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Eating Before the Lord: a Theology of Food According to Deuteronomy

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Eating Before the Lord: a Theology of Food According to Deuteronomy JETS 57/1 (2014) 85–97 EATING BEFORE THE LORD: A THEOLOGY OF FOOD ACCORDING TO DEUTERONOMY ADAM WARNER DAY* I. INTRODUCTION Gordon Wenham notes that three topics are central to Genesis 2–3—food, dominion, and sexuality.1 He then goes on to briefly observe places in Genesis where these three themes occur.2 Reflecting upon the narrative accounts in the Pentateuch, we see that these themes are present throughout the Pentateuch. De- spite the frequency of occurrences of the activities of eating and drinking through- out the Pentateuch (and OT3), there has been a paucity of literature on the topic of food in the scholarly literature.4 Moreover, the literature that has been written often analyzes food from several non-theological perspectives: social-scientific,5 socio- critical,6 and literary.7 In light of Wenham’s observation on the centrality of food in the early chapters of Genesis, it seems natural to ask the question: what are the theological purposes of food? Space considerations compel us to narrow our focus since a study of even the Pentateuch would require considerable space. Thus, this paper will focus on the book of Deuteronomy. Since Deuteronomy represents Mo- ses’8 sermons to the generation about to enter the Promised Land, there are many * Adam Day is a Ph.D. student at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2825 Lexington Road, Louisville, KY 40280. 1 Gordon J. Wenham, Story as Torah: Reading the Old Testament Ethically (OT Studies; Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 2000) 28. 2 Wenham, Story as Torah. For his citations of passages involving food see pp. 28–29; for dominion, pp. 29–30; and for sexuality, pp. 30–33. 3 Rolf P. Knierim notes that there are approximately 1,500 references to the activities of eating, drinking, and becoming satisfied in the OT (The Task of Old Testament Theology: Substance, Method, and Cases [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995] 229). 4 Nathan MacDonald notes this when he says, “despite the importance of food to the Old Testa- ment authors, the subject has received surprisingly little attention from modern biblical scholars” (Not Bread Alone: The Uses of Food in the Old Testament [Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008] 2). 5 Eleonore Schmitt, Das Essen in der Bible: Literaturethnologische Aspekte des Alltäglichen (Studien zur Kulturanthropologie 2; Münster: Lit, 1994). 6 Judith McKinlay, Gendering Wisdom the Host: Biblical Invitations to Eat and Drink (JSOTSup 216; Shef- field: Sheffield Academic Press, 1996). 7 Diane Sharon, Patterns of Destiny: Narrative Structures of Foundation and Doom in the Hebrew Bible (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2002). 8 Mosaic authorship of Deuteronomy is assumed throughout the paper, though it is beyond the scope of this paper to argue for it. Moreover, the study will analyze Deuteronomy from the perspective of the final version of the text. Thus, we will not discuss the different layers of it. Rather, we will deal with the text as it now stands. 86 JOURNAL OF THE EVANGELICAL THEOLOGICAL SOCIETY lessons that Moses underscores that the people should have learned while wander- ing in the wilderness. In the course of this study, we will uncover several reasons, according to Deuteronomy, why God made huMans to eat. (1) Food leads to a recognition of dependence on God (ch. 15). (2) It points to Yahweh’s provision for his people (ch. 8). (3) Food teaches Israelites to fear and trust Yahweh (chs. 6, 14). (4) It shows that true satisfaction is found in Yahweh’s word (ch. 8). (5) Food is a means of participating in joyful worship of Yahweh’s goodness and cultivating thankfulness (chs. 12, 16, 26). In order to understand the theology of food in Deuteronomy, several key passages will be analyzed. There are two priMary reasons why these passages have been selected for our study. First, two of the passages (chs. 6 and 8) are linked through coMMon language and themes. Second, the remaining passages all refer to the comMand to bring offerinGs to the place where God had chosen for his name to dwell.9 The priMary reason to include offerings in a discussion on the theology of food, which is a surprising observation at first, is that the Israelites sacrificed their food. It is often forgotten that some of the offerings the Israelites brought to the sanctuary were eaten.10 Before surveyinG the key passages, we will take a brief glimpse into the ancient near Eastern (ANE) practices regarding food and sacrifices to contrast Israel’s understanding of food with that of their neiGhbors. Then, we will look at the relevant passages to trace the theme of food throughout the book: (1) 15:19–23; (2) 8:10–14; (3) 6:10–15; 14:22–23; (4) 8:3; and (5) 12:1–10; 16:10–15; 26:1–11. It is important to note what is outside the scope of this paper. This paper does not intend to analyze food in reGard to purity laws. It also does not seek to understand how and why sacrifices were offered. Finally, it does not intend to ex- amine the Israelite diet and its health benefits. Rather, it seeks to ask a more foun- dational question: what does Deuteronomy teach us about food and why food was part of religious concern? It is to this topic that we now turn. II. ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN BACKGROUND We have little information regarding the food practices of people in the ANE since they do not seeM to have had food laws as the Israelites did. However, similar to Israel, Israel’s neiGhbors also sacrificed their livestock and harvest as part of their offerinGs. In fact, when people in the ANE brought sacrifices, they believed that 9 The terM is used in most of these passaGes as well (12:7, 12, 18; 14:26; 16:11, 14, 15; 26:11). 10 ThouGh DeuteronoMy does not specify which offerings can be eaten, we see in Leviticus that the burnt offering required the whole animal to be offered (Lev 1:6; 7:8); the peace offering (Lev 7:11–34) was to be eaten by the worshiper and shared with the priest; and the sin offerings (Lev 4:1–5:1), Grain offerings (Numbers 15) and guilt offerinGs (Lev 5:14–26) were eaten by the priests. For a detailed dis- cussion of these offerinGs, see Richard Averbeck, “Sacrifices and OfferinGs,” in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch (ed. T. DesMond Alexander and David W. Baker; Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2003) 706–32. EATING BEFORE THE LORD 87 their patron deity shared in the meal with them.11 SinCe the idea of saCrifiCes dove- tails with our study, there are a few important aspeCts to note in regard to ANE practices regarding sacrifices. The main concern for saCrifiCes in Mesopotamia was the Care and feeding of the gods. Part of the rationale in feeding the gods was that Mesopotamians believed that the gods possessed human and divine qualities. The deities were thought to have human needs and to depend on humanity to meet those needs.12 In faCt, in much ANE literature, man was Created by the gods in order to supply them with food.13 In Contrast, Deuteronomy makes clear that the Israelites are dependent on Yahweh for their food. As we will analyze below, the annual feasts were celebrations to remember that Yahweh was the source of the food that the Israelites consumed on a daily basis. They did not bring sacrifices to Yahweh to feed him, but he is the one who enables them to bring the produce of the land to eat, share, and offer back to him. Altmann also notes that Deuteronomy does not reference a human king providing food for the people as other ANE liter- ature does. He argues that this highlights Yahweh’s divine provision.14 In addition, the feasts were also a means that Yahweh used to involve his people in caring for the poor and disadvantaged (Deut 16:13–14). Thus, there are significant differences between the ANE practices of sacrificing food and the Israelite praCtices. Israelite practices reflect Yahweh’s superiority over other gods in power and CharaCter. He does not need anything, and is not served by human hands. Rather, he abundantly cares for his people. III. FOOD AND TITHES The first passage we will discuss is found in Deut 15:19–20. This passage (15:19–23) provides a conclusion to the section on tribute that began with instruc- tion in 14:22–23 concerning the firstborn of the floCks and herds.15 Here, Yahweh commands the Israelites to dedicate to him the firstborn from their herd, and they are to eat it before Yahweh on a yearly basis at the sanCtuary (“the plaCe Yahweh will choose,” v. 20). The motif of people eating the offerings they bring to the altar is repeated throughout Deuteronomy (12:7; 14:23; 15:20; 16:1).16 While there is no 11 Gary A. Anderson, Sacrifices and Offering in Ancient Israel: Studies in their Social and Political Importance (HSM 41; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1987) 20. 12 Martin J. Selman, “SaCrifiCe in the AnCient Near East,” in Sacrifice in the Bible (ed. Roger T. BeCk- with and Martin J. Selman; Grand Rapids: Baker, 1995) 95. 13 Gordon J. Wenham notes the differenCe with the Genesis aCCount where man is the Climax of creation. Furthermore, God provides food for man and not vice versa (Genesis 1–15 [WBC 1; WaCo, TX: Word, 1987] xlix, 33); cf. Daniel I. Block, The Gospel According to Moses: Theological and Ethical Reflections on the Book of Deuteronomy (Eugene, OR: CasCade, 2012) 188.
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