Why do we bless our food ?

[Daydream Island]

Greetings to all,

I would like to know, why certain people bless their food before eating it ? What purpose does it serve.. why do it ?

Thank you for all answers

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Good observation - it is habit and tradition instead of / in place of doing what Jesus and the disciples did in Scripture.

 

[Greg J.]

I would guess that it is something that branched off from the Biblical example of giving thanks to God for the food one has to eat. (Matthew 14:19 and Matthew 26:26, and others) I thank the Lord for my food and all he gives me, but don't "bless my food." The biggest blessing is that God has granted it to me, even though I can't do anything to deserve any better than eternal punishment.

But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. (1 Corinthians 8:8, 1984 NIV)

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

I would guess that it is something that branched off from the Biblical example of giving thanks to God for the food one has to eat. (Matthew 14:19 and Matthew 26:26, and others) I thank the Lord for my food and all he gives me, but don't "bless my food." The biggest blessing is that God has granted it to me, even though I can't do anything to deserve any better than eternal punishment.

But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. (1 Corinthians 8:8, 1984 NIV)

Would you like to , if it is possible to, biblically ? (straight from the Bible).

(You might actually already know how....)

 

[Soyeong]

Greetings to all,

I would like to know, why certain people bless their food before eating it ? What purpose does it serve.. why do it ?

Thank you for all answers

This is a traditional Jewish prayer:

Blessed are you oh Lord our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.

So it was their tradition to bless God rather than the food and somewhere along the way it switched to blessing the food. My dad is changing the way he prays, but old habits die hard.

 

[Greg J.]

Would you like to , if it is possible to, biblically ? (straight from the Bible).

(You might actually already know how....)

Emphasis on the word deserve. No one can do anything to deserve salvation, but it is possible for anyone to accept it as a gift.

 

[1watchman]

We don't bless food, but God can if WE GIVE THANKS FOR IT (note Eph. 5:20; 1 Tim.4:4). A faithful "born again" believer should give thanks for each thing we have, use, and do; not the least of which is eternal life in the Lord Jesus when one receives Him into their heart. Faithfulness is about devotion and we are blessed much by staying in communion with the Lord.

 

[Geralt]

bad habit unchecked.

correctly we acknowledge that the food / provision comes from Him.

 

[Albion]

Good observation - it is habit and tradition instead of / in place of doing what Jesus and the disciples did in Scripture.

As a matter of fact, there are at least three different instances recorded in the New Testament where Jesus is described as having said what we call "grace before meals," i.e. he gave thanks before eating. And St. Paul is described a couple of times as having done so as well.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

As a matter of fact, there are at least three verses in the New Testament where Jesus is described as having said what we call "grace before meals," i.e. he gave thanks before eating. And St. Paul is described a couple of times as having done so as well.

We immersed in Jesus are living in union with Jesus, with hearts continually full of Thanksgiving and Praise to the Father in heaven all day and all night long.
What is the purpose of your post ? Perhaps it got lost in the shuffle.?

 

[Albion]

We immersed in Jesus are living in union with Jesus, with hearts continually full of Thanksgiving and Praise to the Father in heaven all day and all night long.
What is the purpose of your post ? Perhaps it got lost in the shuffle.?

1. The OP asked why people bless their food.
2. You wrote that it's a habit and a tradition that replaced what Jesus did.
3. I pointed out that, on the contrary, the Bible shows Jesus doing exactly what we who say "Grace before meals" do--give thanks for it. That's why it's done. And that's the answer to the OP.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

1. The OP asked why people bless their food.
2. You wrote that it's a habit and a tradition that replaced what Jesus did.
3. I pointed out that, on the contrary, the Bible shows Jesus doing exactly what we who say "Grace before meals" do--give thanks for it. That's why it's done. And that's the answer to the OP.

Yes, that's what he asked about, and that's what you say.
Now , show me in Jesus Own Words, or in Scripture,
where
anyone blessed the food.
(Everywhere I checked they blessed and praised the Father in heaven).

 

[Albion]

Yes, that's what he asked about, and that's what you say.
Now , show me in Jesus Own Words, or in Scripture,
where
anyone blessed the food.
(Everywhere I checked they blessed and praised the Father in heaven).

Here are some of them--
Matthew 14:19
Matthew 26:26
Mark 14:22
John 6:11
Acts 27:35

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

I've read all of those for several decades.
I knew what they said since I was a youth.
Like I said, and you missed(in every case)>>
Mark 14:22Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
22 While they were eating, Yeshua took a piece of matzah, made the b’rakhah, broke it, gave it to them and said, “Take it! This is my body.”

http://jewishjewels.org/Newsletter Archive/Blessings-May2006.pdf
>>>
Yeshua, the Messiah, must have grown up saying
b’rakhot
from an early age. We see Him in the
Gospels blessing God for bringing forth bread from the earth (the "ha-motzi" – Matthew 14:19,
Luke 22:19). Please note:
He did not bless the bread. He blessed God for providing the
bread!
At His last Passover Seder, He also blessed God for creating the fruit of the vine. It is
very possible that when He celebrated the Feast of Sukkot, He said the
b’rakhah
known as the
"Shehekhiyanu," the blessing still said today on festivals and all joyous occasions in Judaism.
This
b’rakhah
is very appropriate for believers to say at all celebrations, holidays, first-time
events, graduations, etc.: "Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has kept
us alive and sustained us and brought us to this season." This would be a good blessing to say
on Mother’s Day - May 14, 2006

 

[Albion]

I've read all of those for several decades.
I knew what they said since I was a youth.

In that case, the problem may be that you just don't understand the verses or the issue.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

In that case, the problem may be that you just don't understand the verses or the issue.

You didn't even read what the Jewish Believers just said via Jewish Jewels in the previous post right before yours.
Nor, apparently did you read the verses you posted yourself.
No, it's just like I said

Good observation - it is habit and tradition instead of / in place of doing what Jesus and the disciples did in Scripture.

 

[Babe Ruth]

Something interesting (& strange) to me, Hippolytus wrote that only certain fruits (etc) may be blessed. Fruits & nuts like cherries and almonds.
Conversely, St. Hippolytus stated that pumpkins, onions, melons, garlic may not be blessed. His reasoning is their odor.. But what underwrites that reasoning (?) Is there something Biblical denying certain food blessings based on scent ? Or was it Hippolytus' personal superstition/opinion.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

But what underwrites that reasoning (?)

Pagan reasoning.

 

[Babe Ruth]

Pagan reasoning.

Jeff, hi..
Do u have an online reference (?)
I did some searching & couldn't find anything. For some reason, I'm intrigued by the pumpkin being (theoretically) omitted from God's blessing..
Please advise..

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Jeff, hi..
Do u have an online reference (?)
I did some searching & couldn't find anything. For some reason, I'm intrigued by the pumpkin being (theoretically) omitted from God's blessing..
Please advise..

Many 'references' over many years, but I never thought I would need them - I actually and very naively thought "everyone" would know - or at least everyone who follows Jesus, everyone in church , or the leaders , would all know - after all, I was "nobody" , and Jesus showed me - I thought HE already showed everyone else.

Most of the references you can find are NOT about pumpkins, but about the false sources of the ones opposed to Jesus, the origin of various blessing or curses for fruits or vegetables.
It shakes a lot of groups up to have the sources exposed, but there is a lot of references available about them, for anyone who searches and keeps searching, prayerfully and trusting the Father in heaven to accomplish the truth.