49 Everyone will be salted with fire. 50 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”
Horsham: 7th January 2025
William Barclay describes these verses as ‘amongst the most difficult in the New Testament.’ He and other theologians point out that there are actually three sentences, each of which stands alone as a different saying. It’s likely that they were comments made by Jesus to the disciples at different times in his teaching. They are almost certainly unconnected with each other, except by one word. Salt.
Everyone will be salted with Fire
The Levitical Law required that before burning, every grain offering had to be seasoned with oil and salt. (Leviticus 2:13)
‘It was the addition of salt which made the sacrifice acceptable to God, and which his covenant law laid down was necessary. This saying of Jesus will then mean, ‘Before a Christian life becomes acceptable to God, it must be ‘
(Wm Barclay, New Daily Study Bible, Gospel of Mark, Kindle Edition, Loc 4738)
Salt was (and still is) widely used as a preservative. Fire, on the other hand whilst fire is symbolic of purification. The combination of salt and fire would bring to mind ‘sacrifice’ amongst Christ’s contemporaries.
Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness…
We use it less than in times past, but salt is still used to enhance the taste of some foods. Followers of Jesus are called to be ‘salt of the world’. Salt which has lost its flavour is utterly useless – fit for nothing except trampling underfoot (Matthew 5:13). Flavourless salt simply makes no difference to the food, and similarly Christian’s who have lost or set aside their distinctive calling bring no flavour to their community or the world. The presence of Christian people should enhance our society and culture, but take away the celebration of the Holy Spirit, the very presence of God, from the Christian and they become as useless in the Kingdom as flavorless salt in the kitchen.
Have salt among yourselves..
In ancient literature, salt is sometimes associated with purity. Christ probably means live in purity with each other. Seek good, right and supportive relationships with each other. This was not always the way of his contemporaries, and was certainly not the norm of the Roman world. Only by living selfless lives which aim to be worthy of Christ can we truly live in peace together.
The end piece
Salt and fire are symbolic of so many things. They are symbolic of sacrifice – an act of devotion to God. Salt is a valuable preservative. Salt and fire purify everything they touch. And of course salt adds flavour to anything it is applied to. In context, the original hearers may have seen other associations which we miss.
These sentences seem rather enigmatic, but these adjectives describe qualities which the Christian associates with the power of God, and the presence of Christ in our lives. The wonderful presence of His Spirit within us makes us acceptable to God, and allows us to live peaceable lives with our co-workers in the Kingdom and with our neighbours. He alone can preserve us when faced with destructive opposition. Turn away from the presence of God, lose your passion for the Spirit, and you will become as useless as wet salt.