Matthew - Good for Nothing

In today's study, we wrap up our study on Matthew 5:13 and it's application to Israel and the Church.

Application to the Jew

How does this apply to the Jews that Jesus is speaking to? They were the salt that he was referring to! However, they were now impure and had lost their savor! They had picked up impurities in their worship of God.

Instead of sacrificing to Jehovah God according to their Covenants of Salt, they sacrificed to idols. Psalms 106:36-38  And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.  37  Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,  38  And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.

Instead of following priests in Aaron’s line according to their Covenant of Salt, they followed other priests. 1 Kings 12:28-31  Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.  29  And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.  30  And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.  31  And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

Instead of being under a king from David’s line according to their Covenant of Salt, they put themselves under tribute to foreign kings. John 19:15“But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priest answered, We have no king but Caesar.

Conclusion of Jewish Application

The conclusion is that the Jews had had lost their savor and were good for nothing. Jeremiah 13:10 This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing. They were good for nothing but to be “cast out.” Two things were to happen as a result of the Jew losing savor. 1. Physically - They were to be cast out of the land physically in 70 AD by the Roman General Titus just like the salt was cast out. 2. Spiritually – They had rejected their Messiah and were spiritually blinded (Romans 11:25).

Application to the Church

1. Christians are the salt of the earth because we are precious to God. In Jesus’ day, salt was an expensive and valued commodity. As a matter of fact, Roman soldiers were many times paid in salt, giving rise to the phrase "worth his salt."

2. Christians are like salt because they have a preserving influence. Salt was used to preserve meats, and to slow down the decaying process. So too, we as Christians should have a preserving influence on our culture.

3. Christians are like salt because they add flavor. Christians should be a "flavorful" people.  Not bores! Man, you don’t know what it means to live until you’ve been released to die! 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

4. As Christians, we are not to lose our savor (flavor) and become good for nothing. Salt must keep its "saltiness" to be of any value and to avoid being cast away. 1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. How about you?  Are you worth your salt?