G217 — ἅλα
[, τό, read by Tdf. in [Mat 5:13]; [Mar 9:50]; [Luk 14:34]; see ἅλας.]
G217 — ἅλας
, (
ατος,
τό (a later form, found in the Sept. and N. T. (Aristotle, de mirab, ause. § 138; Plutarch, qu. conv. 4:4, 3, 3), cf. Alexander Buttmann (1873) Ausf. Spr. i., p. 220; dative
ἅλατι [Col 4:6]), and
ἅλς,
ἁλός,
ὁ (the classic form (from Homer down); Sir. 22:15 (13); Sirach 43:19>; Wis. 10:7; 1 Macc. 10:29, etc.
[Mar 9:49] ἁλί dative (T WH Tr marginal reading omit; Tr text brackets), and in
[Mar 9:50] L T Tr WH
ἅλα accusative (yet without the article) with the nominative
τό ἅλας), finally, the nominative and the accusative
ἅλα Tdf. in
[Mar 9:50] (also
[Mat 5:13];
[Luk 14:34] (where see his note)) (similar to
γάλα, genitive
γάλατος, a form noted by certain grammarians, see (WH's Appendix, p. 158;) Kühner, 1:353f; but see what Fritzsche, Commentary on Sirach (Sir. 39:26), p. 226f, says in opposition);
salt;
1. Salt with which food is seasoned and sacrifices are sprinkled: [Mar 9:49] R G; cf. ἁλίζω.
2. ἅλας τῆς γῆς, those kinds of saline matter used to fertilize arable land, [Mat 5:13]{a}; here salt as a condiment cannot be understood, since this renders land sterile ([Deu 29:23]; [Zep 2:9]; [Jdg 9:45]); cf. Grohmann in Kauffer's Biblical Studien, 1844, p. 82ff The meaning is, 'It is your prerogative to impart to mankind (likened to arable land) the influences required for a life of devotion to God.' In the statement immediately following, ἐάν δέ ἅλας κτλ., the comparison seems to be drawn from salt as a condiment, so that two figures are blended; (but it is better to adopt this latter meaning throughout the passage, and take γῆ to denote the mass of mankind, see under the word, 4 b. and cf. Tholuck and others at the passage). In [Mar 9:50]{a} and [Luk 14:34] salt is a symbol of that health and vigor of soul which is essential to Christian virtue; (cf. Meyer on the former passage).
3. Salt is a symbol of lasting concord, [Mar 9:50]{c}, because it protects food from putrefaction and preserves it unchanged. Accordingly, in the solemn ratification of compacts, the Orientals were, and are to this day, accustomed to partake of salt together. Cf. Winers RWB under the word Salz; (BB. DD. under the word ); Knobel on Leviticus, p. 370. 4. Wisdom and grace exhibited in speech: [Col 4:6] (where see Lightfoot).
ἅλας
( T , ἅλα ), - ατος , τό , late form of cl . ἅλς , - ος , ό ( MM , VGT , s.v. ),
[in LXX chiefly for H4416;]
salt, lit, and fig .: [Mat 5:13], [Mar 9:50] [Luk 14:34]; like cl . ἅλες , wit, of wisdom and grace in speech: [Col 4:6]. †