Culture, relationships/companionship, welcome, sealing covenant, celebrations, funerals, weddings, rites of passage, dietary rules in religion, food as sacrifice.

“Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.” (John 4:31-36)

“When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not labour for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6)

Introduction

Why Eating?

Meals in the Bible

God provides food as Creator

Provides manna for 40 years Ex 16 sign of God’s presence with them “land of milk and honey” Ex 13:5; Num 13:27; Deut 6:3

Satisfaction in eating symbolises blessing- Deut 6:11; 8:10-12; 11:15 (cf. Acts 13; 17) dissatisfaction symbolises judgement – Lev 26:26; Isa 9:20; Hos 4:10

Ultimate deliverance described in terms of open table provided by God with good food Ps 23:5; 36:7-9; Isa 25:6; Joel 3:18; Am 9:13-14

Put on as expressions of hospitality – Gen 18:1-8

Celebrate special occasions- Ps 23:5; Matt 22:1-14; Luke 12:36; 14:8; 15:22-23; John 2:1-11

Treaty partners climaxed covenant agreements with meals: Gen 26:28-31; 31:54; Ex 24:11; Luke 24:14-20 – feasts Lev 23

Social realities were expressed at mealtime – Gen 43:33-34; Luke 14:7-11; 16:212

Religious groups met over meals- Ex 32:5-6; 1 Cor 10:21; 11:20, 33

People ate and drank together for a good time – Isa 21:5; Am 6:7

Meals in the Gospels

“a glutton and a drunkard” Luke 7:34

Disregard for boundaries “tax collectors and sinners” (Luke 5:30) racial and religious purity demonstration of the kingdom of God open table to which all are invited Luke 14:15-24; 15:11-32; Matt 25:1-13 cf. Peter’s vision Acts 10

Luke- many significant discussions occur at meals e.g. 5:29; 7:36; 10:38; 11:37-44; 14:1; 22:1; 24:42

What does Jesus bring to every meal -the wisdom, grace, presence, teaching etc. of his Father/kingdom of God? This pre-eminent motivation is the key to his victorious fasting cf. Adam and Israel’s failure, they both always craved to eat.

“bread of life” (John 6:35-39) “living water” (John 4:10-14)

Last Supper presence/remembrance “And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”” (Luke 22:19 etc.) “And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” (Luke 22:20)

Anticipation of messianic banquet ““For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”” (Luke 22:18)

Eating as a Christian

Providence – “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matt 6:11) dependence on power outside ourselves

Sacrament – God present at all meals God ordained part of life

Lord’s Supper – life is dependent on death life has to be surrendered in death “life for life” incarnational moments

Community – when eat together, we symbolically enact the truth that we are most complete when we are together meal table signifies the boundary of our community

Service- Jesus models love and self-giving as central to God’s kingdom service reveals greatness compassion, hospitality meal preparation, presentation, cleaning up = “the sacrament of care” >>> to unrecognised community members

Mission- Jesus meals with dispossessed and despised signified that God’s kingdom is a place of welcome initiating relationships and demonstrating the character of God’s love “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matt 25:35) invitation into home = invitation into life

Eating with Jesus Today

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” (Rev 3:20)

“a particular strength and enablement for dying that is given in eating and drinking of the body and blood of the Lord…I cannot bear this cross, I cannot suffer these deaths except I eat and drink the Lord’s death.”” (Katz)

Conclusion

Meals with Jesus in Luke[1]

“In approximately one-fifth of the sentences in Luke’s Gospel and in Acts, meals play a conspicuous role.”

Markus Barth, Rediscovering the Lord’s Supper, p. 71.

Text	Meal	Participants	Significance	Teaching Moment
5:27-39	Banquet at Levi’s House	Tax Collectors and Sinners	Evangelism	“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
7:36-50	Dinner at Simon the Pharisee’s House	Pharisees, Guests and the Sinful Woman	Reconciliation	“Your sins are forgiven.”
9:10-17	Breaking Bread at Bethsaida	5000 Males	Mission/Service	“You give them something to eat.”
10:38-42	Hospitality at the House of Martha	Disciples	Discipleship	“Mary has chosen what is better.”
11:37-54	Noon Meal at a Pharisee’s House	Pharisees and Teachers	Inner Life	“You clean the outside of the cup, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.”
14:1-24	Sabbath dinner at a Pharisee’s House	Pharisees and Their Friends	Invitation to All	“When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.”
19:1-10	Hospitality at the House of Zacchaeus	Zacchaeus, the Tax Collector, and Others	Salvation for All	“The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
22:7-38	Breaking Bread at the Passover Meal	The Twelve, Including Judas	Thanksgiving	“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them.”
24:13-35	Breaking Bread at Emmaus	Two Disciples	The Living One	Jesus was “made known to them in the breaking of the bread.”
24:36-53	Supper with the Disciples	The Eleven and Others with Them	The Missionary Community	“You are witnesses of these things.”

The Meaning of the Meals in Luke

Kodell, The Eucharist in the New Testament, p. 113, summarizes their meaning in four points:

1) Jesus is present, taking an active role whether as guest or host. He is concerned about those at table with him and serves them, responding to their need for food, healing, teaching, or correction.

2) He welcomes all, sinner or righteous, poor or rich. He does not fear being compromised by the company he keeps; and he overturns human expectations by expressing his own unique values.

3) His meals are harbingers of the banquet to be shared in the kingdom of God. Those who share God’s gifts now and hope in his promises must not let complacency rob them of the fulfillment.

4) The light of Easter helps the Christian community understand Scripture’s witness to Jesus; the disciples recognize the risen Lord in the breaking of the bread.”

Two themes, though included above, deserve particular stress:[2]

1) Table service is a symbol for community service. Table etiquette demanded that at formal dinners there should be servants to serve. Feet were washed by servants, the table was served by servants, the tables were cleared by the servants, etc. In Luke this service is shared by the community as a whole for the community as a whole. The disciples are fellow-servants, and Jesus himself is a servant at the table (Luke 22:25-27). The servants are served at the table of the Lord by Jesus himself in the eschatological banquet (Luke 12:35-37).

2) Table fellowship is a symbol of community fellowship. The table designates a special relationship between those who sit at the same table. Jesus eats with sinners and tax collectors (Luke 5:27-32; 7:34; 15:2). He goes to the house of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-9). The table is for the oppressed, handicapped and disenfranchised (Luke 7:22; 14:12-14). A banquet is thrown for the returning prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). Will the elder brother join in the celebration meal? Will the Pharisees have table fellowship with tax collectors in the kingdom of God?