Jesus wants his...
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Jesus wants his disciples to be the salt of the earth (v. 13). John Calvin nicely explains the significance of this image:
... that it is their [Christians'] office to salt the earth because men have nothing in them but what is tasteless, till they have been seasoned with the salt of heavenly doctrine.
(Calvin's Commentaries, Vol. XVI/1, p. 270)
Human beings, sinners that we are, do not taste very good apart from the salt of Christian doctrine. All the more reason we should not get too carried away with our importance in salting the earth. In fact, salt is not the main course for a good meal. People can still live good lives without getting salted by us. In fact, some foods are ruined by our salt or are pre-salted. So it is wise that we not get carried away by our importance as salt for the earth. Come to think of it, Calvin has an even more powerful reminder. In the preceding quotation he makes clear that we are not even the salt people need. The real salt is the salt of Christian doctrine, and we are just the waiters/waitresses who serve it.
... that it is their [Christians'] office to salt the earth because men have nothing in them but what is tasteless, till they have been seasoned with the salt of heavenly doctrine.
(Calvin's Commentaries, Vol. XVI/1, p. 270)
Human beings, sinners that we are, do not taste very good apart from the salt of Christian doctrine. All the more reason we should not get too carried away with our importance in salting the earth. In fact, salt is not the main course for a good meal. People can still live good lives without getting salted by us. In fact, some foods are ruined by our salt or are pre-salted. So it is wise that we not get carried away by our importance as salt for the earth. Come to think of it, Calvin has an even more powerful reminder. In the preceding quotation he makes clear that we are not even the salt people need. The real salt is the salt of Christian doctrine, and we are just the waiters/waitresses who serve it.
