What connections exist between Leviticus 2:13 and Matthew 5:13 about being "salt"? Scripture Foundations • “You are to season every grain offering with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God will not be missing from your grain offering; you are to add salt to all your offerings.” (Leviticus 2:13) • “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, with what will it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” (Matthew 5:13) What Salt Meant at the Altar • Preservation – Salt kept meat and grain from decay, picturing God’s ongoing, unchanging covenant (Numbers 18:19). • Purity – Its crystalline whiteness mirrored the holiness God required (Leviticus 19:2). • Flavor – Offerings were not bland; worship was meant to delight the Lord (Psalm 34:8). • Permanence – “Salt of the covenant” expressed an everlasting, binding agreement (2 Chron 13:5). What Salt Means on the Mount • Identity – Jesus defines His followers not merely as possessing salt but being salt. • Influence – Disciples restrain moral decay and bring godly flavor to society (Colossians 4:6). • Integrity – “Losing savor” warns against compromise and hypocrisy (Mark 9:50). • Witness – A tasteless disciple misrepresents the covenant God (Philippians 2:15). Key Connections between the Two Passages • Covenant Continuity – Levitical salt sealed Israel’s covenant; believers in Christ embody that same covenant faithfulness on earth. • Preserving Presence – As salt preserved offerings, Christians preserve truth and righteousness in a decaying world (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7). • Holiness and Purity – Both texts call God’s people to moral purity that sets them apart (1 Peter 1:15-16). • Divine Pleasure – Seasoned offerings pleased God; seasoned lives bring Him glory (Romans 12:1-2). • Warning against Uselessness – Unseasoned grain or savor-less disciples are both rejected, underscoring accountability (Hebrews 10:28-29). Living Out Our Salt Calling • Guard your savor through daily repentance and obedience (1 John 1:9). • Speak words that preserve and build up, not corrupt (Ephesians 4:29). • Stand against moral decay, even when costly (Matthew 16:24-25). • Add kingdom “flavor” by displaying joy, mercy, and truth (Galatians 5:22-23). • Remember the covenant: God’s unchanging faithfulness empowers our steadfast witness (Lamentations 3:22-23). |
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