I am a Jesus pusher!!! In our verse, Jesus said, “It is then good for nothing but . . ..” (Matthew 5:13). The Greek word commonly translated “but” is “de.” However, Jesus states, “ei me.” It is a combination of “if” (ei) and “not” (me) often translated “except, if not, or unless.” It marks a contrast by designating an exception. Jesus forcibly said that a person filled with the Spirit, a Kingdom person, is going to influence their world. It will not be by their performance or doing, but by the flow of the Spirit of God through them. If this is not happening, they are not Kingdom people. They are “salt” that is not “salty;” therefore, it is not “salt.” They are in the condition of being helpless without any resource at all. They are useless, without value.
Jesus says, “Let me correct my statement.” There is an exception of the absolute helpless, useless, and without value. The one value they now have is “to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” (Matthew 5:13). There are several parallel illustrations of this same idea given by Jesus, who spoke of the holy and sacred things given to dogs. These dogs have no comprehension of this truth’s value and the eternal significance of its impartation. A dog treats a book of pornography and the Holy Scriptures the same. A person sits under the exposition of the Holy Word of God and misses it all because of a cobweb hanging from the sanctuary light enamors them. Jesus described it, “Do not give what is holy to dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces” (Matthew 7:6). We only discover proper value through intimacy with Jesus. I am a Jesus pusher!!!