W.W.J.E.A Culinary

Walk of Faith

The Direction of Intention

My God, give me the grace to perform this action with you

and through love for you.In advance, I offer to you all the

good that I will do and acceptall the difficulty I may meet therein.

St. Ann, Pray for us.

St. Francis de Sales, Pray for us

“Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit

yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that

moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”

Genesis 1:29

Doesn't it make sense that the One who made us would know the healthiest way for

us to live and eat?

Biblical Vegetarianism?• Does Genesis tell us that God

intended for us to be vegetarians?– Well……YES! Before the Fall all

(humans and animals were to be nourished on the plants of the earth)

– After the FALL• The Bible is silent about eating meat• The first mention of eating meat occurred

after the FLOOD – Gen.9

Biblical Vegetarianism?• God’s creation was originally intended for

sentient beings not to do violence to one another.

• God intends to restore creation to its original state

Food and Drink in the Bible

Food– Food, Feasts,

Banquets – 800 x’s– 90 different kinds

of food mentioned in the Bible

– Not one recipe• The Widow of

Zarephath and Elijah

– Descriptions of Meals• Passover – Last

Supper

Drink• Wine - 200 x’s

– Fermented and unfermented – wine and New wine

• Beer• Milk• Water• Drunkenness

– 75 times

Food Metaphors in the Old Testament• The Tree of Knowledge – Gen 1

– Sin enters the body like food does• Noah gets Drunk? Gen 9

– More like a peaceful sleep• Selling a birthright for a bowl of stew –

Jacob and Esau – Gen 25– Greed and self-gratification

• Abram feeds 3 visitors– Hospitality

• Flowing with Milk and Honey Ex 3– Great abundance of God– God will provide

Food Metaphors in the Old Testament

• The Fleshpots of Egypt• Excess

• Manna and Quail – Ex. 16• God Provides

Food Metaphors in the Old Testament

• The Prophet Ezekiel and Soup– prophesies the fate of sinful Jerusalem he

drives his message home by describing the methods of making a soup. Ex 24

• Raven’s Bread feeds Elijah– God provides 1Kings 17

• Olive Oil– Food and medicine

• Ex. 27 and Micah 6

Festival and Banquets in the Bible

• Both social and religious• Three Great Feasts - 3 Spring and 3 Fall

• Spring time – Passover• Fall - Rosh Hashanah

• Preparing and Eating– Males prepared the meat – Sacrifice a portion was reserved

for family use– Provisions provided for the stranger, the fatherless, and the

widow – Families ate together around a common table - rooftop– Invitation was never refused – Special clothing, Special seating

• Wedding Feasts - Lasted for Days

The Passover Meal

Foods of the New TestamentIn the Home at Nazareth

• Main meal - Midday with smaller evening meal

• Primarily Vegetarian– bread, milk, meat (rarely), fish (rarely), figs, raisins, olives,

dates, nuts, honey, greens and vegetables.

• Bread – Baked every day, loaves were small, round and flat about half

an inch thick and seven to eight inches wide. – The bread was never cut; it was torn into pieces. – No spoons a piece of bread was used to carry meat and

vegetables to the mouth.

• Spices, Herbs and, Seasonings• SALT• Mint, Dill, Basil, Cumin, Mustard, Anise,

Cinnamon, garlic

• Milk– milk of sheep, cows, camels and

goats was used to provide drink and to make butter.

– Goat's milk cheese was a favorite food. • Curds – goats or sheep milk -

yoghurt

• Meat– Sheep or goat's meat was roasted or

boiled (as was fish)

• Sweets: Honey, dried fruit, nuts

Foods of the New TestamentIn the Home at Nazareth

Eating and drinking with Jesus• Jesus turns water into wine – Jn 2

• Jesus fills Peter's net with fish after night without catches – Jn 21

• Jesus turns food scraps into meal for 5,000 people Mt 14, Mk 6, Lk 9, Jn 6

• Jesus also turns seven bread loaves and few fish into food for 4,000 people Mt 15, Mk 8

• Numorous Parables and teachings about food.

A Theology of Food

• Food means dependence– Food gives us life

• Food indicates our dominion over the earth– We were given what we

need to eat – Naturally!• Food is for Creativity

– Sharing in God’s work – “The work of our hands”

• Food is for Fellowship• Food has always been at

the center of Worship

Luke: The Gospel of FoodJesus at a meal 10 x’s

• During meals the poor and sinners are restored to health

• Meals are centers of confrontation and controversy

• Right behavior at meals – Hospitality• Table ministry is a training ground for

the disciples – Last Supper• At Meals Eyes are open to those

who are nourished - Emmaus