He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone.
Ecclesiastes 9:7
“Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart.” Download your free printable here. (Psst: These recipes are perfect for Bible study.)
The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
In conclusion, we are intended to enjoy and treasure food. God not only created food because it is a necessity for our bodies, but also because He wanted us to enjoy the blessings of taste and physical fulfillment through food.
Prohibited foods that may not be consumed in any form include all animals—and the products of animals—that do not chew the cud and do not have cloven hoofs (e.g., pigs and horses); fish without fins and scales; the blood of any animal; shellfish (e.g., clams, oysters, shrimp, crabs) and all other living creatures that ...
The only dietary restrictions specified for Christians in the New Testament are to "abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meat of strangled animals" (Acts 15:29), teachings that the early Church Fathers, such as Clement of Alexandria and Origen, preached for believers to follow.
Chief crops were wheat, barley, olives, grapes; legumes such as lentils, fava beans, chickpeas; and vegetables such as onions, leeks, and garlic. Life was also made sweeter with fruits such as olives, grapes, date palms, apples, watermelon, pomegranates, figs, and sycamores (a low-quality fig eaten mainly by the poor).
In a poll of several hundred experts, angel food cake was voted the preferred cuisine of heaven. Angel hair pasta came in second.
In other words, God wants us to enjoyour food, not feel guilty or frustrated with it (Matthew 6:25-27)! Food is not the enemy. It is meant for our enjoyment and fellowship. So today, lets purpose to look at food through eyes of thankfulness, rather than feelings of deprivation and discontentment.
Your food is as much a gift from God as the manna in the wilderness. So, give thanks to the Lord. Many Christians recognize this by saying grace at meals. This is a good tradition.
Prohibition in Jewish law
According to Leviticus 11:3, animals like cows, sheep, and deer that have divided hooves and chew their cud may be consumed. Pigs should not be eaten because they don't chew their cud. The ban on the consumption of pork is repeated in Deuteronomy 14:8.
Along with bread, fish, meat, olives, grapes, and other fruits and vegetables, dairy products were important foods of the Bible. They provided great variety and significant nutrition to the ancient world. Fresh, raw products from grass-fed cows, sheep, and goats constituted the dairy portion of the biblical diet.
Jesus said that they did not need to go away, and therefore the disciples were to give them something to eat. They said that they only had five loaves and two fish, which Jesus asked to be brought to him.
One implication of this is that Christians are to be good stewards of our body by eating healthy foods. The bread and juice we use in Communion represent Christ's crucified body and shed blood. The bread and juice are primarily for spiritual nourishment … not physical sustenance.
Food that God gave miraculously to the Israelites in the Exodus, after the food they had brought with them out of Egypt (see also Egypt) had run out.
Christians have always enjoyed sharing a meal because of the rich biblical symbolism; because it is a tangible expression of service, love, and unity; and because of the opportunity it affords for true fellowship and genuine community.
The food provided for us in this world rots away, just as our physical bodies do. Through Jesus, we will never hunger or thirst again (John 6:35), and that food will never perish (John 6:27). This spiritual food, that our savior has provisioned for us, will one day bring us all together with our creator.
Proverbs 23:20-30 In-Context
20 Don't drink too much wine or eat too much food. 22 Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not forget your mother when she is old.
“He really likes fish. In fact, He cooked fish for us disciples at the shore of Galilee soon after His resurrection.” “That's right,” said James and John the Sons of Thunder, “We were there and ate fish with Him for breakfast.” Abraham replied, “Well, maybe fish is okay for breakfast but we are thinking about supper.”
Many biblical scholars believe that Jesus was a vegetarian. Jesus' message is one of love and compassion, and there is nothing loving or compassionate about factory farms and slaughterhouses, where billions of animals live miserable lives and die violent, bloody deaths.
Bread and fish was a common meal. This is illustrated by the miracle of The loaves and the fishes, as well as the meal at the lakeside in Galilee where Christ prepared fish for them over a charcoal fire. The Sea of Galilee had great quantities of fish; and fish were also gotten from the Mediterranean Sea.
A bean stew, lamb, olives, bitter herbs, a fish sauce, unleavened bread, dates and aromatized wine likely were on the menu at the Last Supper, says recent research into Palestinian cuisine during Jesus's time.
We usually have three main meals a day. Biblical meals did not include breakfast, lunch, and dinner as we have. There were only two regular meals in the Bible. They were eaten in the morning and the evening, according to Exodus 16:12.
For Christians, all foods are acceptable. When no fast is prescribed, there are no prohibited foods. Orthodox Christians follow a basically Vegan diet during periods of fasting. The most significant of these is the Great Lenten Fast which occurs during the six weeks prior to Orthodox Easter.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. – 1 Corinthians 10:31. When you bring God into your healthy eating, it changes everything. Striving to honor Him in your food and drink choices will bring not only a heart change, but it will also change your choices.
The four canonical gospels state that the Last Supper took place in the week of Passover, days after Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and before Jesus was crucified on Good Friday.