"You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. (Mt 5:13-16)
The main function of salt is to have its distinctive taste and also to give taste to the materials (food) with which they are linked to. The people of Israel have lost their distinctive taste. Their distinctive taste was seen in their belonging to God through a covenant relationship. For them God was everything and God was the only thing in their life. Now they have lost their taste and have become like everyone else. They play their power politics and factions and fights on the factions like everyone else.
God called Israel to be the light of the world. (Is 42,6; 49,6). Through Israel God wanted to shine in the darkened world. It was not to show up the evil, but enable people to find their way in the dark world. So Israel was supposed to be light-bearer. But it has become part of darkness.
They were to give glory to God. By being salt and by being light like a city built on a hill top they are supposed to have been the sign of God’ presence. They were to be a sign to the world around that the one God, the creator, the God of Israel, and that they should worship him.
