In biblical times, the role of a cook was essential in both daily life and religious practices. The preparation of food is mentioned throughout the Scriptures, reflecting its importance in ancient Near Eastern culture. Cooking in the Bible is often associated with hospitality, religious offerings, and communal gatherings.

Old Testament References

The art of cooking is evident in the Old Testament, where various methods and ingredients are described. In Genesis 18:6-8, Abraham demonstrates hospitality by preparing a meal for his divine visitors: "So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, 'Quick, prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.' Then Abraham ran to the herd, selected a tender, choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. He then brought butter and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set it before them."

Cooking was also integral to the sacrificial system. Leviticus 2:4 describes the preparation of grain offerings: "Now if you bring a grain offering baked in an oven, it must consist of fine flour—unleavened cakes mixed with oil or unleavened wafers anointed with oil." This highlights the use of ovens and the importance of specific ingredients in offerings to God.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, cooking continues to play a significant role, particularly in the context of fellowship and teaching. In John 21:9-13, after His resurrection, Jesus prepares a meal for His disciples: "When they landed, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus told them, 'Bring some of the fish you have just caught.' So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many, the net was not torn. 'Come, have breakfast,' Jesus said to them. None of the disciples dared to ask Him, 'Who are You?' They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and He did the same with the fish."

This passage illustrates the communal aspect of meals and the role of cooking in fostering fellowship among believers.

Cultural and Religious Significance

Cooking in biblical times was not only a daily necessity but also a means of expressing hospitality and devotion. The preparation of food was often a communal activity, bringing families and communities together. In addition, the dietary laws given to the Israelites, as seen in Leviticus 11, underscore the spiritual significance of food and its preparation.

The role of women in cooking is also noteworthy, as they were primarily responsible for preparing meals for their households. Proverbs 31:15 praises the virtuous woman: "She rises while it is still night to provide food for her household and portions for her maidservants."

Conclusion

The act of cooking in the Bible is deeply intertwined with themes of hospitality, worship, and community. It reflects the cultural practices of the time and serves as a backdrop for many significant biblical events. Through the preparation and sharing of meals, the biblical narrative highlights the importance of fellowship and the provision of God.Matthew 5:1-48
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came to him:
Topicalbible.org

A person employed to perform culinary service. In early times among the Hebrews cooking was performed by the mistress of the household (Genesis 18:2-6; Judges 6:19), and the process was very expeditiously performed (Genesis 27:3, 4, 9, 10). Professional cooks were afterwards employed (1 Samuel 8:13; 9:23). Few animals, as a rule, were slaughtered (other than sacrifices), except for purposes of hospitality (Genesis 18:7; Luke 15:23). The paschal lamb was roasted over a fire (Exodus 12:8, 9; 2 Chronicles 35:13). Cooking by boiling was the usual method adopted (Leviticus 8:31; Exodus 16:23). No cooking took place on the Sabbath day (Exodus 35:3). 1. (v. i.) To make the noise of the cuckoo.

2. (v. t.) To throw.

3. (n.) One whose occupation is to prepare food for the table; one who dresses or cooks meat or vegetables for eating.

4. (n.) A fish, the European striped wrasse.

5. (v. t.) To prepare, as food, by boiling, roasting, baking, broiling, etc.; to make suitable for eating, by the agency of fire or heat.

6. (v. t.) To concoct or prepare; hence, to tamper with or alter; to garble; -- often with up; as, to cook up a story; to cook an account.

7. (v. i.) To prepare food for the table.

2876. tabbach -- cook, guardsman
... 2875, 2876. tabbach. 2877 . cook, guardsman. Transliteration: tabbach Phonetic
Spelling: (tab-bawkh') Short Definition: bodyguard. ... cook, guard. ...
/hebrew/2876.htm - 6k

2879. tabbachah -- female cook
... female cook. Transliteration: tabbachah Phonetic Spelling: (tab-baw-khaw') Short
Definition: cooks. ... of tabbach Definition female cook NASB Word Usage cooks (1). ...
/hebrew/2879.htm - 6k

2281. chabittim -- flat cakes, bread wafers
... pan. From an unused root probably meaning to cook (compare machabath); something
fried, probably a griddle-cake -- pan. see HEBREW machabath. 2280, 2281. ...
/hebrew/2281.htm - 6k

1310. bashal -- to boil, seethe, grow ripe
... root Definition to boil, seethe, grow ripe NASB Word Usage baked (1), boil (12),
boiled (7), boiled at all (1), boiling (2), cook (1), produced ripe (1), ripe ...
/hebrew/1310.htm - 6k

644. aphah -- to bake
... 1). baker, meats. A primitive root; to cook, especially to bake --
bake(-r, (-meats)). 643, 644. aphah. 645 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/644.htm - 5k

Continues to Evangelize. Dr. Cook's Prescription. Incident at ...
... CHAPTER XVI. Continues to Evangelize. Dr. Cook's Prescription. Incident at Glendale. ...
Continues to Evangelize. Dr. Cook's Prescription. Incident at Glendale. ...
/.../chapter xvi continues to evangelize.htm

How St Francis Gave to Brother Masseo the Office of Porter, of ...
... HERE BEGIN THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHAPTER XII HOW ST FRANCIS
GAVE TO BROTHER MASSEO THE OFFICE OF PORTER, OF ALMONER AND OF COOK; AND HOW ...
/.../the little flowers of st francis of assisi/chapter xii how st francis.htm

And it Should be Remarked in Passing that this Force Upon a Man to ...
... Like the fire, the woman is expected to cook: not to excel in cooking, but to cook;
to cook better than her husband who is earning the coke by lecturing on ...
/.../chesterton/whats wrong with the world/chapter 18 and it should.htm

Joseph, a Servant, a Prisoner, and a Saint.
... One was his chief cook, and one was the chief butler, who always handed
the wine cup to the king, and Joseph had the care of them. ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter vii joseph a servant.htm

The Noviceship
... book for half an hour or so after breakfast, then went to the kitchen or the dining
hall or the scullery, where he set to work under the orders of the cook. ...
/.../chapter xiii the noviceship.htm

Letter C
... 1787, Died 1790 * Conoway, John O. "Received 1835 * Conrey, Jonathan F. "Received
1837 * Conrey, Stephen F. "Received 1835 * Cook, Charles "Received ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/bangs/an alphabetical list of m e preachers/letter c.htm

The Mountain Home
... prayer. The two servants, Conrad the cook, and Rupert the messenger and
man-of-all-work, were also amongst the Friends of God. Although ...
/.../bevan/three friends of god/chapter xliii the mountain home.htm

Observe, Now, Here at the Very Beginning, How, in Ridiculing the ...
... of the Greeks who have treated the subject in a philosophic spirit not to be
depreciated, he would make us, "representing God, as it were, as a cook, hold the ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter xv observe now here.htm

Ranee Khet Mission.
... The only Europeans were two Engineers and a sergeant, and they were living in their
cook-houses, preparatory to building houses for themselves. ...
/.../chapter xxii ranee khet mission.htm

Life Amongst the Upper Ten Thousand
... allowed until we had partaken of further refreshment, and servants appeared with
delicacies"meat balls in gravy, flavoured as only a Chinese cook can flavour ...
/.../the fulfilment of a dream of pastor hsis/chapter xviii life amongst the.htm

Cook (17 Occurrences)
... 6. (vt) To concoct or prepare; hence, to tamper with or alter; to garble; -- often
with up; as, to cook up a story; to cook an account. ...Cook (17 Occurrences). ...
/c/cook.htm - 13k

Roast (8 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To cook by exposure to radiant heat before a fire; as, to roast meat on
a spit, or in an oven open toward the fire and having reflecting surfaces within ...
/r/roast.htm - 10k

Guard (185 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary. (1.) Hebrews tabbah (properly a "cook, " and in a secondary
sense "executioner, " because this office fell to the lot of the cook in ...
/g/guard.htm - 55k

Cooked (35 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Cook. Multi-Version Concordance Cooked
(35 Occurrences). Luke 24:42 And they gave him a bit of cooked fish. (BBE). ...
/c/cooked.htm - 17k

Cooking (14 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr & vb. n.) of Cook. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
COOKING. kook'-ing. See FOOD. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/c/cooking.htm - 10k

Vessels (210 Occurrences)
... Samuel 17:28). The generous natives brought not only gifts of food but the
necessary vessels in which to cook it. An earthen vessel ...
/v/vessels.htm - 40k

Kettles (2 Occurrences)
... 2 Chronicles 35:13 And they cook the passover with fire, according to the ordinance,
and the sanctified things they have cooked in pots, and in kettles, and in ...
/k/kettles.htm - 7k

Ithamar (20 Occurrences)
... ith'-a-mar ('ithamar, "land" or "island of palms": Gesenius; or "father of Tamar,"
'i, being perhaps for 'abhi: Cook in Encyclopedia Biblica-though both ...
/i/ithamar.htm - 16k

Invite (20 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 9:24 The cook took up the thigh, and that which was on it, and set it
before Saul. Samuel said, "Behold, that which has been reserved! ...
/i/invite.htm - 12k

Food (2953 Occurrences)
... 24:10; Luke 24:42; John 21:9). Food was also prepared by roasting (Exodus
12:8; Leviticus 2:14). (see COOK.). Noah Webster's Dictionary. ...
/f/food.htm - 36k

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