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ur last study was about the eighth and last beatitude that Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.” (Matt. 5:10-11). The beatitude reminded us that Christians will suffer when they stand for truth, righteousness, and when they witness about Jesus. If we are not suffering, then we may not really desire to live a godly life (2 Tim. 3:12). The followers of Jesus are also to live in peace with others as much as they can since they are to be peacemakers too!
Every true follower of Jesus Christ since He walked this earth has wanted to be able to live “a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Tim. 2:2). No one wants to be physically persecuted or insulted. Yet, every follower of Jesus has a decision to make at some point in his/her life. Every follower of Jesus must ask himself/herself the following question, “Do I live a godly life, share my faith, and get insulted or physically persecuted or do I hide?” There are only two types of followers of Jesus - those who are secret followers of Jesus and those who display their faith.
You Are Salt. So it is not surprising that after talking about persecution and insults, Jesus’ next words were ones of encouragement not to hide.
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. (NASB) Matt. 5:13 Salt was common at the time of Jesus Christ. Those who were sitting there on the grassy hillside listening to Him would have been familiar with salt. Salt could be obtained from the Dead Sea. In those days it was used to add flavor to food (Job 6:6), preserve meat, and even help in the construction of buildings. For example, ancient writers tell us that the roof of the average citizen‘s home was first layered with tree limbs, which were covered with leaves, then dirt, and finally salt. The salt was used to make the roof harder and reduce erosion of the dirt on the roof from running off during rain. Newborn babies were bathed in and rubbed with it (Ezek. 16:4). Salt was also used in the sacrifices (Ezek. 43:24).
The salt of Jesus’ day was not pure sodium chloride as it is today, but was a mixture with other minerals. Consequently due to water and moisture, it could loose its flavor and quality because it was not pure sodium chloride. |
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| Life & Heart of Jesus | ||||||
