Reference: Meals
American
See EATING.
Easton
are at the present day "eaten from a round table little higher than a stool, guests sitting cross-legged on mats or small carpets in a circle, and dipping their fingers into one large dish heaped with a mixture of boiled rice and other grain and meat. But in the time of our Lord, and perhaps even from the days of Amos (Am 6:4,7), the foreign custom had been largely introduced of having broad couches, forming three sides of a small square, the guests reclining at ease on their elbows during meals, with their faces to the space within, up and down which servants passed offering various dishes, or in the absence of servants, helping themselves from dishes laid on a table set between the couches." Geikie's Life of Christ. (Comp. Lu 7:36-50.) (See Abraham's bosom; Banquet; Feast.)
Illustration: Roman Triclinium
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AND one of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him; and going into the Pharisee's house he reclined. And behold, a certain woman in the city, a sinner, knowing that he was reclining in the house of the Pharisee, brought a vase of ointment, read more. and standing behind, by his feet, weeping, washed his feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head; and she kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. And the Pharisee who invited him, seeing it, spoke within himself, saying, If this was a prophet he would have known who and what kind of a woman this is who touches him; for she is a sinner. And Jesus answered and said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. And he said, Teacher, say it. A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed him five hundred denarii [$70], and the other fifty [$7]. And having nothing to pay, he gave [the debt] to both. Tell me, therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose the one to whom he gave most. And he said to him, You have judged rightly. And turning to the woman, he said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I came into your house; you gave me no water for my feet; but she has wet my feet with tears, and wiped them with her hairs. You gave me no kiss; but she, from the time that I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. You anointed not my head with oil; but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she has loved much; but he to whom little is forgiven, loves little. And he said to her, Your sins are forgiven. And those who reclined with him said within themselves, Who is this that forgives sins also? And he said to the woman, Your faith has saved you; go in peace.
Fausets
The ariston, often translated "dinner," is rather breakfast or luncheon (Mt 22:4); Lu 14:12 "a dinner (breakfast or luncheon) or a supper" (deipnon, a late dinner). The principal Egyptian meal was at noon (Ge 43:16); but the Jews' chief meal at even (Ge 19:1-3, Lot; Ru 3:7, Boaz). Israel ate bread or manna in the morning, flesh in the evening (Ex 16:12); the Passover supper in the evening confirms this. The ancient Hebrew sat at meals (Ge 27:19; Jg 19:6), but not necessarily on a chair, which was reserved as a special dignity (2Ki 4:10). Reclining on couches was latterly the posture at meals (Am 6:4); Am 3:12 says, "dwell in the corner of a bed," i.e. the inner corner where the two sides of the divan meet, the place of dignity (Pusey), "and in Damascus (in) a couch"; not as Gesenius "on a damask couch," for Damascus was then famed for the raw material "white wool" (Eze 27:18), not yet for damask.
Derived from the Syrians, Babylonians, and Persians (Es 1:6; 7:8). For "tables," Mr 7:4, translated "couches"; and for "sitting at meat" in New Testament translated everywhere "reclining." As three were generally on one couch, one lay or "leaned" on another's bosom, as John did on Jesus' chest. Such a close position was chosen by friends, and gave the opportunity of confidential whispering, as when John asked who should betray Jesus (Joh 13:23-25). Ordinarily, three couches (the highest, the middle, and the lowest) formed three sides of a square, the fourth being open for the servants to bring the dishes. On each couch there was the highest, the middle and the lowest guest. "The uppermost room" desired by the Pharisees was the highest seat on the highest couch (Mt 23:6). Females were not as now in the East secluded from the males at meals, as the cases of Ruth among the reapers (Ru 2:14), Elkanah with his wives (1Sa 1:4), Job's sons and daughters (Job 1:4) show.
The women served the men (Lu 10:40; Joh 12:2). The blessing of the food by thanks to the Giver preceded the meal; the only Old Testament instance is 1Sa 9:13. Our Lord always did so (Mt 15:36; Joh 6:11); so Paul (Ac 27:35), confirming precept (1Ti 4:3-4) by practice. De 8:10 implies the duty of grace at the close of a meal. A bread sop held between the thumb and two fingers was dipped into the melted grease in a bowl, or into a dish of meat, and a piece taken out. To hand a friend a delicate morsel was esteemed a kindly act. So Jesus to Judas, treating him as a friend, which aggravates his treachery (Joh 13:18,26; Ps 41:9). Geier, in Poli Synopsis, translated Pr 19:24 "a slothful man hides his hand in the "dish" (tsaliachat) and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again"; KJV means the cavity in the bosom like a dish. Great feasts were held at the end of each third year (De 14:28) when the Levite, stranger, fatherless, and widow were invited (compare Lu 14:12-13; Ne 8:10-12).
After a previous invitation, on the day of the feast a second was issued to intimate all was ready (Es 5:8; 6:14; Mt 22:3-4). The guests were received with a kiss; water for the feet, ointment for the person, and robes were supplied (Lu 7:38-45). The washing of hands before meals was indispensable for cleanliness, as the ringers were their knives and forks, and all the guests dipped into the same dish (Mt 26:23). The Pharisees overlaid this with a minute and burdensome ritual (Mr 7:1-13). Wreaths were worn on the head: Isa 28:1, where the beauty of Samaria is the "fading flower on the head of the fat valleys." Its position on the brow of a hill made the comparison appropriate. Hebraism for "woe to the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim" (Horsley).
Its people were generally drunken revelers literally, and metaphorically like such were rushing on their own ruin (Isa 28:7-8; 5:11-22; Am 4:1; 6:1-6). The nation would perish as the drunkard's soon fading wreath. A "governor of the feast" (architriklinos, the Greek sumposiarchees, the Latin magister convivii) superintended, tasting the food and liquors, and settling the order and rules of the entertainment (Joh 2:8). The places were assigned according to the respective rank (Ge 43:33; 1Sa 9:22; Lu 14:8; Mr 12:39). Drinking revels were called mishteh (the komos of the Greeks, Latin comissatio), 1Sa 25:36. Condemned by the prophets (Isa 5:11; Am 6:6) and apostles (Ro 13:13; Ga 5:21; Eph 5:18; 1Pe 4:3).
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and taking the seven loaves and the fishes, and giving thanks, he broke, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.
And he sent his servants to call the invited to the wedding, and they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, Tell the invited, Behold, I have prepared my supper, my oxen and fatted creatures are killed, and all things are ready; come to the wedding.
Again he sent other servants, saying, Tell the invited, Behold, I have prepared my supper, my oxen and fatted creatures are killed, and all things are ready; come to the wedding.
and love the first tables at feasts, and the first seats in the synagogues,
But he answered and said, He that dips his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me.
AND the Pharisees and some of the scribes having come from Jerusalem came together to him,
1-2 pint measures], and brass vessels, and beds. and seeing some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, unwashed hands, [they found fault]. read more. For the Pharisees and all the Jews eat not unless they wash their hands with the fist, holding the tradition of the elders. And from a market, unless they baptize they eat not; and there are many other [customs] which they have received to hold; baptisms, of cups and sextuses [
And from a market, unless they baptize they eat not; and there are many other [customs] which they have received to hold; baptisms, of cups and sextuses [ And the Pharisees and scribes asked, Why do not your disciples conform to the tradition of the elders; but eat bread with defiled hands? read more. And he said to them, Well did Isaiah prophecy of you, hypocrites, as it is written; This people honors me with the lips, but their heart is far from me; but in vain do they worship me, teaching for teachings the commandments of men; for leaving the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men. And he said to them, Well do you reject the commandment of God, to keep your tradition; for Moses said, Honor your father and your mother, and, He that reviles father or mother, let him surely die. But you say, If a man says to his father or mother, It is a corban, which is a gift, by whatever you might be profited by me, [he shall be free]; and suffer him no longer to do any thing for his father or his mother; making the word of God of no effect by your tradition which you have delivered; and many such things you do.
and the first seats in the synagogues, and the first places at feasts;
and standing behind, by his feet, weeping, washed his feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head; and she kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. And the Pharisee who invited him, seeing it, spoke within himself, saying, If this was a prophet he would have known who and what kind of a woman this is who touches him; for she is a sinner. read more. And Jesus answered and said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. And he said, Teacher, say it. A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed him five hundred denarii [$70], and the other fifty [$7]. And having nothing to pay, he gave [the debt] to both. Tell me, therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose the one to whom he gave most. And he said to him, You have judged rightly. And turning to the woman, he said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I came into your house; you gave me no water for my feet; but she has wet my feet with tears, and wiped them with her hairs. You gave me no kiss; but she, from the time that I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet.
But Martha was distracted with much serving, and came and said, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her, therefore, to help me.
When you are invited by any one to a wedding, do not sit down in the first place, lest at some time a more honorable man than you should have been invited by him,
And he said also to him that had invited him, When you make a breakfast, or a supper, call not your friends, nor your brothers, nor your relatives, nor your rich neighbors, lest they also at some time invite you in return, and a compensation be made to you.
And he said also to him that had invited him, When you make a breakfast, or a supper, call not your friends, nor your brothers, nor your relatives, nor your rich neighbors, lest they also at some time invite you in return, and a compensation be made to you. But when you make a feast, invite the poor, crippled, lame, blind,
And he said to them, Now draw out and bear to the master of the feast; and they bore it.
Then Jesus took the bread, and having given thanks, distributed it to those reclining; likewise also of the fishes, as much as they wished.
Then they made him a supper there, and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of those that reclined with him.
I speak not of you all; I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He that eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me.
One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining on the bosom of Jesus. Then Simon Peter made signs to this man, and said to him, Ask who it is of whom he speaks. read more. He, falling down on the breast of Jesus, said to him, Lord, who is it? Then Jesus answered, It is he to whom I will dip and give the mouthful. Then dipping the mouthful, he took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
And having said these things, and taken bread, he thanked God before all, and having broken began to eat.
Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelries and drinking, not in lewdness and excesses, not in strife and envy;
murders, drunkenness, revellings and the like, of which I tell you before, as I have also previously told you, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
And be not drunk with wine, in which is excess, but be filled with the spirit,
who forbid to marry, [command] to abstain from meat, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful and those who know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be rejected, [but] to be received with thanksgiving;
Hastings
In the art. Food attention was confined to the various articles of diet supplied by the vegetable and animal kingdoms. It now remains to study the methods by which these were prepared for the table, the times at which, and the manner in which, they were served.
1. Preparation of food.
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and she, having been put forward by her mother, said, Give me here on a plate the head of John the Baptist.
and his head was brought on a plate and given to the girl, and she carried it to her mother.
and taking the seven loaves and the fishes, and giving thanks, he broke, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.
And he sent his servants to call the invited to the wedding, and they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, Tell the invited, Behold, I have prepared my supper, my oxen and fatted creatures are killed, and all things are ready; come to the wedding.
Again he sent other servants, saying, Tell the invited, Behold, I have prepared my supper, my oxen and fatted creatures are killed, and all things are ready; come to the wedding.
And the king coming in to see the guests observed there a man who had not on a wedding garment,
and love the first tables at feasts, and the first seats in the synagogues,
But he answered and said, He that dips his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me.
But he answered and said, He that dips his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me.
And Judas, who betrayed him, answered and said, Is it I, Rabbi? He said to him, As you say.
And coming, he took her by the hand, and raised her up, and the fever immediately left her, and she waited on them.
For the Pharisees and all the Jews eat not unless they wash their hands with the fist, holding the tradition of the elders.
And he said to them, It is one of the twelve who dips with me in the dish.
and standing behind, by his feet, weeping, washed his feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head; and she kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
And turning to the woman, he said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I came into your house; you gave me no water for my feet; but she has wet my feet with tears, and wiped them with her hairs. You gave me no kiss; but she, from the time that I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet.
But Martha was distracted with much serving, and came and said, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her, therefore, to help me.
And the Pharisee seeing him, wondered that he was not first baptized before breakfast. And the Lord said to him, Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and plate, but your inside is full of plunder and wickedness.
And he sent his servant at the time of the supper to say to the invited, Come, for all things are now ready.
And he sent his servant at the time of the supper to say to the invited, Come, for all things are now ready.
But his older son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house he heard music and the dancers.
But which of you having a servant plowing, or keeping sheep, will say to him when he comes in from the field, Come immediately and sit down?
His mother said to the servants, Do whatever he tells you. And there were six stone water jars there, placed for the purification of the Jews, containing two or three metretes [16.75 or 25.125 gallons] each.
And he said to them, Now draw out and bear to the master of the feast; and they bore it. And when the master of the feast tasted of the water made wine, and knew not whence it was,??ut the servants knew who had drawn the water,??he master of the feast called the bridegroom
One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining on the bosom of Jesus.
Then Jesus answered, It is he to whom I will dip and give the mouthful. Then dipping the mouthful, he took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
Jesus said to them, Come and breakfast. No one of the disciples dared to ask him, Who are you? for they knew that he was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave them, and the fish likewise.
When therefore they had breakfasted, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? He said to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I am a friend to you. He said to him, Feed my lambs.
And having said these things, and taken bread, he thanked God before all, and having broken began to eat.
Smith
Meals.
Our information on the subject of meals is but scanty. The early Hebrews do not seem to have given special names to their several meals, for the terms rendered "dine" and "dinner" in the Authorized Version (
) are in reality general expressions, which might more correctly be rendered "eat" and "portion of food." In the New Testament "dinner" and "supper,"
Lu 14:12; Joh 21:12
are more properly "breakfast" and "dinner." There is some uncertainty as to the hours at which meals were taken; the Egyptians undoubtedly took their principal mean at noon,
laborers took a light meal at that time.
comp. ver. Ruth 2:17 The Jews rather followed the custom that prevails among the Bedouins, and made their principal meal after sunset, and a lighter meal at about 9 or 10 A.M. The old Hebrews were in the habit of sitting.
Ge 27:19; Jg 19:6; 1Sa 20:5,24; 1Ki 13:20
The table was in this case but slightly elevated above the ground, as is still the case in Egypt. As luxury increased, the practice of sitting was exchanged for that of reclining was the universal custom. As several guests reclined on the same couch, each overlapped his neighbor, as it were, and rested his head on or near the breast of the one who lay behind him; he was then said to "lean on the bosom" of his neighbor.
Joh 13:23; 21:20
The ordinary arrangement of the couches was in three sides of a square, the fourth being left open for the servants to bring up the dishes. Some doubt attends the question whether the females took their meals along with the males. Before commencing the meal the guests washed their hands. This custom was founded on natural decorum: not only was the hand the substitute for our knife and for, but the hands of all the guests were dipped into one and the same dish. Another preliminary step was the grace or blessing, of which we have but one instance in the Old Testament --
--and more than one pronounced by our Lord himself in the new Testament --Matt 15:36; Luke 9:16; John 6:11 The mode of taking the food differed in no material point from the modern usages of the East. Generally there was a single dish, into which each gue
Occasionally separate portions were served out to each.
A piece of bread was held between the thumb and two fingers of the right hand, and was dipped either into a bowl of melted grease (in which case it was termed "a sop,")
Joh 13:26
or into the dish of meat, whence a piece was conveyed to the mouth between the layers of bread. At the conclusion of the meal, grace was again said in conformity with
De 8:10
and the hands were again washed. On state occasions more ceremony was used, and the meal was enlivened in various ways. A sumptuous repast was prepared; the guests were previously invited,
and on the day of the feast a second invitation was issued to those that were bidden.
The visitors were received with a kiss,
Lu 7:45
water was furnished for them to wash their feet with,
Lu 7:44
the head, the beard, the feet, and sometimes the clothes, were perfumed with ointment,
Ps 23:5; Joh 12:3
on special occasions robes were provided,
and the head was decorated with wreaths.
The regulation of the feast was under the superintendence of a special officer,
Joh 2:8
(Authorized Version "governor of the feast"), whose business it was to taste the food and the liquors before they were placed on the table, and to settle about the toasts and amusements; he was generally one of the guests, Ecclus. 32:1,2, and might therefore take part in the conversation. The places of the guests were settled according to their respective rand,
portions of food were placed before each,
the most honored guests receiving either larger,
or more choice,
portions than the rest. The meal was enlivened with music, singing and dancing,
or with riddles,
and amid these entertainments the festival was prolonged for several days.
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And he sent his servants to call the invited to the wedding, and they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, Tell the invited, Behold, I have prepared my supper, my oxen and fatted creatures are killed, and all things are ready; come to the wedding.
And the king coming in to see the guests observed there a man who had not on a wedding garment,
But he answered and said, He that dips his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me.
and the first seats in the synagogues, and the first places at feasts;
And turning to the woman, he said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I came into your house; you gave me no water for my feet; but she has wet my feet with tears, and wiped them with her hairs. You gave me no kiss; but she, from the time that I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet.
And he said also to him that had invited him, When you make a breakfast, or a supper, call not your friends, nor your brothers, nor your relatives, nor your rich neighbors, lest they also at some time invite you in return, and a compensation be made to you.
And he said to them, Now draw out and bear to the master of the feast; and they bore it.
Then Mary taking a pound of genuine nard, very costly, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hairs. And the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.
One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining on the bosom of Jesus.
Then Jesus answered, It is he to whom I will dip and give the mouthful. Then dipping the mouthful, he took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
Jesus said to them, Come and breakfast. No one of the disciples dared to ask him, Who are you? for they knew that he was the Lord.
And Peter turning around saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also reclined at the supper on his breast and said, Lord, who is it that is to betray you?