And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) - Genesis 14:18
“It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” - Matthew 15:26-27
Recipes
List
- Bread of the Presence, Shewbread
- Unleavened bread
Cosmology
Breadmaking is a form of materialization or vulgarization. Something too fine (flour), symbolizing condensation, has been materialized into something more tangible (bread), symbolizing solidification.
Making bread and preparing meat are significant in the Bible as symbols of lowering meaning and raising matter for the union of heaven and earth at the human level.
In transactions between heaven and earth, the ascending side of the transaction (flesh) must be consumed by angels, while the descending side (bread) remains intact. One side feeds and the other side hosts. Humans refine matter into food to be integrated by the head into the body. The body is then able to host and support the human spirit, which is thereby able to manifest itself concretely in the world.
(The Language of Creation: Cosmic Symbolism in Genesis - A Commentary by Matthieu Pageau, 2018. Pages 55-57, 63-66)
Abraham feeds the Lord bread
As the Lord appears to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre, Abraham insists that if he has found favor in His sight that the three men rest and allow a little water be brought and their feet be washed as they rest under the tree. He brings them curds, milk, a prepared calf, and cakes from 3 seahs of fine flour. The Lord prophesies Isaac's birth there before continuing on His way to investigate Sodom and Gomorrah's grave sin. (Genesis 18)
Lot feeds the angels unleavened bread when they come to judge Sodom
Esau receives bread in exchange for his birthright
Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.) Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
(Genesis 25:29-34)
Yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table
A Canaanite woman from Tyre and Sidon came to Jesus for healing for her daughter who was severely oppressed by a demon. Jesus ignored her and told His disciples He was only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
Jesus heals crowds then feeds them with but 7 loaves and a few small fish
Jesus walks beside the Sea of Galilee and climbs the mountain to rest. Great crowds came to bring lame, blind, crippled, mute, and others to His feet, and He healed them. They wondered and glorified the God of Israel.
Then Jesus called the disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” The disciples said, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” Jesus asked, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”
Jesus directed the crowd to sit. He took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. They four thousand men, besides women and children, ate and were satisfied. They took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.