Reference: Eating
American
The Jews would have considered themselves polluted by eating with people of another religion, or with any who were ceremonially unclean or disreputable-as with Samaritans, Joh 4:9, publicans, Mt 9:11, or Gentiles, Ac 10:28; Ga 2:12. Eating together was an established token of mutual confidence and friendship, a pledge of friendly relations between families, which their children were expected to perpetuate. The rites of hospitality were held sacred; and to this day, among the Arabs, a fugitive is safe for the time, if he gains the shelter of even an enemy's tent. The abuse of hospitality was a great crime, Ps 41:9.
To "eat" a book, is to make its precepts, promises, and spirit one's own, Jer 15:16; Eze 3:1; Joh 4:14; Re 10:9. So to eat Christ's flesh and drink his blood, is to receive him as a Savior, and by a living faith to be imbued with his truth, his Spirit, and his heavenly life, Joh 6:32-58.
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Also the man of my peace whom I trusted in him, eating my bread, magnified the heel against me.
Thy words were found, and eating them; and thy word will be to me for the gladness and for the joy of my heart: for thy name was called upon me, Jehovah the God of armies.
And he will say to me, Son of man, eat what thou shalt find; eat this roll, and go speak to the house of Israel.
And the Pharisees, seeing, said to his disciples, Wherefore does your teacher eat with tax collectors and the sinful?
Then says the Samaritan woman to him, How thou, being a Jew, askest of me to drink, being a Samaritan woman? for the Jews have no intercourse with the Samaritans.
But whoever should drink of the water which I shall give him, shall never thirst; but the water which I shall give him shall be in him a spring of water springing up to eternal life.
Then said Jesus to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, Moses has not given you bread from heaven; but my Father gives you true bread from heaven. for the bread of God is he coming down from heaven, and giving life to the world. read more. Then said they to him, Lord, always give us this bread. And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he coming to me should not hunger; and he believing in me should not thirst. But I said to you, That ye have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and he coming to me I will not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not that I might do my will, but the will of him having sent me. And this is the will of the Father having sent me, that all which he has given me, I should not loose of it, but raise it up in the last day. And this is the will of him having sent me, that every one seeing the Son, and believing in him, should have eternal life: and I will raise him up at the last day. Then murmured the Jews about him, because he said, I am the bread having come down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, Joseph's son, whose father and mother we know? how then says he, That I have come down from heaven? Then answered Jesus and said to them, Murmur not with one another. None can come to me, except the Father having sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every one therefore having heard and learned of the Father, comes to me. Not that any one has seen the Father, except he being from God, he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, he believing in me has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate manna in the desert, and died. This is the bread which coming down from heaven, that whoever should eat of it, and he should not die. I am the living bread which having come down from heaven: if any one eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and also the bread which I shall give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world. Then the Jews contended with one another, saying, How can he give us the flesh to eat Then said Jesus to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in yourselves. He chewing my flesh, and drinking my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is truly food, and my blood is truly drink. He chewing my flesh, and drinking my blood, remains in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live through the Father: also he chewing me, the same also shall live through me. This is the bread which having come down from heaven: not as your fathers ate manna, and died: he chewing this bread shall live forever.
And he said to them, Ye know that it is violating law for a man a Jew to join himself, or come near to a strange tribe: and God shewed me to call no man common or unclean.
For before certain came from James, he ate with the nations: and when they came, he drew down, and separated himself, being afraid of them of the circumcision.
And I came forth to the angel, saying to him, Give me the little book. And he said to me, Take, and eat it up; and it shall render thy belly bitter, but in thy mouth shall it be sweet as honey.
Easton
The ancient Hebrews would not eat with the Egyptians (Ge 43:32). In the time of our Lord they would not eat with Samaritans (John 4:9), and were astonished that he ate with publicans and sinners (Mt 9:11). The Hebrews originally sat at table, but afterwards adopted the Persian and Chaldean practice of reclining (Lu 7:36-50). Their principal meal was at noon (Ge 43:16; 1Ki 20:16; Ru 2:14; Lu 14:12). The word "eat" is used metaphorically in Jer 15:16; Eze 3:1; Re 10:9. In Joh 6:53-58, "eating and drinking" means believing in Christ. Women were never present as guests at meals (q.v.).
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And Joseph will see Benjamin with them, and he will say to him over his house, Bring the men to the house, and slaughter a slaughter, and make ready, for the men shall eat with me at noon.
And they will set for him alone, and for them alone, and the Egyptians eating with him, alone; for the Egyptians will not be able to eat bread with the Hebrews; for it is abomination to the Egyptians.
And Boaz will say to her, At the time of eating draw near hither and eat from the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she will sit by side of the reapers: and he will lay hold of the parched grain for her, and she will eat and be satisfied, and will leave.
Thy words were found, and eating them; and thy word will be to me for the gladness and for the joy of my heart: for thy name was called upon me, Jehovah the God of armies.
And he will say to me, Son of man, eat what thou shalt find; eat this roll, and go speak to the house of Israel.
And the Pharisees, seeing, said to his disciples, Wherefore does your teacher eat with tax collectors and the sinful?
And a certain one of the Pharisees asked him that he would eat with him. And having come into the Pharisee's house, he reclined. And, behold, a woman in the city, who was sinful, knowing that he is reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, having brought an alabaster box of perfumed oil, read more. And stood at his feet behind, weeping, been to wet his feet with tears, and wiped with the hairs of her head; and she kissed his feet, and anointed with the perfumed oil. And the Pharisee having called him, seeing, said within himself, This, if he were a prophet, had known who and what race of woman which had touched him: for she is sinful. And Jesus having answered, said to him, Simon, I have something to say to thee. And he says, Teacher, speak. Two debtors were to a certain money-lender: one owed five hundred drachmas, and the other fifty. And they not having to pay, he bestowed as a gift upon both. Which of them therefore will love him the more? Say thou. And Simon, having answered, said, I suppose, that to whom he bestowed more favor. And he said to him, Thou hast judged rightly, And having turned to the woman, he said to Simon, Thou seest this woman? I came into thy house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: and she wet my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: and she from when I came in left not kissing my feet. Thou anointedst not my head with oil: and she anointed my feet with perfumed oil. For which I say to thee, Her many sins are remitted; for she loved much: and he to whom little is remitted, loves little. And he said to her, Thy sins are remitted. And they reclining together began to say in themselves, Who is this who also remits sins? And he said to the woman, Thy faith has saved thee; go in peace.
And he also said to him having called him, When thou makest a breakfast or supper, call not thy friends, nor thy rich neighbors, nor thy brethren; lest they call thee in return, and a giving back be to thee.
Then said Jesus to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in yourselves. He chewing my flesh, and drinking my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. read more. For my flesh is truly food, and my blood is truly drink. He chewing my flesh, and drinking my blood, remains in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live through the Father: also he chewing me, the same also shall live through me. This is the bread which having come down from heaven: not as your fathers ate manna, and died: he chewing this bread shall live forever.
And I came forth to the angel, saying to him, Give me the little book. And he said to me, Take, and eat it up; and it shall render thy belly bitter, but in thy mouth shall it be sweet as honey.
Morish
Besides the common use of this word, it is employed symbolically for to 'consume, destroy:' they "eat up my people as they eat bread." Ps 14:4; cf. Pr 30:14; Hab 3:14; 2Ti 2:17. Also for receiving, digesting, and delighting in God's words: "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts." Jer 15:16. To eat together of the same bread or food is a token of friendship. Jos 9:14; Ps 41:9; Cant. 5:1; Joh 13:18; and such an expression of intimacy is forbidden towards those walking disorderly. 1Co 5:11. It is used to express the satisfaction of doing the work that is before the soul: the Lord said, "I have meat to eat that ye know not of." Joh 4:32. Also to express appropriation to the eater of the death of Christ: "except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." Joh 6:53. (In Joh 6:51,53 there is eating for reception, ????; and in Joh 6:54,56-57, eating as a present thing for the maintenance of life, ?????.) In the Lord's Supper the Christian eats that which is a symbol of the body of Christ, Mt 26:26, and in eating he has communion with Christ's death. 1Co 10:16.
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And the men will take of their food, and they asked not the mouth of Jehovah.
Did not the workers of vanity know? eating my people they ate bread; they called not Jehovah.
Also the man of my peace whom I trusted in him, eating my bread, magnified the heel against me.
A generation, its teeth swords, and its biter's teeth, knives, to devour the poor from the land, and the needy from man.
Thy words were found, and eating them; and thy word will be to me for the gladness and for the joy of my heart: for thy name was called upon me, Jehovah the God of armies.
Thou didst pierce with rods the head of the leader: they will rush on as a tempest to scatter me their exultation as to devour the poor in secret
And they eating, Jesus, having taken the bread and praised, brake and gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
And he said to them, I have food to eat which ye know not.
I am the living bread which having come down from heaven: if any one eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and also the bread which I shall give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.
Then said Jesus to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in yourselves.
Then said Jesus to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in yourselves. He chewing my flesh, and drinking my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
He chewing my flesh, and drinking my blood, remains in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live through the Father: also he chewing me, the same also shall live through me.
I say not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the writing might be completed, He chewing bread with me lifted up his heel against me.
And now I wrote to you not to mix together, if any called a brother is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or intoxicated, or rapacious; not to eat with such.
The cup of praise which we praise, is it not the mutual participation of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the mutual participation of the body of Christ?
Watsons
EATING. The ancient Hebrews did not eat indifferently with all persons: they would have esteemed themselves polluted and dishonoured by eating with people of another religion, or of an odious profession. In Joseph's day they neither ate with the Egyptians, nor the Egyptians with them, Ge 43:32; nor, in our Saviour's time, with the Samaritans, Joh 4:9. The Jews were scandalized at Christ's eating with publicans and sinners, Mt 9:11. As there were several sorts of meats, the use of which was prohibited, they could not conveniently eat with those who partook of them, fearing to receive pollution by touching such food, or if by accident any particles of it should fall on them. The ancient Hebrews, at their meals, had each his separate table. Joseph, entertaining his brethren in Egypt, seated them separately, each at his particular table; and he himself sat down separately from the Egyptians, who ate with him; but he sent to his brethren portions out of the provisions which were before him, Ge 43:31, &c. Elkanah, Samuel's father, who had two wives, distributed their portions to them separately, 1Sa 1:4-5. In Homer, each guest has his little table apart; and the master of the feast distributes meat to each. We are assured that this is still practised in China; and that many in India never eat out of the same dish, nor on the same table, with another person, believing that they cannot do so without sin; and this, not only in their own country, but when travelling, and in foreign lands.
The ancient manners which we see in Homer we see likewise in Scripture, with regard to eating, drinking, and entertainments: we find great plenty, but little delicacy; and great respect and honour paid to the guests by serving them plentifully. Joseph sent his brother Benjamin a portion five times larger than those of his other brethren. Samuel set a whole quarter of a calf before Saul. The women did not appear at table in entertainments with the men: this would have been an indecency; as it is at this day throughout the east. The present Jews, before they sit down to table, carefully wash their hands: they speak of this ceremony as essential and obligatory. After meals they wash them again. When they sit down to table, the master of the house, or the chief person in the company, taking bread, breaks it, but does not wholly separate it; then, putting his hand on it, he recites this blessing: "Blessed be thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, who producest the bread of the earth." Those present answer, "Amen." Having distributed the bread among the guests, he takes the vessel of wine in his right hand, saying, "Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the world, who hast produced the fruit of the vine." They then repeat the twenty-third Psalm. Buxtorf, and Leo of Modena, who have given particular accounts of the Jewish ceremonies, differ in some circumstances: the reason is, Buxtorf wrote principally the ceremonies of the German Jews, and Leo, those of the Italian Jews. They take care that, after meals, there shall be a piece of bread remaining on the table; the master of the house orders a glass to be washed, fills it with wine, and, elevating it, says," Let us bless Him of whose benefits we have been partaking:" the rest answer, "Blessed be He who has heaped his favours on us, and by his goodness has now fed us." Then he recites a pretty long prayer, wherein he thanks God for his many benefits vouchsafed to Israel; beseeches him to pity Jerusalem and his temple, to restore the throne of David, to send Elias and the Messiah, to deliver them out of their long captivity, &c. All present answer, "Amen;" and then recite Ps 34:9-10. Then, giving the glass with the little wine in it to be drunk round, he drinks what is left, and the table is cleared. See BANQUETS.
Partaking of the benefits of Christ's passion by faith is also called eating, because this is the support of our spiritual life, Joh 6:53,56. Hosea reproaches the priests of his time with eating the sins of the people, Ho 4:8; that is, feasting on their sin offerings, rather than reforming their manners. John the Baptist is said to have come "neither eating nor drinking," Mt 11:18; that is, as other men did; for he lived in the wilderness, on locusts, wild honey, and water, Mt 3:4; Lu 1:15. This is expressed: in Lu 7:33, by his neither eating "bread," nor drinking "wine." On the other hand, the Son of Man is said, in Mt 11:19, to have come "eating and drinking;" that is, as others did; and that too with all sorts of persons, Pharisees, publicans, and sinners.
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And he will wash his face and come forth, and will restrain himself, and will say, Place bread. And they will set for him alone, and for them alone, and the Egyptians eating with him, alone; for the Egyptians will not be able to eat bread with the Hebrews; for it is abomination to the Egyptians.
And the day will be and Elkanah will sacrifice, and he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughter, portions And to Hannah he will give one portion more, for he loved Hannah; and Jehovah. shut up her womb.
Fear Jehovah, ye his holy ones; for no want to those fearing him. The young lions suffered want and were hungry: and they seeking Jehovah shall not want any good.
They will eat up the sin of my people, and they will lift up their soul to their iniquity.
And this John had his garment from camel's hair, and a leather girdle about his loins, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
And the Pharisees, seeing, said to his disciples, Wherefore does your teacher eat with tax collectors and the sinful?
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He has an evil spirit. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man a glutton, and wine drinker, a friend of publicans and sinful; and wisdom has been justified from her children.
For he shall be great before the Lord, and wine and fermented liquor he should not drink; and with the Holy Spirit shall he be filled, even from his mother's womb.
For John the Immerser came, neither eating bread, nor drinking wine, and ye say, He has a demon.
Then says the Samaritan woman to him, How thou, being a Jew, askest of me to drink, being a Samaritan woman? for the Jews have no intercourse with the Samaritans.
Then said Jesus to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in yourselves.
He chewing my flesh, and drinking my blood, remains in me, and I in him.