What Would Jesus Eat

What Would Jesus Eat? The Science Within the Bible

Dr. Don Colbert and AJ Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically, have conducted extensive research into the Bible in order to uncover nutritional hints concerning Jesus’ diet. What Made His Food So Distinctive? Those who lived during Jesus’ time had predominantly a clean plant-based diet. Among the foods that were widely consumed in that part of the globe were lentils, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, dates, almonds, and fish. Some people even consumed grasshoppers and bugs as appetizers!

Many people ate the majority of their food uncooked, which provided them with extra health advantages.

Aside from that, cooking some meals decreases their nutritional worth.

Because of this, it is likely that Jesus and his disciples consumed only lean red meat or fowl.

What evidence does science provide to support this?

They came to the conclusion that humans are better suited for a plant-based diet that contains minimal meat – particularly red meat.

We have four canine teeth, eight frontal teeth, and numerous molars in total.

• The four canine teeth in our lower jaw are meant to rip flesh apart. Carnivores such as alligators, wolves, and sharks have a higher concentration of this kind of tooth in their jaws. When we bite into fruits and vegetables, our eight frontal teeth, commonly known as incisors, come into play. Molars, on the other hand, are the bulk of our teeth and are positioned in the rear of the mouth. They are employed in the grinding and crushing of plants and seeds.

Our bodies, according to Dr. Colbert, are largely geared for a plant-based diet since we have molars that make up the vast majority of our teeth. Those that consume meat have jaws that are adapted to bite off bits of flesh and have considerably more than four canine teeth. Furthermore, human saliva is alkaline and rich in enzymes, such as amylase, that are specifically designed to break down plants and carbohydrate molecules. Dr. Colbert hypothesizes that this is due to the fact that we are better adapted to digest vegetables rather than meat after reviewing the data and comparing it to those of other animals.

• As a result of his research, Dr.
• When measured in length, our intestines are four times longer than we are tall.
• Because of this, meat is able to travel through the digestive track swiftly and without becoming rotten.
• The consumption of meat with minimal fiber, particularly red meat, increases the likelihood of the meat becoming trapped in our intestines, which can result in constipation or bloating.
• What can I do to eat more in the manner of Jesus?
• They also roasted fish in their ovens.
• Colbert and AJ Jacobs have both collaborated with The Dr.
• Accordingly: Jesus ate his breakfast quite early in the morning so that he would have enough energy and nutrition for the rest of the day’s labor.
• If you ate supper at 6 p.m., you should break your fast the following morning at 6 a.m.
• 2.Spend More Time at Lunch: Many individuals rush through lunch, eating at their desks at work, and wolfing down their meal in a short amount of time.
• 3.At 4 p.m., have a light dinner to wind down: When you should be sleeping, your digestive system should not have to work overtime to keep up with you.

4.Wine and stroll: This is not to be confused with the practice of drinking and dining. A significant role in Jesus’ life and health was played by wine. They accompanied their meals with red wine. It’s beneficial to one’s health. But be careful not to overdo it!

What Would Jesus Eat?

It occurs to me from time to time that I will eventually run out of appropriate topics to discuss in our Window on the World. But don’t worry, I’ll come across a book like What Would Jesus Eat? by Dr. Don Colbert before I have a chance to panic. And, in case you’re wondering, no, this is not a fabrication on my part. When I was eating a delicious piece of chocolate chip cookie pie on Wednesday night, I started putting together these remarks. It was then that I turned on my computer, grabbed a large piece of dessert, and picked up the book.

• I thought to myself as I chewed my pie, and the words on the cover sounded confrontational: So, what exactly would Jesus eat?
• In that case, would it be okay for me to still consume some of the product?
• Colbert begins his book by referring to the recent WWJD craze that has swept the evangelical church: What Would Jesus Do?
• If we’re supposed to love in the way that Jesus loved and live the way that Jesus lived, shouldn’t we eat in the same way that Jesus did?
• “Why not in our eating habits?” you might wonder.
• 2:5; 1 Pet.
• Dr.

When asked whether Jesus ever taught anything about nutrition or how we should eat, he responds, “My contention is that He did—not necessarily through what He said, but rather through what He did.” There are hundreds of examples of practices related to healthy eating found throughout the Bible, and many of them are found in the Torah.

• This is referred to as “the Jesus way of eating.” The author draws some obvious parallels between the foods that Jesus ate and all of the unhealthy foods that we consume today, particularly fast food, in his book.
• Dr.
• were being issued by God today, there would be a ‘thou shalt not’ attached to processed foods that are high in sugar, hydrogenated fat, salt, or additives.” The real question is whether or not Jesus intended his eating to be an example to those around him.
• Although Jesus did not consume hot dogs or Tasty Cakes, this is irrelevant to the discussion.
• It was customary for him to travel, dress, and eat in ways that were familiar to the people of his time and place.
• In fact, it’s possible he’s eaten at McDonald’s on occasion.
• A simple way to demonstrate this point is to think about all of the people on the planet who do not have fig trees or who do not live near the ocean.

Then there are all the nutritious foods that Jesus didn’t consume, but that we should, such as soybeans, eat more of today.

Colbert.

The Bible cautions us against eating like pigs.

23:20-21).

To that end, it would probably be healthy for us to follow most of Dr.

However, like a lot of things in life, God leaves what we eat pretty much up to us.

He has given us basic moral principles to guide our conduct, but many of the things we do day by day are left to our own judgment.

would be a better book if it realized this and simply presented its findings as sound nutritional advice, without using Jesus to market the diet.

as another passing fad.

There were food laws in the old covenant.

However, good nutrition was not the purpose of those regulations.

Now that Christ has come, all foods have been declared clean (Mark 7:19).

There are no food laws in the gospel.

4:4).

4:4).

But if we make our diet a matter of spiritual principle, we run the risk of adding a human law to the grace of God.

4:3) have abandoned the faith. So what would Jesus eat? I don’t know, because with relatively few exceptions, the Bible doesn’t say. The one thing I know for certain is that whatever I do eat—including, on occasion, chocolate chip cookie pie—should be eaten to the glory of God.

What Would Jesus Eat? Savor the Flavors the Savior Tasted

What wouldJesuseat think about it? While the majority of Christians are acquainted with bracelets and pendants bearing the initials WWJD-What Would Jesus Do?-, many others are unfamiliar with the phrase. We’re a little less sure about what theSon of Godate is up to these days. Was he a vegetarian because he disagreed with the morality of consuming animal products? Or did Jesus eat whatever he liked since he is God manifested? What do you think? In a few instances, the Bible specifically mentions the foods that Jesus consumed.

Leviticus Applied to Jesus’ Diet

If Jesus had been a devout Jew, he would have adhered to the food requirements outlined in the eleventh chapter of the book of Leviticus. More than anything, he lived his life in accordance with the will of God. Cattle, sheep, and goats, as well as some poultry and fish, were considered clean. Pigs, camels, birds of prey, shellfish, eels, and reptiles were among the creatures considered unclean or banned. Jews were permitted to consume grasshoppers and locusts, as John the Baptistdid, but they were not permitted to consume any other insects.

1. In the book of Acts, Paul and the apostles got into a fight over eating unclean foods.
2. Regardless of the restrictions, Jesus’ diet would have been limited by what was available to him at the time of his death.
3. It is likely that fresh fish was readily available along the Mediterranean coast, in the Sea of Galilee, and in the Jordan River; otherwise, fish would have been dried or smoked.
4. John 6:9 describes a miracle in which Jesus multiplied five barley loaves and two tiny fish in order to miraculously feed 5,000 people.
5. Wheat and millet were also included in this recipe.
6. When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, he also employed bread, which was a meal that could be obtained by anybody.

Jesus Ate Fruit and Vegetables Too

Fruit and vegetables were a significant portion of the ancient Palestinian diet. According to Matthew 21:18-19, we see Jesus go up to a fig tree to get a quick lunch. Other favorite fruits were grapes, raisins, apples, pears, apricots, peaches, melons, pomegranates, dates, and olives, among other varieties. Olive oil was used in cooking, as a condiment, and even as a fuel for lighting in ancient times. Seasonings such as mint, dill, salt, cinnamon, and cumin are listed in the Bible as being used in cooking.

People used to dip bits of bread into such a concoction on a regular basis.

Almonds and pistachio nuts were widely available. A bitter form of almond was used primarily for its oil, whereas a sweet type of nut was used as a dessert ingredient. Honey was served as a sweetener or as a reward to meals. Dates and raisins were used in the baking of the cakes.

Meat Was Available But Scarce

According to the gospels, Jesus ate meat during the Passover, which commemorated the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt under Moses after the angel of death had “passed over” them. A roast lamb dish was served as part of the Passover supper. Initially, lambs were sacrificed in the temple, and then the corpse was taken back home to be eaten by the family or group. In Luke 11:12, Jesus made reference to an egg. Chickens, ducks, geese, quail, partridge, and pigeons were all considered acceptable poultry for consumption at the time.

1. However, it’s probable that Jesus would have eaten veal while he was atMatthew’s house or with the Pharisees, as fattened calves were regarded delectable on rare occasions.
2. They served him a piece of roasted salmon, which he happily consumed.
3. (These are some of the sources: The Bible Almanac, edited by J.I.
4. Tenney, and William White Jr.; The New Compact Bible Dictionary, edited by T.

What Did Jesus Eat?

The Last Supper, according to the gospel narratives, was a meal in which Jesus and his followers shared bread and wine. Bread and wine, on the other hand, were most likely not the only items on the table. It’s possible that the Last Supper was a Passover supper. Passover is the time of year when Jews commemorate their exodus from Egypt. The dinner was served on the day of Unleavened Bread, according to the gospels of Mark, Luke, and Matthew, during the Jewish Passover. This is the first day of the seven-day Passover holiday, which begins on this day.

1. In Judaism, this day of Passover is commemorated with the Seder feast, which is held today.
2. In addition to the fact that it would not have looked like a modern Seder, there is little historical documentation of the Passover dinner before the Seder custom was established.
3. We may probably set those two things on the table, assuming that the Last Supper was a Passover meal, if it occurred.
4. However, in 2016, two Italian archaeologists produced a study on what was eaten during the Last Supper, which included a recreated menu that was published in 2016.

On the basis of their study, they believed that the menu for the Last Supper would have included bean stew with lamb, bitter herbs, fish sauce, unleavened bread and dates, as well as aromatic wine.

What Did Jesus Eat?

When Jesus and his followers gathered together for the Last Supper, according to the gospel narratives, they ate bread and drank wine. There were undoubtedly other foods on the table as well as bread and wine. Passover may have been served during the Last Supper. The Jewish holiday of Passover commemorates the Jews’ departure from Egypt. The dinner was served on the day of Unleavened Bread, according to the gospels of Mark, Luke, and Matthew, during the Jewish festival of Passover. This is the first day of the seven-day Passover holiday, which begins on this day in the past.

• Passover is commemorated in Judaism with the Seder feast, which is held today on this day of the week before Passover.
• that the contemporary Seder ritual was established, but Jews in Jesus’s day did gather for a Passover supper after performing their temple sacrifice.
• Unleavened bread and a roast lamb, on the other hand, are certain to have been part of the Passover supper.
• A little supposition is required in order to provide a more comprehensive menu.
• For their research, the two archaeologists looked to Bible scriptures, Jewish writings, ancient Roman literature, and archaeological material to understand more about what people ate in Jerusalem during the first century A.D.

Day One

The following items are served for breakfast: milk or yogurt, dried figs or grapes, pomegranate juice, and honey. On the first day, I ate breakfast on my balcony, bathed in the warmth of the Father’s presence and light. I had the impression that my supper had been blessed from above. It should be noted, though, that the longer I sat there looking at my dried fruit, the more I began to feel like any other typical health devotee. My mouth watered as I took another drink of the pomegranate juice, which the scriptures describe as a “symbol of fertility and wealth.” It tasted sugar-free and devoid of delight in my opinion.

Jesus had a strong preference for multiplying things, even fish.

They were terrified because they believed he was a ghost, but “they offered him a piece of grilled fish, which he accepted and consumed in their presence.” When it comes to fresh fish, I am a big fan, but it is pricey and smells up the whole room when you live in a shoebox, which is what I do.

For Jesus, I went above and beyond my regular fare: Even though I don’t cook much, stuffing some lemon slices inside a pre-cleaned sea bass and seasoning it before grilling it wasn’t too difficult. Those fishbones, on the other hand, were dangerous to my mortal flesh.

The Second Day

Veal stew with wine, leek, pumpkin, and flatbread is a comforting dish. According to the book ” The Food and Feasts of Jesus “, “daily bread” was a major element of the Middle Eastern diet in the first century – and it continues to be so in many parts of the region today. For Christians, bread has come to represent spiritual nutrition – and for me, it has come to represent a substitute for cutlery. Here’s a picture of me breaking the bread in the manner of Jesus: It is through my colleague Camilla’s well prepared veal stew that we come to a more delicate subject.

Despite the fact that Jesus lived in a cultural setting in which vegetarianism did not exist, Old Testament specialist Gianfranco Nicora argued in an article for the Italian Bioethics Institute at the University of Genoa that “everyone would be following a vegetarian diet” in the Kingdom of God.

The Third Day

Herbs that are bitter. The third day had me a little concerned. It was time for bitter herbs, a meal that was traditionally served at the Last Supper and throughout Passover. Capers, olives, and pistachios were to be added to blanched chicory, according to the recipe book. While the finished product was really extremely visually pleasing – almost Instagrammable – the problem was that my coworkers were slowly but steadily turning against me as a result of my experimentation with no cutlery. I was by myself for lunch.

The Fourth Day

Baked onions and goat ricotta cheese make a delicious combination. For this dish, we looked back to the Old Testament, to a period when the Jews were walking across the desert after fleeing Egypt, in order to find inspiration. They would have been quite hungry after such a long and exhausting travel. I started sobbing while chopping these onions, not because I was having a bodily reaction to them or because I was empathizing with their predicament – I was just unhappy that I had to consume them after all that work.

The Fifth Day

Salad de bulgur. According to the recipe book, this is a reinterpretation of “roasted wheat,” which is described as “ancient popcorn made by roasting grains over scorching-hot stone.” My version consisted of boiling bulgur topped with olives, roasted almonds, and cheese, among other ingredients. Salad de bulgur. Despite the fact that I didn’t consume the entire dinner, this was the first nice meal I’d eaten in quite some time, and I knew I was in for a difficult struggle the next day. So, sure, I did consume it.

The Sixth Day

Fasting. I convinced myself that if Jesus could fast for 40 days and 40 nights, I could do it for one day. However, I work in a newsroom with a large number of food journalists, so temptation was abundant. I was on the verge of giving up when I decided to phone my favorite Sunday school teacher: my mother.

After a brief introduction, she started into a monologue on how the Devil attempted to persuade Jesus to change some pebbles into bread in order to cause him to fail his spiritual detox. It was both upsetting and encouraging at the same time.

The Seventh Day

Soup with lentils. It’s considered a sign of deception in my home country to “give anything up for a dish of lentil soup.” According to the recipe book, the narrative originates from the Old Testament, when Jacob deceived his brother Esau by persuaded him to swap his firstborn inheritance for a steaming meal of lentils. Then Jacob had to go since his brother had threatened to murder him if he did not. To cut a long tale short, I was adamant about not eating these lentils. The author poses for a selfie.

I also accidently became intoxicated by myself two or three times after drinking one or two too many glasses of wine.

Thank you very much, Jesus.

So, what did Jesus eat?

There is a growing trend, notably in the United States, of incorporating the “What Would Jesus Do?” attitude into one’s cooking routine. The premise is that if one sincerely wishes to follow Jesus in every aspect of one’s life, one cannot neglect one’s dietary choices. The issue, on the other hand, is to uncover sufficient proof of what Jesus actually ate. The New Testament makes passing reference of a number of foodstuffs in connection with Jesus and in other settings, but it does not go into specific detail about any of them.

• It appears that several of the advice made by the Jesus diet movement for eating like Jesus are, regrettably, out of touch with the times today.
• Other theories, on the other hand, plainly reveal more about the worldview of their proponents than they do about Jesus’ diet: there is no proof, for example, that Jesus was a vegetarian or that he did not use alcohol.
• A Jesus diet book from the early 1900s claims that bread was “the food that Jesus ate the most frequently,” and that it is “the ideal regimen for eating properly, feeling wonderful, and living longer.” This is a possibility.
• “Eating a freshly made loaf of wholegrain bread every day was and continues to be a healthy way of life,” says the author.
• Flour was ground in stone mills to make bread in the olden days.
• The restrictions in theMishnah require a minimum of ten percent impurity in purchased items; thus, we may presume that there was frequently more than ten percent impurity remaining in the flour.
• The author of Colbert’s book correctly points out that wheat bread was deemed superior than barley bread, which was thought to be a poor man’s diet, as demonstrated by the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand.
• It is mentioned in the Mishnah and contemporary Greek papyri from Roman Egypt that there are distinct sorts of bread for slaves and masters.
• It would have taken several hours to search for enough fuel to bake every day, and the cost of fuel was prohibitively exorbitant.
• Bread was frequently dried in the sun in order to prevent it from going bad.
• Despite proper drying, the bread might still become moldy, although it was frequently consumed despite this.

The comedian ends by saying, “We surely know that Jesus ate clean, unpolluted fish practically every day of his life.” It is undeniably true that freshwater fish such as carp, St Peter’s fish (tilapia), and catfish were collected in the Sea of Galilee throughout the first century, as evidenced by the discovery of fish bones in local archaeological investigations.

1. There would also have been difficulties in transporting fish in the absence of modern refrigeration: how far could it be transported from the sea without turning bad in the intense heat of the Middle East?
2. And would the expense of transportation have been unreasonably expensive in comparison to the price of the fish?
3. The most straightforward method of cooking fish would have been over charcoal.
4. According to the Jesus diet, there is a debate about whether “fish with egg on top of it is one food or two,” which may be understood as meaning an egg batter — which may be less healthful than the proponents of the Jesus diet would want, but is undoubtedly delicious.
5. Because big harvests of fish could be preserved for times of scarcity, drying, smoking, or salting fish would have eased the problem of availability, which would have been a concern in the past.
6. Archaeologists digging at Migdal have discovered what they believe to be evidence of fish-salting practices.
7. In contrast, the Roman fish-saucegarum appears to have been a luxury that was out of reach for the common people.

People who advocate for eating like Jesus are reasonable in assuming that he would have eaten only kosher meat, and that he would have done so only on special occasions like as Passover or at weddings and other celebrations.

People are asked if they should seek for the owner of objects that have been found lying in the street in one passage in the Mishnah.

In other words, people were frequently so impoverished that they were willing to consume meat that had been picked up off the ground, even though it was unlikely to be fresh, but was plainly too valuable to be thrown away.

The book of Leviticus prohibits the ingestion of most “creeping creatures,” with the exception of locusts.

As described in Mark 1.6, John the Baptist consumed insects that were later identified as carobs, which are still known as Johannnesbrot in German, but the Greek language of the New Testament makes it plain that he consumed ateakrides, which is the Greek term for locusts.

It is only under specific climatic conditions that the common species changes color to become S chistocerca gregaris, the swarming desert locust that was responsible for the invasions described in the Old Testament.

Rabbi Judah bar Ilai, who lived in the second century, taught that “anything that is a kind of curse, do not say grace over it.” However, although eggs are only briefly mentioned in Matthew’s Gospel, we can safely assume that they were a part of Jesus’ diet because the Mishnah frequently mentions domestic bird eggs — such as those from hens, ducks and geese — as well as the eggs of small wild birds that the poor would have foraged.

• Proponents of the Jesus diet also believe that he would have consumed a large amount of vegetables, beans, and pulses during his lifetime.
• During that historical period, bean and/or lentil stew, known asmiqpeh, was a popular meal; however, the phrase alludes to a solidified mass, which is what happens to cooked lentils when they are allowed to cool.
• Miqpehwas frequently flavored with garlic and other vegetables, such as cabbage, were added to the dish.
• Dill, cumin, and mint are all recorded in the New Testament as herbs that the Pharisees tithed from their harvests to the Temple.
• He did, without a doubt, drink water and red wine.
• Natural water sources were prone to contamination from dead animals, washing, industry, and sewage, among other things.
• Water was frequently gathered in open cisterns, which were susceptible to contamination from a variety of contaminants dumped into them; if they were covered up, algae may develop in them.
• Water was so valuable that it was frequently recycled, like in the case of theMischnahmentions, which recycled fermented water that had previously been used by a baker.
• One traditional method was to depend on the antibacterial qualities of wine, which was frequently mixed with water to create a disinfectant solution.
• Although some have speculated that he solely drank unfermented wine, this has not been proven.
• However, even when fermentation was successful, there was still the possibility that the wine would become sour, as evidenced by the sour wine offered to Jesus on the cross (Mark 15.23), which is the type of wine typically consumed by the poorest members of society.

Indeed, given what has been demonstrated by Jewish sources and archaeological data, it is not quite apparent why someone would desire to do so in the first place. Susan Weingarten is an archaeologist and culinary historian who lives in Galilee with her husband and two children.

Diet Gurus Are Asking, What Would Jesus Eat?

If physicians were asked to name the most deadly sin afflicting Americans today, they would almost certainly pick gluttony as the number one murderer. As obesity in the United States reaches epidemic proportions, with more than 60 percent of Americans classified as overweight or obese, public politicians and health experts are trying to discover methods to improve the American diet as the country’s obesity pandemic gains momentum. Dr. Don Colbert, a physician and nutritionist, believes that if Americans would take a moment before eating a super-sized fast food meal and ask themselves, “Would Jesus eat this?” the obesity epidemic might be fixed once and for all.

Colbert’s latest book, “What Would Jesus Eat?,” mixes biblical knowledge with current nutritional expertise, is available online.

“Since I’ve observed so many ailments linked to nutritional excess, what better place to start than with the owner’s handbook, the Bible, to examine what Jesus ate?” According to Colbert, Jesus ate a diet that was mostly comprised of whole grains, fish, fruits, and vegetables, as well as small portions of olive oil, meat, and wine, among other things.

“I wrote the book and its companion cookbook, “The What Would Jesus Eat Cook Book,” after realizing that many of the nation’s fattest people are devout fundamentalist Christians, according to Colbert, a Mississippi native who studied for a year at a Bible college and also received medical training.

According to him, “Most people believe that it is necessary for them to live a Christian life, but that their bodies are not that significant.” “They’re going to be in paradise.” The only difficulty is that if they forsake their physical needs, they will reach paradise far more quickly.” This fall, Colbert’s Bible Cure series will expand to include six new titles, including books on how to combat high cholesterol, diabetes, and thyroid problems through diet and prayer.

Colbert’s Bible-based diet message has spread far beyond his private practice at the Divine Wellness Center in Longwood, Florida, and into the wider community.

Christian vegetarians believe that if Jesus were still alive today, he would follow a plant-based diet out of love for all living things.

When it comes to Jesus’ transformation of water into wine, as well as his doubling of loaves and fishes, Arthur Caplan, chairman of the department of medical ethics at the University of Pennsylvania, remarked, “He was definitely not against the necessity to alter and change food.” Although there is debate over what Jesus would eat if given the choice between a veggie burger, broiled lamb with garbanzo beans, or genetically modified corn on the cob, a growing number of Christians are turning to the Bible for dietary guidance in the hope that Scripture will succeed where science has failed in inspiring healthy eating habits in their communities.

Dr.

It is true that there are a lot of individuals out there whose food is a mirror of their religious beliefs, according to him.

The Christian Vegetarian Assn., which coined the term “What Would Jesus Eat Today?” in 1999, presented a Christian case for refraining from meat, promoting compassion for animals, and referencing Adam and Eve’s vegetarian diet in Eden as evidence that God intended mankind to be vegetarians.

Bruce Friedrich, vegan campaign director for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, claimed that the scriptural evidence that Jesus was a vegetarian was “extremely substantial.” The PETA began promoting Jesus as a nutritional role model in 1998 with the controversial tagline “Jesus Was a Vegetarian.” Although some argue that the New Testament does not contain a food ethic, others argue that this is impossible due to a lack of textual proof.

As Russell Moore, assistant professor of theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, put it, “No diet should be associated with Jesus.” “He makes no attempt to make his diet universally applicable, any more than he promotes wearing robes and sandals.” Paul’s epistle to the Romans, in which vegetarians are referred to as “weak,” was used by Moore as evidence that the Bible supports meat consumption.

Moore called the Christian vegetarian movement a “effort to co-opt Jesus for left-wing animal rights propaganda.” Despite the fact that Jesus’ eating habits do not provide a clear set of instructions, any ideology that aids in the weight loss of Americans should be regarded as a benefit, according to Caplan, who also serves as the director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania.

While he acknowledges that the textual evidence for Jesus’ moderate diet is lacking, “putting aside theology, if you can drive people to consume healthier foods by claiming Jesus consumed healthier foods, that’s not a terrible thing.” According to the author, “getting someone to lose 20 pounds in the name of Jesus is hardly the worst heresy.”

What Would Jesus Eat?

In the Holy Land, there was a wide range of cuisines to choose from. Wheat, barley, olives, and grapes were the most important crops, followed by legumes such as lentils, fava beans, and chickpeas, and vegetables such as onions, leeks, and garlic. Fruits such as olives, grapes, date palms, apples, melons, pomegranates, figs, and sycamores were also used to sweeten the life of the ancients (a low-quality fig eaten mainly by the poor). In addition, the inhabitants kept sheep, goats, and cattle, and they fished in the Mediterranean and the Sea of Galilee to supplement their income.

1. During the week, a small breakfast of bread or a piece of fruit was served every day.
2. The Holy Landers would have a light meal of bread, grain, olives, and figs around midday to keep them going until dinner.
3. Dinner consisted of a one-pot stew served in a communal serving dish.
4. Depending on the recipe, the stew might be a thick porridge of vegetables, lentils, or chickpeas that has been seasoned with herbs.
5. Lambs or calves were kept in stalls among the affluent so that they may be fattened in preparation for feasts (Luke 15:23–30).
6. The people realized that, despite the fact that they had worked hard for their daily food, God continued to provide them with all they needed.
7. Jesus Transforms Water into Wine is a painting by Jan Luyken.

Hospitality

Traveling across the Holy Land was extremely perilous. Single travelers, such as the man who was taken in by robbers in the narrative of the Good Samaritan (Luke 19:25–37), put their lives in danger on the highways and in cities. The inns were around 25 miles apart, and the traveler had no way of knowing whether there would be enough food, water, or shelter at the end of the day. A significant virtue across the Mediterranean culture, hospitality was notably instilled in Jewish communities as a component of their religious education.

According to Deuteronomy 24:17–19, God expressly commands that people leave enough food in the fields during harvest season to feed the widows, orphans, and foreigners who live in the area: “For remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt; this is why I require you to do this.” (See Deuteronomy 24:22 for further information.) One of the most powerful examples of what it means to be hospitable may be found in Luke 24:13–34, which tells the narrative of the disciples on the road to Emmaus.

The disciples were grieved by the tragedies that had transpired in Jerusalem as they prepared to leave.

They come across a stranger who counsels them with the Scriptures, exhorting them to remember what God had promised them in the beginning.

And it is through the breaking of the bread that Jesus Christ is revealed to them throughout the supper.

To be friendly and to help those in need, especially starving children and malnourished youngsters is a commandment from God to all of humanity. We are having a face-to-face meeting with Jesus Christ today as we sit at the table with them.

Audio Prayer Experience

Vinita Hampton Wright has created an innovative praying practice that allows you to become immersed in the tale of Emmaus.

Sharing a Meal Activity

When reading Chapter 6 of Called to Be Catholic, young people are reminded that sharing a meal is a powerful way for people to come together and establish a sense of belonging. Young people are welcome to bring a food item to class, with consideration given to food allergies or dietary requirements and the provision of alternative foods. Young people begin the meal with a particular prayer of thanks and appreciation, and then they take pleasure in sharing their food items with one another after that.

Following the meal, the group meets to explore Christ’s presence at this particular community gathering.

1. It is emphasized in Chapter 6 of Called to Be Catholic that sharing a meal is a powerful method for individuals to come together and establish a sense of belonging. Bringing a food item to class is encouraged, with special attention paid to food allergies and dietary limitations, as well as alternate options. Young people begin the meal with a special prayer of thanks and appreciation, and then they take pleasure in sharing their food items with one another thereafter. The group is encouraged to dine together while enjoying the camaraderie and chat with one another during the meal. A discussion about Christ’s presence at this community gathering follows the lunch. In order to execute this activity in your community, please follow the steps below:

This exercise is taken from the book Called to Be Catholic, Chapter 6, Teaching Edition, page 47.

WWJE: What Would Jesus Eat?

Each generation has its own set of idols, presumptions, and obsessions. This drives me to ask two questions of any cultural movement: Why is this happening? and What is the point of it all? Whynow? When I went through the book sections of one of the major brick-and-mortar shops in the United States, I found myself pondering these questions once more. The books on food, health, and dieting were placed just adjacent to the bestsellers, as if to make a point only by their juxtaposition with the bestsellers.

So, what is the reason for this?

Then I came upon an essay in The Atlantic on how diet culture, both historically and today, has all of the characteristics of a venture designed to (subconsciously) alleviate one’s dread of mortality.

Furthermore, eating is associated with the guilt that lies at the heart of our nation’s epidemic of body-image concerns.

Apart from that, there is no shortage of blog entries to make you feel bad about how your eating habits are “destructing the environment.” Every age, it seems, has its own set of dietary fads and culinary trends, ranging from the grapefruit diet to the Atkins diet, from macrobiotics to the weirdly religious roots of corn flakes.

It would appear that social media combined with the Internet, blog culture, fitness magazines, hypersexual entertainment, restaurant trends, alternative health groups, and a firmly biblical perspective of food is a potent concoction that is fouling the hearts of millions of people worldwide.

Mealtimes have been transformed into occasions of fear, humiliation, and guilt as a result of sin.

Dining with the Devil

The fact is that God created food to provide us with daily opportunities for thankfulness, joy, and companionship; but, sin has transformed mealtimes into occasions for dread, humiliation, and guilt for many of us today. Therefore, individuals are concerned about “toxins” in their diet (fear), the fattening impacts of their favorite foods (shame), and the possibility that their coffee beans were collected by someone in a third-world nation (apprehension) (guilt). Christians are well aware that the enemy’s weapons of choice are fear, shame, and guilt, yet we sometimes forget that he disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).

“Eating animals is murder,” says the author.

“Do you have any idea what’s in there?” “This meal will cause you to gain weight.” “That isn’t proper food.” “I would never serve something like that to my children.” “Before I learned better, I used to eat in a different way.” It would seem that the church would be immune to this type of thinking, but the large number of “Christian” publications that recommend What Jesus Ate® suggests that this is not the case.

For added aggravation, when Bible verses are separated from the gospel of grace, they act as a kind of gasoline, igniting the self-righteous fires of hell (Matthew 23:15).

When they say “Eat this way,” it seems like the Pharisees are preaching a culinary gospel: “Eat this way and you will be pure, clean, entire, acceptable, and cured (saved) to live a life of abundance.” God is more concerned with how you eat than with what you consume.

How You Eat, Not What You Eat

There’s only one way to get back on the road of life and happiness, no matter how we got here in the first place. We must (re)learn that God is more concerned with how we eat than with what we consume. We know this because God instructs us in no uncertain terms: “Eat everything is placed in your path.” (See Luke 10:8 for further information.) “Eat anything you like from the market without raising any issues about your morals, for ‘the world is the Lord’s, and everything in it.’. “Consume whatever is placed in front of you.” (See 1 Corinthians 10:25-27 for further information.) The Bible says, “Do not call anything filthy that God has cleansed.” (See Acts 10:15 for further information).

1 Timothy 4:4 (NIV) Note that while the Old Covenant dietary regulations were still in place, Jesus instructed his disciples to “eat whatever is laid before you.” How much more should his words be taken into consideration after he pronounced all meals to be pure (Mark 7:19)?

Despite the fact that all foods are ethically acceptable, not all foods are nutritionally equivalent (1 Corinthians 6:12).

Finally, keep in mind that God wants you to eat with thankfulness toward him and compassion toward others when you are eating. What you eat is less important than how you consume it.

Eating with Gratitude and Love

There’s only one way to get back on the road of life and happiness, regardless of how we got here in the first place. Our God is more concerned with how we eat than with what we consume, and we must (re)learn this lesson in our lives. The reason for this is that God instructs us directly: “Eat whatever is placed before you.” (Luke 10:8; Matthew 10:8) “Eat anything you like from the market without worrying about your morals, for the Lord owns the planet and everything on it. Whatever is placed in front of you, eat it!” (See 1 Corinthians 10:25-27 for further information).

The Bible states in Acts 10:15 that It is said in the Bible that “Jesus pronounced all foods pure.” (See Mark 7:19 for further information.) “Everything God made is excellent, and it is not to be rejected if it is welcomed with gratitude,” says the author.

Notably, when the Old Covenant food regulations were still in operation, Jesus instructed his disciples to “eat whatever is laid before you.

Another thing to keep in mind: just because you’re allowed to have a Twinkie after every meal doesn’t mean you should.

At the end of the day, remember that God desires you to eat with thankfulness toward him and compassion toward others.