THE BIBLE AND THE RELIGIOUS USES AND SYMBOLISM OF SALT

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)

NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies); ND/HD (Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939 E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com

THE BIBLE AND THE RELIGIOUS USES

 AND SYMBOLISM OF SALT

Presented by: Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

Devotional Text: Lev. 2:13; 2kgs 2:18-22; Matt. 5:13

INTRODUCTION:

             Salt, is a mineral consisting primarily of Sodium Chloride, a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts... Salt has long been used for flavouring and preserving food. It has also been used in tanning, dyeing and bleaching, and the production of pottery, soap and chlorine. Today, salt is widely used in the chemical industry. Salt, equally, has various religious uses and symbolism, which this lesson is poised to x-ray. For instance, in the Old Testament, salt is used as part of the items of grain offering {Lev. 2:13} and animal sacrifice {Ezek. 43:24}. Whereas, in the New Testament, it is used to symbolise character {Matt. 5:13} and conduct {Col. 4:6}. In the words of Wycliffe, believers are a restraint upon the world of corruption, since unbelievers are often kept from evil deeds because of the moral consciousness traceable to Christian influence, as JESUS CHRIST our LORD and BLESSED SAVIOUR describes the believer as the salt of the earth, {Matt. 5:13}

GENERAL REMARKS

(1)       In the Old Testament, salt is used in the Levitical offering {Lev. 2:13} and sacrifice {Ezek. 43:24}

(2)       In the Old Testament, also, salt is used in the rite of covenant, {Num. 13:19}

(3)       In the New Testament, salt is used to symbolise godly character, {Matt. 5:13}

(4)       In the New Testament, as well, salt represents holy conduct, {col. 4:6}

RELIGIOUS USES OF SALT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

The religious uses of salt in the Old Testament were directed towards the ceremonial law in that era, as the LORD spoke to them in the expression, “Every oblation of your meat offering shall be seasoned with salt. Neither shall you allow the salt of the covenant of your GOD to be lacking from your meat offering: with all your offering, you shall offer salt,” {Lev. 2:13}. The cited Scripture obviously indicates two uses of salt at that time, namely; for seasoning of offering and for covenant rite, thus, the era had the established fact of “covenant of salt,” as narrated in the expression, “all the heave offerings of the holy things; which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD; have I given you, and your sons and your daughters, with you, by a statute forever: it is a covenant of salt forever before the LORD to you, and to your seed with you,” {Num. 18:19}

Another outstanding religious use of salt in the Old Testament was for the healing of water and barren land, which narrates that, ... the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, we pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seethe; but the water is not and the ground barren, and he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt in it. And they brought it to him. And he went to the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in it, and said, thus said the LORD, I have healed these waters, there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. So, the waters were healed till this day, according to the word of Elisha,” {2 Kings 2:19-22}. In summary, therefore, in the Old Testament religious era, salt was used for:

(i)                    Seasoning of offerings and sealing of covenants, {Lev. 2:13; 2 Chr. 13:5}

(ii)                  Healing of water and barren land, {2 Kings 2:19-22}

(iii)                 Show of victory over a conquered land, {Judges 9:45}.

And, note that the Old Testament religious uses of salt is not transferable to the New Testament era, as every ceremonial

Law of Moses had been abolished, since the day JESUS CHRIST our LORD and BLESSED SAVIOUR was sacrificed on the Cross of Calvary, for

the remission of the sins of mankind, {Heb. 10:1-10}

SYMBOLISM OF SALT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

        In the New Testament, salt is used to symbolise character, and never for religious ceremonial purposes. This, JESUS CHRIST our LORD and BLESSED SAVIOUR shows when HE says, “you are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its taste; how shall it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under the foot of men,” {Matt. 5:13}. Here, our BLESSED LORD figuratively pictures the godly character which those who claim to be religious should demonstrate, citing that, it would be meaningless if those who profess to be godly, to be found the opposite of what they confess. Similarly, the Apostle Paul highlights on the quality of good conduct that should characterise the speech of one whose life is seasoned with salt, as he says, “Let your speech be always with grace; seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man,” {Col. 4:6}. Furthermore, the cited Scripture is a text, from which one can equally deduce that the grace of good behaviour is always by DIVINE seasoning of one’s life, with the “gracious salt” of the HOLY SPIRIT, thus, salt, also can symbolise the Grace of GOD, which empowers the believer for good character {Matt. 5:13} and conduct, {Col. 4:6}. Therefore, in the New Testament, there is:

(i)        No place for the ceremonial use of salt, but points to the believer as the salt that should characterise good moral behaviour, {Matt. 5:13}

(ii)      Never a place in the same testament, where the apostles were asked to use salt for prayer or for other religious purposes,

but were enjoined to be of godly conduct, as the salt of the earth, which they symbolise, {vs 13}

(iii)     The call to manifest good conduct in the speech of the believer, as enforced by the Grace of GOD, {Col. 4:6}

THE BELIEVER AS THE SALT OF THE EARTH

The “believers,” who were first branded “Christians” at Antioch {Acts. 11:20} demonstrate the saltiness that Christians should characterise on earth. Believers in CHRIST, in ideal situation, are the moral conscience of society, and so, should manifest the real taste of godly life, in family, church, community, business, civil and public life. In family, they should be godly models, to children, wives, husbands and parents. In the church, they should be examples of believers. In community, they should be the epistle people read and cite as models to copy. In business, they should be symbols of contentment, devoid of every form of greed. In civil and public life, they should be worthy people of trust.

Without mincing words, the foregoing, form part of the grand design of our LORD and BLESSED SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, when HE says, “you are the salt of the earth” {Matt. 5:13A}, And, the fact of lack of biblical family life, moral decadence among church members, careless lifestyle in communities, dishonesty in business, embezzlement in civil and public services, which Christians are today involved, equally confirms the foresightedness of the LORD, as HE concludes by saying, ...“but if the salt have lost its taste, where then shall it be salted? – it is then good for nothing; but to be cast out for men to march on it,” {vs. 13B-C}. This, therefore, is a call to sober reflection, for the believer, to ascertain, if he is yet salty or saltless, as the lesson, finally asserts that the:

(i)                    Believers as the salt of the earth is the moral influence of society, for godly life, {Matt. 5:13}

(ii)                  Failure of moral uprightness in the life of the believer shows that the lost of saltiness is in place, {vs. 13}

In conclusion, this lesson is a clarification of the biblical truth that, the ceremonial religious use of salt in the Old Testament, is not the order in both the New Testament era, and in the present day Christianity, but that Christians should always reflect godly character and conduct, as the salt of the earth. PLEASE, PRAY FOR THE GRACE OF GOD!