Salt is good: but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.
All Commentaries on Mark 9:50 Go To Mark 9
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Hom. in Matt., 59: He says not this of our limbs, but of our intimate friends, whom as being necessary to uswe look upon as our limbs; for nothing is so hurtful as mischievous society.
Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: Similar to this is that which the Apostle says, “And the fire shall try everyman’s work of what sort it is.” .
Vict. Ant. in Cat.: Or else it is meant, that every gift of our victim, which is accompanied by prayer and the assisting of our neighbour, is salted with that divine fire, of which it is said, “I am come to send fire on earth.” Concerning which it is added: “Salt is good;” that is, the fire of love. "But if the salt have lost his saltness,” that is, is deprived of itself, and that peculiar quality, by which it is called, good, “where with will ye season it?” For there is salt, which has saltness,that is, which has the fulness of grace; and there is salt, which has nosaltness, for that which is not peaceful is salt unseasoned.
Vict. Ant. in Cat.: Or, according to Matthew, the disciples of Christ are the salt, which preserves the whole world, resisting the rottenness which proceeds from idolatry and sinful fornication. For it may also be meant, that each of us has salt, in as far ashe contains in himself the graces of God. Wherefore also the Apostle joins together grace and salt, saying, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt.: For salt is the Lord Jesus Christ, Who was able to preserve the whole earth, and made many to be salt in the earth: and if any of these be corrupted, (for it is possible for even the good to be changed into corruption,) they are worthy to be cast out.
