Early in the Savior's ministry, He climbed the hills surrounding the Sea of Galilee and taught what we now call the Sermon on the Mount. During that sermon of sermons the Lord said, ®Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out...® - Matthew 5:13.
His disciples were more familiar with the symbolism of salt than we are today. They understood its preserving power in a world without refrigerators. They realized that salt loses its savor when mixed with something else. They further understood its cleansing power and its importance in adding flavor to life.
All of these symbols were involved in the Savior's parable, but there was one that stands out above the others. Salt was an integral part of temple sacrifices and so became associated with the covenant people. Through this parable Jesus reminds us that we become salt when we make and keep covenants with God. As we remain true to those covenants and avoid mixing with worldly influences, we can be cleansed, preserved, and become the ®salt of the earth.®
