Eating Food: What did Jesus say about Eating Food

Jesus’ teachings and actions related to eating food highlight principles that go beyond mere physical sustenance, emphasizing spiritual truths and attitudes towards purity, community, and gratitude.

Relevant Bible Verses

1. Mark 7:18-19 – Jesus said, “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
2. Matthew 15:11 – “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
3. Luke 24:30-31 – “When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him…”
4. John 6:35 – “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'”
5. Matthew 14:19 – “And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.”

Three Main Takeaways

1. Spiritual Purity Over Ritual Cleanliness: Jesus emphasized that purity and defilement are matters of the heart rather than adherence to dietary laws. What a person consumes does not defile them; rather, it is the words and actions that come from their heart that matter. This teaching redirects focus from external rituals to internal spiritual conditions.
2. Gratitude and Provision: Jesus consistently expressed gratitude for food, demonstrating the importance of acknowledging God’s provision in all things. The act of giving thanks before meals, exemplified by Jesus, underscores a posture of gratitude and reliance on God for daily needs.
3. Communion and Fellowship: Meals were a central aspect of Jesus’ ministry, serving as moments for fellowship, teaching, and revealing his identity (as in the case of the Last Supper and the meal at Emmaus). Through sharing food, Jesus fostered community and intimacy, showing that meals are opportunities for spiritual reflection and connection with others.

Jesus’ teachings about food reflect a broader spiritual perspective that invites believers to consider their hearts’ condition, live in gratitude, and cherish community.