Dinner
The Principal Meal of the Day
In the biblical context, 'dinner' (often translating the Greek ariston) was the main, substantial meal of the day, typically consumed in the late afternoon or evening after the day's work was done (Luke 17:7-8). This contrasts with modern Western patterns of three meals; ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean cultures generally observed two main eating periods. The morning meal was light—often just bread—while the evening dinner was the time for family and community to gather for a full repast. Jesus references this meal in his parables, such as the great banquet where the host says, "Come, for everything is now ready" (Luke 14:17).
Dining in the Biblical Narrative
Dinner scenes are pivotal throughout Scripture, often marking moments of covenant, revelation, or crisis. In the Old Testament, Abraham shares a meal with the three visitors, an act of hospitality that precedes the promise of Isaac's birth (Genesis 18:1-8). The Passover meal is a divinely instituted dinner that memorializes Israel's deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 12). In the New Testament, Jesus frequently uses dinner settings for teaching and ministry. He dines with Pharisees (Luke 11:37), tax collectors like Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10), and his disciples. The most theologically significant dinner is the Last Supper, where Jesus transforms the Passover meal into a new covenant memorial of his impending sacrifice (Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). After his resurrection, he shares a breakfast of bread and fish with his disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:9-13).
Cultural and Social Dimensions
Dinner was deeply embedded in the social fabric. It was a primary expression of hospitality, a sacred duty in the ancient world. To share a meal was to offer peace and fellowship. The meal's structure often reflected social hierarchies, with seating arrangements indicating honor (Luke 14:7-11). Meals were also occasions for teaching and discussion, as seen in the symposium tradition. Food itself carried symbolic weight: bread represented sustenance and life, wine symbolized joy and covenant, and salt denoted preservation and loyalty. The communal nature of dinner made exclusion from it a severe social penalty.
Theological and Eschatological Significance
The dinner table becomes a profound theological metaphor. Jesus's practice of eating with "sinners and tax collectors" scandalized the religious elite but demonstrated God's inclusive grace and the arrival of the messianic kingdom (Mark 2:15-17). The shared meal prefigures the messianic banquet, a central image of God's future kingdom. Isaiah prophesies a feast of rich food for all peoples (Isaiah 25:6), and Jesus depicts the kingdom of heaven as a wedding banquet (Matthew 22:1-14). The early church's "breaking of bread" (Acts 2:42, 46) was both a communal dinner and a liturgical act, sustaining the community's unity and memorializing Christ. Thus, the physical act of dining points toward spiritual realities of fellowship with God and one another.
Biblical Context
The term 'dinner' appears in key narratives across both Testaments. In the Old Testament, it is the setting for significant events like Abraham hosting the Lord (Genesis 18), Boaz inviting Ruth to eat (Ruth 2:14), and David's feast for Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9). In the Gospels, Jesus's ministry is filled with dinner scenes: he critiques Pharisee hypocrisy at a dinner (Luke 11:37-44), tells the parable of the great banquet at a dinner (Luke 14:15-24), and anoints the sinful woman during a dinner (Luke 7:36-50). The Book of Revelation culminates with the promise of the 'marriage supper of the Lamb' (Revelation 19:9). These meals often serve as turning points or revelations of character and divine purpose.
Theological Significance
Dinner in the Bible is theologically significant as a symbol of communion, covenant, and kingdom. Sharing a meal signifies reconciliation, fellowship, and the establishment of peace. Jesus's meals demonstrate the inclusive nature of the gospel, breaking down social and religious barriers. The Last Supper institutes the Eucharist, making the shared meal the central act of Christian worship, remembering Christ's sacrifice. Furthermore, the consistent imagery of the future messianic banquet teaches that salvation is not merely individual but communal, celebrating God's ultimate victory and the restoration of all things in joyful fellowship.
Historical Background
Archaeological and historical sources confirm the biblical pattern of two main meals. The morning meal was a simple 'breaking of fast,' often just bread. The main dinner occurred in the cooler evening hours. Typical foods included bread (the staple), legumes, vegetables, fruit, fish, and occasionally meat for festivals. Reclining on couches for dinner, a Greco-Roman custom, was adopted by wealthier Jews by the first century. Meals were eaten from a common bowl or platter. Extrabiblical texts like the Talmud and works of Josephus detail dining customs, purity concerns about food, and the importance of hospitality. The 'symposium' or drinking conversation following the meal was a time for philosophical and religious discussion, providing context for Jesus's dinner-table teachings.