the light of these conceptions the remark of our Lord becomes the more significant: "Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace one with another" (Mk 9:50).
COVENANT OF SALT
An Old Testament expression for a covenant, or agreement, that was supposed to be honored forever (Num 18:19). Salt apparently was used as a figure of speech for binding agreements because it was a basic part of the Hebrew diet and it was also used as a food preservative in the ancient world.
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Morgan describes its influence as “aseptic, that is, preventing the spread of corruption
The aspect of salt becoming tasteless represents therefore the breaking of a covenant.

8. You are the salt of the earth …
If found tasteless or unsalty …
“Thrown out …” “To throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls.” (Thayer)
“Trampled under foot …” To reject with disdain. (Strong) See Hebrews 10:29
“Useless … for the soil or for the manure pile …”

9. The light of the world
Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
Mark 4:21-22, “And He was saying to them, ‘A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand? 22 For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light.’”

10. The light of the world
Luke 8:16-18, “Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light. 17 For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.”

11. The light of the world
Luke 11:33-36, “No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. 34 The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness. 36 If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays.”

12. Lights in this world .
John 1:4-9 – Jesus is the light of the world. John 8:12; 9:5; 12:46; Psalms 27:1
John 3:19-21 – the relationship of light in the world.