Salted With Fire

[Paidion]

Over many years, I have read the words of our Lord as recorded in Mark's memoirs, and had difficulty making sense of them. Recently, I think I have gotten somewhere. I would be grateful for your thoughts on the passage, if you care to express them.

47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell,
48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’
49 For everyone will be salted with fire.
50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” (Mark 9)

In verses 48 and 49, Jesus seems to be warning his disciples against a future discomfort in hell (Gehenna). Oh yes, I know that some want to restrict the concept of Gehenna to the valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem. But why would anyone care whether or not their body was cast into Hinnom after death? But would it not make a great difference whether or not one was cast into a state of suffering after he is raised from the dead?

Does anyone have any ideas about "their worm does not die." I have no idea of the meaning of immortal worms. But everyone is salted with fire. Both salt and fire are purifying agents. Does this suggest that EVERYONE will be purified in the fires of Gehenna? Or did Jesus have in mind only that His disciples (of all ages) would be so purified?

Verse 50 was the least understandable to me. But today a possible meaning occurred to me. Salt is good. What is it good for? Purification. It will kill bacteria. The salt of purification to which Jesus refers is fire. But if salt loses its saltiness, it is useless for purification purposes. How can salt lose its saltiness? Of course, this is impossible for pure salt to do so. But rock salt in the form in which it is mined is largely rock. If you leach the salt out of it, it is useless for the purpose of purification. You cannot make it salty again, and use it for purification.

"Have salt in yourselves." Within your mind, heart, or soul, you need a means of purification—something within by which you can kill the "bacteria", the evil within that fights against your very being and tends to destroy or disable it. With this self-correcting mind set, you will be at peace with one another, and will not permit hate of others or contention or any other evil attitudes from within from destroying your human relationships.