[Propertalk] Gospel Quotes for Mark 9:38-50 - Part 3

[Joe Parrish]

With v. 49 the salt sayings begin. The obscurity of the verse has triggered several scribal attempts to clarify it. It has also spawned several interpretations. "Everyone will be salted with fire" refers to the purifying fire of the judgment. Or it refers to the Spirit. Or it refers to the use of salt and fire in amputations. Or it results from a mistranslation of a Semitic original. The interpretation hinges to a great extent on the force of the ??? in this verse. If ??? is simply a weak linking particle used to string sayings loosely together, then there is no need to relate v. 49 to the preceding section. But if, as is more probable, the ??? clause is an explanatory clause, then v. 49 is a comment on v. 48 and thus belongs with vv. 43-48, even though the catchword "salt" forms the transition to the two sayings in v. 50. Verse 49 attempts to explain the last half of v. 48, "and the fire is not extinguished." Mark appeals to the common use of salt as a preservative and transfers this property of salt to the fire of gehenna, "for all will be salted with fire." Mark has redacted the saying from Lev 2:13a LXX: ??? ??? ????? ?????? ???? ??? ???????????. At first this may seem an improbable hypothesis. However, closer examination reveals that it has some support. The similarity of the Leviticus passage and the Marcan text was noted long ago by the copyists responsible for the variant readings. The similarity lies in the use of ??? and the verb ??????????? preceded by a dative. In Lev 2:13b we have one of the primary texts in which salt is a symbol of the covenant. Mark will use this symbolism in v. 50b. He could have adopted the symbolism from Lev 2:13b; and while he was working with this verse, his attention could also have fallen on Lev 2:13a. 

THE CATHOLIC BIBLICAL QUARTERLY, 43, 1981, Pages 70-71

HARRY FLEDDERMANN 
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The closing admonition of our text is the claim and promise of God and Jesus' call to live as God's intended purpose in creating us for life: "Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another" (9:50b). This is the call, identity, and promise of discipleship which is the peace that Jesus offers to all his followers. We are called by Jesus into a cosmic engagement against the powers of evil and injustice and to serve our neighbor in love. 

http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching_print.aspx?commentary_id=397

Paul S. Berge, 2009
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Verses 43-47: Some scholars see these verses as referring to short-comings within an individual, rather than of the effect of members on the community. The "hand" is often the member of the body that does the wrong deed; the "foot" goes in the direction of temptation (in Jewish teaching, a moral life is spoken of as a journey); per Job 31:1, the eye can provoke one to sin. The message is: Do not fail to control your own actions and impulses; God will punish such undisciplined behaviour.

http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/archive/bpr26l.shtml

Chris Haslam
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The discourse concludes with the saying on "salt," which must here refer to the temperament that disciples must sustain as they interact with each other and with others who are committed to Christ. All this is set in the context of eschatological testing that lies ahead for everyone who claims to be an authentic disciple; that is consistent with what has been said in 8:34-9:1 of those who would "follow the course" of Jesus, but the focus in the present discourse is specifically upon the temperament to be sustained by believers toward others who belong to the "household" of Jesus.

http://artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/Mark/mk8notes.html#anchor889364

Carl W. Conrad
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v50: Fledderman (1981, p73) observes that in the OT "salt" is a symbol of the covenant. Leviticus 2:13 says: 



     Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.  


Similarly, Numbers 18:19 (paralleled in 2 Chron 13:5) offers:



     Whatever is set aside from the holy offerings the Israelites present to the LORD I give to you and your sons and daughters as your regular share. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the LORD for both you and your offspring." 
     

http://www.michaelturton.com/Mark/GMark09.html#9.p.38.41

Michael A. Turton
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