Text: Matthew 5:13-20
I read this text several times before I caught the last sentence. I noticed it before but wrote it off as another example of the Matthean community who wrote this gospel trying to get in another jab at their nemesis, the Jewish religious leaders. But then a friend pointed out to me that the last sentence – which mentions the scribes and Pharisees – is a key to unlocking the meaning of the text. You see, Jesus is encouraging his followers to be the salt of the earth, unlike the scribes and Pharisees who are just plain soup. There is more soup than salt in this world. In fact, without the soup in this example the salt would have no purpose. So we need the soup, the big majority of the people of the people in the world. But we need to be the salt to the soup. For without salt soup can be just plain dull. I don't like bland soup. I like spicy soup. A pinch of salt makes the soup.
Salt has a distinguished history in the life of the Jewish community. The Jewish Talmud says: "The world can exist without pepper but not without salt." (Jerusalem Talmud, Hor. 48c)Because of its preservative qualities, salt was attributed magical powers, affording protection against evil spirits and invoking hope for permanence and blessing: Newborns babies were rubbed with salt, and new homeowners were given the gift of bread with salt. Salt is also used in koshering meat, as it draws out the blood which is forbidden for consumption according to Jewish law. (Jewish Heritage Online Magazine: http://www.jhom.com/topics/topics/salt/editor.htm) So when Jesus says, "You are the salt of the earth" he is drawing on an ancient, sumptuous metaphor in his culture.
Bible and comparative religion scholar Theodor Gaster writes that the salting of newborn babies was common practice among Jews (TB Shabbat 129b), early Christians and Greeks in the early centuries of the Common Era: In later centuries, this practice appears among other peoples as well: "The Arabs protect their children by placing salt in their hands on the eve of the seventh day after birth; the following morning the midwife or some other woman strews it about the house, crying, 'Salt in every envious eye.' …In standard Catholic ritual, salt is applied to the lips in baptism to exorcise the Devil, and in medieval Sweden it was then put under the infant's tongue. The Germans did the same thing immediately after the child had been delivered and salt was also placed near the child to ward off demons. In the Balkans and among the Todas of Southern India, newborn children are immediately salted; while Laotian and Thai women wash with salt after childbirth to immunize themselves from demonic assault. In the northern counties of England, it is customary to tuck a small bag of salt into a baby's clothing on its first outing." The practice of salting babies is still current in the Orient. (Jewish Heritage Online Magazine: http://www.jhom.com/topics/topics/salt/magic.htm)
The term itself, "Salt of the earth," is a Matthean construct. "Earth" means "world" to Matthew, who refers to "the world" nine times and never in a negative sense. The world does not belong to Satan. It is the creation of God. In medieval times, salt being incorruptible, was believed to avert demons and protect against black magic. As an ancient writer put it, witches and warlocks "like their master, the Devil, abhor salt as the emblem of immorality." Salt was also considered useful in warding off the assault of a thieve. If one found his road blocked by highwaymen, he should hurriedly grasp a handful of salt or earth, whisper an incantation over it, and fling it in the direction of his attackers, rendering them powerless to harm him. (Jewish Heritage Online Magazine: http://www.jhom.com/topics/topics/salt/magic.htm) So salt had a power over evil doers and evil beings and was used to ward off evil.
And the symbol of salt as used by Jesus may have had an even earthier meaning. In our text today (vs. 5:13), the salt may have referred to the leveling agent for paddies made from animal manure, the fuel for outdoor ovens used in the time of Jesus. Young family members would form paddies with animal dung, mix in salt from a salt block into the paddies, and let the paddies dry in the sun. When the fuel paddies were light in an oven, the mixed-in salt would help the paddies burn longer, with a more even heat. When the family spent the salt block, they would throw it out onto the road to harden a muddy surface. Jesus saw his followers as leveling agents in an impure world. Their example would keep the fire of faith alive even under stress. Their example would spread faith to those mired in the cultural "dung." But if their example rang empty, they were worthless; they would be dug into the mud under the heels of critics. [5:13] (Larry Brody, http://www.word-sunday.com/Files/a/5-a/A-5-a.html)
Thus, Bruce Manila says a good interpretation of this verse might be:
You are the catalyst to get things cooking ...(Quoted by David Ewart at http://www.holytextures.com/2011/01/matthew-5-13-20-year-a-epiphany-5-february-4-february-10-sermon.html)
Which bring us back to soup and the need for salt in the eating thereof. If the inhabitants of Meyeraland and Westbury are the soup then St. John's Presbyterian Church is the salt. Being salt of the earth implies being a blessing to the world. Of course we already ARE salt - we already ARE a blessing to the world through our leadership in various justice ministries such as BIM, Anchor House, Sandwich Makers, Small Steps Nurturing Center, Partners in Educational Advocacy, and so forth. We already ARE light in the classrooms, hallways, skyscrapers, hospitals, store fronts, and neighborhoods in which we live and work.
Light is the other symbol Jesus uses to describe his followers in the text. Again, Mania comments:
It is (a peasant's) one-room house that is envisioned in the parable here, since all who enter can see the light stand. The normal way to put out and oil lamp was to put it under a bushel basket so as not to fill the house with smoke and fumes before retiring.
Thus a good interpretation of these verses might be:
Set an example as a congregation. Not to get fame and glory for St. John's Presbyterian Church, but so that others will see God's goodness.(Quoted by David Ewart at http://www.holytextures.com/2011/01/matthew-5-13-20-year-a-epiphany-5-february-4-february-10-sermon.html)
With these symbols - "Salt" and "Light" - Matthew's Jesus strikes a death blow to merely personal and private religion. This sermon by Jesus was heard not just by disciples but by "crowds." (7:28-29) The church is not an esoteric community of initiates. We are not hiding who we are as a church but we are a city set on a hill whose authentic life cannot be concealed. We are not a church hidden away out in the countryside or deep inside some neighborhood. We are a church set right out here in the open on West Bellfort street. Yet our real value as salt and light comes not so much from what we do within the confines of this campus but what we do and how we do it in our homes, office buildings, and classrooms.
And one more word about these symbols is in order here. We do not generate salt or light - we ARE salt and light. Here is God's word to St. John's Presbyterian Church today: "Be what y'all are: Salt and light." You are "salt and light" really means "y'all" are salt and light. Jesus may not have used the word y'all but according to Matthew he did use the plural of you. So "y'all" are salt and light or "you's guys" are salt and light. However you want to say it - it needs to be said - Jesus spoke this word to the community. Think about it. Single grains of salt do not make any difference in the world. A single grain of salt will not change how your soup tastes. A single grain of salt has no effect on anything. But a pinch of salt may do wonders. In a similar fashion, a single Christian has a limited effect on the soup of the world but a group of Christians may be just the salt that is needed to ward off the evil doers and to make the whole community taste right.
We don't need to try harder to be what we already are - Salt and Light. We just need to shift our perception of who we are. Folks, WE DO HAVE A PURPOSE HERE ON THIS EARTH AND IN THIS COMMUNITY. For example, many people in Haiti have clean water to drink because WE ARE BEING THE SALT OF THE EARTH. Some people in this part of the city have food to eat because WE ARE BEING THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. We are needed in God's good world. We belong here. We have a mission to the world - to be who we are - to be salt and light to the world.
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The Rev. Dr. Jon Burnham preached this sermon at St. John's Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas on February 6, 2011. (OT5A)
