Many
of us are now in the midst of preparation for Thanksgiving. We may be pondering
what to cook? What will we be eating? Or even thinking about some of the things
that we are thankful for this year. For some, the Thanksgiving tradition will
include a prayer of thanks before the meal. Even if it doesn't, I think we all could
conjure up the vision of a person residing over the table with head bowed, eyes
closed, hands folded, praying over the food.
This
week we will be studying Matthew 14. This chapter of scripture recounts one of
Jesus' best known miracles where He feeds the 5,000 people who were gathered in
a solitary place to hear Him speak. We
read in Matthew 14:19a, "And He directed
the people to sit down on the grass.
Taking the fives loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave
thanks and broke the loaves."
On
the surface, Jesus prayer of thanks may seem similar to our own Thanksgiving
tradition. If we delve into the Jewish
perspective of meal-time prayer I think it will give us a deeper understanding
of our own prayer this Thanksgiving.
Prior
to a meal, a blessing (b'akhah) would
be said called the Motzi: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of
the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth". As Jesus gave
thanks this is probably what He said.
Jesus was not blessing the bread itself, but the Lord Who provided the
food. You might also note from Matthew 14:19 that Jesus looked up to heaven
when He prayed which was the more traditional Jewish posture of prayer.
To
most of us, the fact that Jesus broke
the bread would have little significance yet to a Jewish mindset this was
significant. Often when bread was
distributed at a meal, it would be torn off the end of the loaf, not cut with a
knife. This was a symbol of the day when nations would no longer be torn apart
by the sword, something we eagerly await. Also, to Christians, 'breaking bread'
might specifically refer to our communion service but to the Jewish people it
would refer to anytime a meal was shared.
As
we gather together this Thursday to 'break bread' with the people God has
placed in our lives many things might come to mind that we are thankful for. I
pray we would have time to look up to heaven and to bless God alone, not just
for what He has given us. Simply because He is.
"Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever." Psalm 136:26
