"When it rains, it pours" with the "Morton Salt Girl" or "Umbrella Girl", started from a 1914 advertising campaign. Magnesium carbonate had begun to be added as an absorbing agent in 1911 to ensure that it would pour freely.

The Morton Salt company started in 1848 in Chicago, IL It was renamed in 1889 for the owner, Joy Morton (started Arbor Day).
The "salt life" is a phrase sometimes used to describe a lazy life of leisure on the beach at the ocean.

• The "rain" will "fall" on the house built on "rock".
• The "rain" will "cut off" the house built on "sand".

Has this "salt" "lost savor"?

The Austrian city of Salzburg is named, literally, as "Salt Fortress".

[Sound of Music, Silent Night]
The German word "Salz" ≈ "salt" (sea is "See" or "Meer"). At one time, the main of income of Salzburg was from salt extraction.

More: Song: Silent night

There are many chemical salts, two of the most common being Sodium-Chloride (table salt) and Potassium-Chloride.
A "halide" is a binary compound. Many "salts" are "halides", as in "halide" "salts".

• "ἅλς" ≈ "salt, brine, sea".
• "ἅλας" ≈ "salt, brine, sea" and "ἁλός" ≈ "salt, brine, sea" (genitive singular)

Halogens and halides include (9) Fluorine, (17) Chlorine, (35) Bromine, (53) Iodine and (85) Astatine.

The Old English word "sealt" ≈ "salt" (starting with "sea").
The word "halogen" was coined in 1842 from the ancient Greek word "ἅλς" ≈ "salt, brine, sea" and the ancient Greek word "γένος" ≈ "race, stock, kin" as in the English word "generate".

The word "salt" appears in the KJV (King James Version) in the OT (Old Testament) in 30 verses. By this time in history, many "seas" had already accumulated "salt".

The ancient Greek word "ἅλας" ≈ "salt" which forms part of "θάλασσα" ≈ "sea" or "θάλαττα" ≈ "sea".

• The Old English word "sealt" ≈ "salt" (starting with "sea").
• The Latin word "sal" ≈ "salt".
• The Russian word "соль" (soul) ≈ "salt".

Any land-locked sea would become saltier much faster than, say, the ocean or lakes. There are other OT references to "salt" seas, "salt" valleys, "salt", etc.

Some English words come from the idea of "salt" from the Latin word "sal" ≈ "salt".

The English word "salary" comes from the Latin "salarium" ≈ "salary" from the salt from which soldiers were paid for their service. Thus, the word "salary" is related to the phrase "worth your salt".

The English word "sausage", old English "sawsyge", comes though the French from the Latin "salsicus" ≈ "seasoned with salt" from the Latin "salsus" ≈ "salted".

The English word "sauce" comes through the French from the Latin "salsus" ≈ "salted".

The English word "salad" comes through the French from the Latin "salata" ≈ "salted". Salted vegetables (seasoned with brine) were a popular Roman dish.

When butchering hogs, one would add potassium nitrate to the solution until an egg floated.

Right before this, Aristotle explains how people who ignore this and load ships in fresh water then go to salt water endure a large cost - probably because the ships are now unstable in the water. On the other hand, ships loaded at sea may almost sink in fresh water.

Cover story: In ancient times, such salt would be used as road filler, etc., and walked on by anyone using the road. Salt does help keep down the dust on roads.

Aristotle explains part of what happened to Hercules in Chaonia with the oxen of Erytheia. This is from a (salt water) spring.


Ocean salt (e.g., salt from open water containing salt) contains more than just NaCl. It has MgCl₂ and CaCl₂, etc., that pull moisture out of the air. This dissolves NaCl such that such salt becomes less useful. Bromine in ocean water would add a brownish tint to the salt.

In the 1970's, the acronym SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) as talks were held on that topic.

That SALT is not related to the current discussion.

Here are some observations about salt that should be taken into account when analogies to salt are made.

• Salt in small amounts is necessary for life.
• Salt dissolves in water, as in the oceans that have significant amounts of salt.
• Drinking salt water causes reverse osmosis such that a person can dye from dehydration.
• Eating foods with salt makes one thirsty.
• Too much salt in food and diet over time can lead to various health issues.
• Salt is deadly to certain creatures, such as slugs.

• Salt is used to preserve dead things, such as meats.
• Salt can be used in small amounts as a healing agent, in part because it kills the organisms that are causing infection.
• Salt corrodes, as rust, in many metals.
• Salt irritates, as a grain of sand irritates an oyster to produce a pearl (teachers sometimes do this to students in the learning process)

The "salt" is not "good for nothing". Rather, the "salt" is "ineffective" or "not strong" in its intended purpose. It may be "good for something" to someone. Saying: One man's garbage is another mans treasure. [throwing things out]


Aristotle uses those same two words as he tries to explain the idea of "entropy", an idea which would not be explained for another 2,000 years.

More: Do not be shy and embarrassed to turn away from entropy

The KJV says "good for nothing" but the GNT (Greek New Testament) uses the modern Greek word "ισχύει" (ee-SKHEE-ee) ≈ "strength" in a negative sense such that the "salt" has lost its strength. The "good for nothing" appears to be an inference. Luther uses the German word "nütze" ≈ "usable" in a negative sense.

The Latin word "evanesco" ≈ "vanish, disappear, fade away, die out, lapse" from "ex" and "vanish". The secondary meaning appears to have influenced later translations.

The Vulgate uses the Latin word "evanuerit" ≈ "tasteless".

The Latin word "condietur" ≈ "seasoned" and is the origin of the English word "condiment".

Wycliffe uses the Middle English word "vanysche" ≈ "vanish" as one way that salt could disappear. This interpretation appears to have persisted to the present day in many analogies of salt in regards to these verses.

Many of the verses with "salt" use a variation of that word for "seasoned" and some translations add "seasoned with salt". Some other GNT verses use the a different Greek word in the same place, which may provide a hint as to the exact nature of the meaning of "salt".

The ancient Greek word "αρτύω" (ar-TEE-o) ≈ "arrange, devise, prepare, season" is the basis of the following where the KJV translates "season".

• "αρτυσετε" Mark 9:50
• "αρτυθησεται" Luke 14:34

So in looking for a meaning for "salt", the "seasoned" might be taken as meaning "prepare" or "get ready".

Luke 14:34 appears to replicate Mark 9:50 except that losing "savor" is used in place of "saltiness" which appears to unify the meaning of those two words (whatever it is that they mean or represent).

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt Colossians 4:6.

It would appear that "speech" can be "salted" with "salt", a reflexive relationship.

Paul appears to have some idea what "salt" means, perhaps from Peter (as in Mark).

James appears to be talking about literal water containing "salt" and making an analogy from that. This may or may not relate to the other uses of "salt" in the GNT.

Some choices in inferring a meaning are the following.

• A. Make literal application - which is not very satisfactory in this case.
• B. Make analogies - again, not very satisfactory.
• C. Take the noun "salt", the verb "salted", etc, as idioms from Aramaic into Greek that have lost some meaning, as in some statements made by Jesus in other parts of the Gospels.
• D. Take the noun "salt", the verb "salted", etc, as code words that mean something else - in the same way Jesus explains three of the seven Kingdom Parables in Matthew 13.

Since A and B do not yield much fruit, one is left with C and D. If no idiom is apparent, then C and D are functionally similar. Let us proceed with this approach using D.

Since everyone in the area had spoken Greek, along with Aramaic, for over three hundred years, and for other reasons, it appears that Jesus said a lot of things in Greek.

Details are left as a future topic.

Job talks about "bread" (in the LXX (Septuagint)) being "tasteless" and "losing savor".This is not the word used by Jesus.

A "password", or "pass code", in a database is often "salted" before being "hashed". If a system stores the hashed password, no one can tell you your password if you lose it. You can only be allowed to create a new password.

If the hashed passwords are salted before hashing, it makes it harder to reverse hash the passwords since every password is salted with a different salt.

This means that the hashed passwords each have an individual random number (the "salt") that is part of the hash (i.e., sprinkled on the passwords) so that if the database is compromised and the hashing scheme determined, each individual password hash needs to be broken individually rather than needed to break any one to break all of them.

In terms of a discussion on salt and bread, the following verse in Job is interesting, particularly the LXX version.

• The modern Greek word "άνευ" (A-nev) ≈ "without".
• The modern Greek word "άλας" (A-las) ≈ "salt".
• The modern Greek word "άρτος" (AR-tos) ≈ "bread".

The first part of the verse in LXX is essentially "Can bread be consumed without salt?".

• The Greek has «αρτος» for "bread".
• The KJV has an unspecific "unsavory".
• The Luther German Bible has no word.

• The Greek has «βρωθησεται» for eaten or consumed or devoured (see below).
• The Luther German Bible has "essen" for eaten.
• The Greek has «ανευ αλος» for "without salt".
• The Luther German Bible has "ungesalzen" for unsalted.

The second part of the verse in LXX is essentially "Or is there taste in empty words?". Is there a Hebrew idiom here?

• The Luther German Bible has "um den Dotter" for "around the yolk" rather than "in the white of an egg".

The ancient Greek word "μωραίνω" ≈ "foolish, stupid" and, in the GNT, tasteless. It comes from "μωρός" ≈ "foolish, stupid".

The second part of the word appears to come from "ἄνθος" ≈ "flower, blossom" and is the source of the English word "anthology" (but not "anthem"). The word could mean "froth" or "scum". Thus, it appears that "μρωανθη" ≈ "foolish flower, foolish blossom" as in "false flower" or "false blossom" as a play on words.

In Greek, the opposite of a "bloom" is a "thorn".

More: Matthew 13: A pointed discussion of thorny riches

In the same manner that "foolish" hints at a "foolish bloom", it appears that the "dried up" is a play on words for a "dried bloom".

• "ξηρός" ≈ "dry, withered" and is the source of the company name "Xerox" as a "dry" printing process.
• "ἄνθος" ≈ "blossom, bloom" as in the English word "anthology".



More: Matthew 13:3-23 First kingdom parable: sower

Aristotle uses the word in this form in Meteorologica. (No other usages could be found).

• "Salt" can be associated with pearls. Sea "salt" water is one way to keep pearls clean.
• "Salting" "salt" with "salt" is a reflexive operation.
• The "trodden" can be associated with the "pigs" and thus with "men".

The "pigs" are associated with those who "get in the way" of "sinners" who want to repent.

More: Psalms 1: Here come the pigs

More: Reflexive relationships in the Bible

More: Matthew 13:45-46 Sixth kingdom parable: pearl of great price

Might "purging" his "threshing floor" be related to "casting" "out" the "foolish blooms"? Accusations by the accuser (adversary) may blow the "foolish blooms" away.

In the above verse, "αλωνα" ≈ "threshing floor". For now, note the similarity of two words in various cases.

What might the "salt" as a (noun) code word represent? As with the "false bloom" being a possible play on words, the "salt" may be a play on words.

• "ἅλας" ≈ "salt".
• "ἅλως" ≈ "threshing floor" and the source of the English word "halo".

There may be a play on word connection of "salt" with "threshing floor" since that is where the "fruit/blossom" of the "grass/wheat" is collected and harvested.

Any "false fruit" or "foolish fruit" would be "cast" "outside" of the "threshing floor" area. That "false fruit" may be useful to "pigs".

• The "salt" "salting" the "salt" is reflexive.
• The "fruit/blossoms" "fruiting/blossoming" the "fruit/blossoms" is reflexive. Does that make sense?

• The "workers" "work" the "harvest" but the "workers" are also the "harvest" which is reflexive.
• The "harvest" is of the "fruit/blossoms" of the "grass".

The ancient Greek word "καρπός" ≈ "fruit"which is often wheat or barley and not what is today thought of as a "fruit". This word is related to the English word "harvest".

Reflexive relationships:

• "salt/blooms/fruit/works" as accomplishments.
• "salt/blooms/fruit/works" as people.

[KP#3, harvest to barns, rewards]

The "fruit" in "fruit of the vine" uses a different Greek word for "fruit" that means "birth" or "coming into being". The "fruit of the vine" is associated with "life" and the "Father" and the "Kingdom of God".

Some "birds" will emphasize the "new" "testament" as if it supersedes all previous testaments as in "covenants", "agreements", etc. This is often followed by "love one another" unconditionally. However, Jesus is speaking to "believers". For non-believers or "neighbors", one is to "love your neighbor as yourself" which provides a negative feedback constraint so that the outside culture is not brought into the family of believers unconditionally.

The ancient Greek word "καρπός" ≈ "fruit"which is often wheat or barley and not what is today thought of as a "fruit". This word is related to the English word "harvest".

The "blossoms" are associated with the "way" and the "Spirit".

• You are the "salt" of the "earth".
• You are the "blossoms" of the "way" (on earth).
• You are the "harvest" of the "way".
• You are the "fruit" of the "Spirit"

But if you are a "foolish bloom" or a "false fruit" then you are not "effective" and, further, are thrown outside the "threshing floor" or "halo" of "blooms" or "fruit". The "pigs" are attracted to the "false fruit" and will "trample" "true fruit"!

This simple idea will become more complicated when the "birds" as "false teachers" introduce deceptions.

• Birds: A "false kingdom" is made to appear as the "true kingdom" (God, heaven).
• Fish: A "false light" is made to appear as "true light" (Son, reality).
• Pigs: A "false fruit" is made to appear as "true fruit" (Spirit, earth).

•  Matthew 5:13: Salt of the earth (this page) (pigs)
• Matthew 5:14: Light of the world (fish)
• Matthew 5:15: This little light of mine (birds)
• Matthew 5:16 Let the light of Jesus shine (sheep)

• The "salt" "losing saltiness" is that of a "foolish blossom" or, to simplify, "false salt".

• 13: You are the salt of the earth. If the salt is false salt, how shall the salt be salted, with "negative consequences" (pigs).



More: Psalms 1: Here come the pigs

More: Reflexive relationships in the Bible

More: Reflexive fixed points in the Bible

Mark (Peter's Gospel) says that all will be "salted" with "fire" - perhaps the "spirit" at Pentecost.

The Old English word "sealte" ≈ "salted" which is related to the English word "sea" as coming from "sealt". Wycliffe uses the Middle English word "sauery" ≈ "salty" which is related to the German word "Sauerkraut" ≈ "sauerkraut" which is "sour" or "acidic" or "spoiled" cabbage which is related to the English word for "head".

More: A tongue in cheek model for Pentecost

Mark is Peter's Gospel. Peter may have forgotten or not known importance of each word.

1. For every one shall be salted with fire. Mark 9:49. Whatever "salted" means, all will be "salted" with "fire" - which might be the "spirit" at Pentecost.

2. ... every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Mark 9:49. This phrase is not in some Greek manuscripts.

3. Salt is good. Mark 9:50. Whatever "salt" is, it is not worthless but has some value to someone.

4. ... If the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Mark 9:50. Whatever "salt" is, it can be "lost".

5. Have salt in yourselves… Mark 9:50. One can have "salt" in oneself, a reflexive property.

Aristotle uses the words translated as "but to be" nine times in Topica alone with the meaning of "further" with a "if" and a "negative" implication from the «μη».

Paraphrase: Yet, if not clear ...

• "ετι" ≈ "yet, further".
• "εί" ≈ "if, whether".
• "μὴ" ≈ "not" (negates),.

As a phrase, the words mean "yet ... if ... not" or "yet ... whether ... not". When translated, the words may be moved around in the text to fit, say, English.

The Strongs definitions of the three words are "yet", "if" and "not", just as used many times by Aristotle. Usage:

• «μή» is the negative of thought or wish.
• «οὐ» is the negative of objective statements of fact.

However, this does not come through in translation. A modern Greek translation of this verse (omitted) appears to be translation not of the original Greek but of the KJV.

The words for "yet if not" it translated as "but" in the KJV (and elsewhere).

• KJV: but to be cast out ...
• Greek: yet if (it is) not thrown out ... (some problems result)

To what does the ambiguous implied "it" refer?

☐ good "effective salt".
☐ bad "not effective salt".

The statement is in the form of a "counter-factual" in that this division does not exist. The "trodden" happens without the split since the split never happens.

More: Profitable and expedient counterfactual logic

More: Word and parsing ambiguity

A possible play on words for "if not" might be "εἰμί" ≈ "to be, happen".

The KJV in Matthew 5:13 has the phrase "trodden under foot". What exactly does this mean?

The Greek word used is "καταπατεισθαι" and the root appears twice in Matthew, once in Luke, and 34 times in the LXX.

The modern Greek word "καταπατώ" (ka-ta-pa-TO) ≈ "encroach" and is sometimes translated as such in the GNT.

Can something like this be used in the following verses, or the above verses?

Does "cast" out or "throw" out or "put" out mean that something is "useless" or "not effective"?

Saying: One man's garbage is another man's treasure. Let me "throw" out some ideas.

The word "βλήθεν" ≈ "cast" could be a play on words with "λήθη" ≈ "oblivion, forgetfulness" or "αλήθεια" ≈ "truth" as in "realty". Consider the English word "confess" as being understood as "fess".

The ancient Greek word "μυωπάζων" ≈ "short sighted" is the source of the English word "myopia".

[casting crowns]

More: Song: Holy, Holy, Holy

Jesus addresses the disciples as believers directly.

You are the salt of the earth.
There are two groups. For the purposes of what Jesus is saying:

• The "disciples" as believers (for a time) on the (physical) mountain. They are "salt".
• The "others" not on the mountain. They are not "salt".

The number of "disciples" is much greater than 12. In John 6, many will leave after learning the truth of Jesus, leaving the 12 primary disciples (and perhaps a few others).

Jesus addresses the disciples as believers directly.

You are the salt of the earth.
The disciples as believers are then (hypothetically) divided into two groups.

• The "good salt/fruit/works" group as in "sheep"
• The "bad/rotten salt/fruit/works" group as in "pigs" and (perhaps) "goats".
• The "others" are not relevant to the discussion.

Later in Matthew 5, and again in Matthew 18, Jesus will address the splitting of groups in various ways. At this point, that is a counter-factual and hypothetical argument. What is addressed here is what could happen if the groups do not split (be thrown apart).

More: Matthew 18:15-17 Conflicting and faulty resolutions

If the "others" were to do the "walk" on the groups, the "others" may not be able to distinguish the two groups. The split of groups appears to be important.

Once the split is established, it does not appear likely that the "good salt/fruit/works" group would "walk" on the "bad/rotten salt/fruit/works" group.

Based on verse 16, the "good salt/fruit/works" group would put their "good salt/fruit/works" (as accomplishments) before the "others" so that the "others" would "see" the "good salt/fruit/works" (as accomplishments) without seeing the "good salt/fruit/works" (as people).

It appears more likely that, once the split is established, the "bad/rotten salt/fruit/works" group would "walk" on the "good salt/fruit/works" group.

One can make the following associations based on other parts of Matthew.

• The "bad/rotten salt/fruit/works" group are the "pigs" or "swine" that are internal and not external to the organization (church).
• The "good salt/fruit/works" group are the "pearls".
• The "pigs" or "swine" will "walk" on the "pearls" as "good salt/fruit/works" (as accomplishments) and turn and "rend" or "divide" the "good salt/fruit/works" (as people).

To not "throw out" "good works" from "true blooms" or "salt" is like keeping "talents" in the ground. Matthew 5:16 connects, in a true way, the false ways in verses 13, 14 and 15.