"SALT, IN OLD AND NEW COVENANT"
In Old Testament times, salt symbolised hospitality, durability, and purity.
To eat the salt of the king, was to owe him the utmost fidelity. To eat bread and salt together was to form an unbreakable league of friendship. (Crudens).
Salt emblematic of fidelity and friendship in the Eastern Nations.
Also emblem of the Covenant between Jehovah and His people, Num. 18:19, 2Chron. 13:5 and Lev. 2:13.
Dr. Bullinger in the Companion Bible makes interesting comments re. Lev. 2:13, (salt, first occurrence. Salt was, and is the great antiseptic, preventing fermentation. As leaven and honey were forbidden in sacrifices, so salt is prescribed because, when partaken of by the two parties, it made the Covenant inviolable. Salt of the Covenant).
In Num. 18:19, Dr. Bullinger comments, "Covenant of salt". As salt was scarce and precious, and used with all eating, so it was put for eating, just as the breaking of bread was. See Isa. 58:7, Jer. 16:7, Lam. 4:4 and Ezek. 18:7. Hence when wages were paid in kind, by finding the worker in food "salt" was put for wages; so that a worker was spoken of as being worth, or not worth, his "salt". "A Covenant of salt" was therefore a Covenant made by sacrifice which was first cut in two (Gen. 15: 10-18 & Jer. 34:18, 19) and then eaten, thus solemnising an inviolable Covenant).
To have salt in the self, brings peace between people, (Mark 9:50).
It also counteracts worldly corruption, (Matt. 5:13).
Every food offering by the Jews was to contain it, (Lev. 2:13).
The fact of the formation of friendship, which is so precious to the Almighty, by the salt and bread participation (bread [manna] in the wilderness) and the salt in the sacrifices, gives more insight to the plan of Jehovah for His people Israel, (see reference above). Abraham and Moses in the Old Covenant were called "friend", (Ex. 33:11) (2 Chr. 20:7) (Isa. 41:8) and (James 2:23), but Christ laid down His life for His friend (Israel who had lost its salt)! (John: 15:13).
See: "Israel; My Firstborn son".
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