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,
Gen. xliii, 32; nor, in our Saviour’s time, with the Samaritans, John
iv, 9. The Jews were scandalized at Christ’s eating with publicans and
sinners, Matt. ix, 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, Gen. xliii, 31, &c. Elkanah, Samuel’s
father, who had two wives, distributed their portions to them
separately, 1 Sam. i, 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 Psalm xxxiv, 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, John vi, 53,
56. Hosea reproaches the priests of his time with eating the sins of the
people, Hosea iv, 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,” Matt. xi, 18; that is, as other men did;
for he lived in the wilderness, on locusts, wild honey, and water, Matt.
iii, 4; Luke i, 15. This is expressed, in Luke vii, 33, by his neither
eating “bread,” nor drinking “wine.” On the other hand, the Son of Man
is said, in Matt. xi, 19, to have come “eating and drinking;” that is,
as others did; and that too with all sorts of persons, Pharisees,
publicans, and sinners.
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,
Gen. xliii, 32; nor, in our Saviour’s time, with the Samaritans, John
iv, 9. The Jews were scandalized at Christ’s eating with publicans and
sinners, Matt. ix, 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, Gen. xliii, 31, &c. Elkanah, Samuel’s
father, who had two wives, distributed their portions to them
separately, 1 Sam. i, 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 Psalm xxxiv, 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, John vi, 53,
56. Hosea reproaches the priests of his time with eating the sins of the
people, Hosea iv, 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,” Matt. xi, 18; that is, as other men did;
for he lived in the wilderness, on locusts, wild honey, and water, Matt.
iii, 4; Luke i, 15. This is expressed, in Luke vii, 33, by his neither
eating “bread,” nor drinking “wine.” On the other hand, the Son of Man
is said, in Matt. xi, 19, to have come “eating and drinking;” that is,
as others did; and that too with all sorts of persons, Pharisees,
publicans, and sinners.