Lexical Summary hals: Salt Original Word: ἅλς Strong's Exhaustive Concordance salt. A primary word; "salt" -- salt. HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 251 háls – the sea; a salt-water body. See 217 (halas). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originvariant reading for halas, q.v. Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 251: ἅλςἅλς, ἁλός, ὁ, see ἅλας. Topical Lexicon Definition and Biblical Scope “Salt” (Greek dative singular ἁλί, occurring once in Mark 9:49) represents the wider noun family for salt that appears frequently across Scripture. The single New Testament occurrence of this particular form still invites reflection on the rich Old Testament background and Christ’s teaching in the Gospels and Epistles. Old Testament Background Salt was plentiful around the Dead Sea and in the salt pans of the Judean wilderness. It served four primary roles: seasoning (Job 6:6), preservation (Numbers 18:19), ritual sacrifice (Leviticus 2:13), and covenant symbolism (“a covenant of salt,” 2 Chronicles 13:5). Its durability and purifying properties made it a fitting emblem of permanence, purity, and loyalty. Covenantal and Sacrificial Significance Leviticus 2:13 commands that every grain offering be seasoned: “You are to season each of your grain offerings with salt; you must not omit from your grain offering the salt of the covenant of your God.” Salt thus sealed the worshiper’s fellowship with the LORD. By calling it “the salt of the covenant,” Scripture links salt with God’s unchanging faithfulness. Salt in Daily Life of the Ancient Near East In antiquity salt was so valuable it could be traded as currency. Its preservative capacity gave life to perishables, a vivid picture of moral restraint against decay. The barren “Salt Sea” (Dead Sea) juxtaposed death and judgment (Genesis 19:26) against salt’s life-preserving uses, underscoring the choice between obedience and corruption. New Testament Usage Beyond Mark 9:49 While ἁλί occurs only in Mark 9:49, cognate forms are common: Mark 9:49 in Context “For everyone will be salted with fire.” (Mark 9:49) Here Jesus combines salt with fire—two purifying agents—in a discourse on radical discipleship. The saying follows warnings about causes of stumbling (Mark 9:42–48). The imagery suggests: 1. Purification of the believer through trials (“fire”) that season life with holiness (“salt”). Salt, Fire, and Discipleship By uniting salt and fire, Jesus applies sacrificial language to His followers. Believers themselves become living sacrifices (Romans 12:1), flavored by obedient endurance. The parallel call in Mark 9:50—“Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another”—links purity with communal harmony. Moral Flavor and Preservation Jesus’ question, “If the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you season it?” warns of disciples losing distinctiveness. As salt restrains decay, Christians are called to hinder moral corruption in culture (Philippians 2:15) and in personal conduct (Ephesians 5:3–4). Speech Seasoned with Salt Paul instructs, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6). Salted speech is winsome, truthful, and preservative, guarding against both corruption and insipidness. Warnings Against Tastelessness Luke 14:35 pictures salt that “is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile.” Ineffective discipleship not only fails to advance the kingdom; it invites judgment (Hebrews 10:29). Salt that keeps its savor models persevering fidelity. Historical Interpretation Early church fathers saw in salt both baptismal purification and martyrdom’s refining fire. Medieval commentators emphasized its covenantal permanence. Reformers underlined its preservative analogy to gospel proclamation that checks societal decay. Practical Ministry Implications • Teaching: Use salt imagery to illustrate sanctification—God’s work is both preservative and purifying. Summary Though ἁλί appears only once, the theology of salt permeates Scripture—signifying covenant fidelity, purity, preservation, and seasoned witness. Mark 9:49 gathers these threads into a call for disciples who accept refining fire, retain spiritual savor, and live as enduring testimonies to the grace and truth of Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations άλας αλι αλί άλι ἀλὶ αλός άλσει άλσεσι άλσεων άλση άλσος άλσους αλσώδει αλσώδεις αλσώδη αλσώδους αλσών αλών ali alìLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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