I’ve written before about the significance of sharing a meal in the ancient Middle Eastern culture. It seems appropriate, however, as we talk about food that we consider the significance of the act of eating.
In our modern world, we often sit down and eat with strangers. We may not really be aware of the fact that we are eating with them, but we sit down in a restaurant where we are often sharing eating space with people we don’t know.
That would have been unheard of in ancient times. Meals were shared. People shared meals with one another. And they were aware of sharing meals with God. The book of Deuteronomy often talks about eating in the presence of the Lord. 1 Chronicles 29 also uses this expression.
During Jesus’ ministry, people were often offended by his choice of table companions. “He eats with sinners!” The early church is pictured as eating together on a regular basis. Sharing the Lord’s Supper with others was seen to be a means of establishing fellowship ties (1 Corinthians 10). By the same token, Christians were not even to eat with fellow believers who persisted in immorality (1 Corinthians 5:11)
The word “companion” comes from Latin roots meaning “with bread.” It’s the idea of the person that you share food with. As we think about our attitudes toward food, we need to recognize that there is more to eating than merely nourishing our bodies. Who we eat with is as important as what we eat.
Can you think of other texts that speak to this idea? Any examples from your own life?
[Edit, 10 a.m. CDT: I forgot a couple of critical texts that speak to this issue. I’ll merely include them here—
“So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”” (Acts 11:2-3)
“When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.” (Galatians 2:11-13)]
Great thoughts! Also, even when we’re “alone” we’re eating in the presence of the Lord. We’re always eating “with” somebody. We don’t make much of that “companion time” and we wonder why the rest of our relationships are weak and falling apart. Is there a connection between the rise of “fast-food dining/superficial dining with other” and the decline of relationships at home, especially since the fast-food meal replaces an “at-home” meal?
That is exactly why I enjoy our Monday lunches together — fellowship with you excellent, salad every Monday not so exciting. I also regularly eat with a couple of my elder buds and with my accountability group. Good for my soul.
I love sharing lunch with men from our church, or friends in the community. My favorite lunchmate is my wife, of course … but there is something different about sharing a meal with someone on the same path … gives opportunity for the conversations we never have otherwise.
One of my church’s ministers preached, not too many months back, about how the men walking with Jesus to Emmaus finally recognized Him at the table; at the serving of the bread. And that we are to do the same.
Plus, I’m convinced that when Paul talks about discerning the body at the table, he’s using the word “body” in all of its senses: the bread as Christ’s body; the church as Christ’s body. At the end of Acts 2, among the early believers, it seemed to be a daily practice … and I can’t see any reason why it shouldn’t be for us. If we say a prayer for a morsel of bread at lunch shared with fellow believers and close it in Christ’s name, I think it should be natural to discern His presence at that table, within our dining companions.
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Wonderful thoughts! I can’t help but think about what Paul says about waiting for on another so that we fellowship together and etc. I think it’s very important to share meals together. Interesting idea of sharing a meal with strangers in a restaurant. I’d never thought about that. I don’t think I’ll be able to go out and eat without thinking about that now. It make me wonder if we take “eating together” this seriously with Communion and our other meals we have together as a body.
Oh, and Dad (Barry) I don’t think that it’s the food type that counts (fast-food versus “at-home”). I think it’s how you eat together. I can remember many evenings where all of us were up at Mom’s classroom eating McDonald’s together. I think that counts. :)
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