John Calvin Commentary Leviticus 2:13

"And every oblation of thy meal-offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meal-offering: with all thine oblations thou shalt offer salt." — Leviticus 2:13 (ASV)

And every oblation of your meat-offering. The reason for salting the victims was very similar, namely, that God’s service might not be without savor; but the true seasoning which gives grace to sacrifices is found nowhere except in God’s word.

From this it follows that all modes of worship fabricated by men are rejected as unsavory. For although those who profane God’s worship with superstitions think themselves very sharp, yet everything that seems best to them under the cloak of wisdom is mere foolishness.

Nevertheless, Christ draws an exhortation from this ceremony, namely, that believers, if they desire to please God, should patiently endure to be refined and purified. “Every one,” He says, shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt (Mark 9:49).

In these words He signifies that when we are searched and tried by fire, we shall be acceptable sacrifices to God, and that this is the seasoning of salt when our flesh with its desires shall have been well mortified.

Meanwhile, let us firmly hold to this: our service of God is not what it should be without the savor that is to be sought in the word, since in all human minds not one particle of salt is to be found.

I pass by other more subtle allegories, in which I see no other use than to gratify curious ears. “The salt of the covenant” is used in a different sense from “the covenant of salt,” namely, as the salt that is employed in the sacrifice according to the inviolable compact of God.

From this, too, what I have said before is confirmed: that keeping God’s covenant always occupies the first place in this service.