The Meaning of Salt in the Old Testament

In this episode, we discuss the metaphors found in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5-7). After first rehearsing the importance of seeing the teachings of Jesus in their historical context, we look at the familiar metaphors of salt, light, the eye as the lamp of the body, and the narrow gate. These metaphors were common tools used to communicate a familiar prophetic message to the people of Israel in context to their covenantal calling.

Show notes

• Hermeneutics and history (3:59)
• Matthew 5:13 and "the salt of the earth" - Leviticus 2:13; Ezekiel 43:24; Jubilees 21:11; Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5; 2 Kings 2:19; Ezekiel 16:4; Colossians 4:5; Luke 14:34-35; Luke 21:24 (9:09)
• Matthew 5:14-16, the "light of the world", and the "city on the hill" - Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 42:6, Isaiah 60:3; Isaiah 62:1-2; 2 Baruch 77:13; Isaiah 2:2-4 (19:07)
• Matthew 5:19-24 and the "eye is the lamp of the body" - Deuteronomy 15:9 (32:00)
• Matthew 7:13-14 and the "narrow gate" - 4 Ezra 7:6-14 (37:47)