Topical Bible: Food: Articles of Vinegar

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Topical Encyclopedia

Vinegar, a sour liquid produced through the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria, is mentioned in the Bible as both a food item and a symbolic element. In biblical times, vinegar was commonly derived from wine or other fermented fruit juices and was used for various purposes, including as a condiment, preservative, and even a refreshing drink.

Old Testament References

In the Old Testament, vinegar is mentioned in the context of food and drink. One notable reference is found in the book of Ruth. When Ruth is gleaning in the fields of Boaz, she is invited to partake in a meal with the reapers: "At mealtime Boaz said to her, 'Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the vinegar.'" (Ruth 2:14). This passage illustrates the use of vinegar as a common accompaniment to bread, enhancing its flavor and providing refreshment.

The book of Proverbs also alludes to vinegar in a metaphorical sense: "Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him." (Proverbs 10:26). Here, vinegar is used to describe something that is irritating or unpleasant, highlighting its sharp and biting nature.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, vinegar appears in the context of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Gospels recount that as Jesus was on the cross, He was offered vinegar to drink. In the Gospel of John, it is written: "After this, Jesus, knowing that everything had now been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, 'I am thirsty.' A jar of sour wine was sitting there. So they soaked a sponge in the wine, put it on a stalk of hyssop, and lifted it to His mouth." (John 19:28-29). This "sour wine" is understood to be a form of vinegar, commonly consumed by Roman soldiers and the lower classes as a cheap and accessible beverage.

The offering of vinegar to Jesus is significant in fulfilling the Messianic prophecy found in Psalm 69:21: "They poisoned my food with gall and gave me vinegar to quench my thirst." This act, while seemingly an act of mercy, also underscores the suffering and humiliation endured by Christ during His crucifixion.

Symbolic and Cultural Significance

Vinegar's presence in the Bible is not merely as a physical substance but also carries symbolic weight. It represents bitterness and suffering, as seen in the crucifixion narrative. The offering of vinegar to Jesus is a poignant reminder of His sacrifice and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.

In the cultural context of the Bible, vinegar was a practical and versatile substance. It was used not only for culinary purposes but also for medicinal and cleaning applications. Its sharp taste and preservative qualities made it a valuable commodity in ancient times.

Overall, vinegar in the Bible serves as a multifaceted element, illustrating both the everyday life of biblical peoples and the deeper spiritual truths conveyed through Scripture.

Nave's Topical Index

Numbers 6:3
He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.
Nave's Topical Index

Ruth 2:14
And Boaz said to her, At mealtime come you here, and eat of the bread, and dip your morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Morning-Meal in the Pharisee's House - Meals and Feasts among ...
... Wine in ice came from the Lebanon; a certain kind of vinegar from Idumaea ... Long as
this catalogue is, that of the various articles of food, whether native or ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xii the morning-meal in.htm

In Jerusalem when Herod Reigned
... Articles of luxury, especially from abroad, fetched indeed ... 556] tried the soundness
of food or drink ... with Jud??an or Galilean wine, Idum??an vinegar, or foreign ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter i in jerusalem when.htm

The Crucifixion.
... have as their perquisite some of the articles worn by ... was mercifully pressing the
sponge steeped in vinegar to His ... that He did not once think of food, but no ...
/.../dods/the expositors bible the gospel of st john vol ii/xxi the crucifixion.htm

The Nature of Spiritual Hunger
... Let God propound what articles he will, I will subscribe to ... of wind a man has little
appetite to his food. ... He that tastes gall and vinegar in sin hungers after ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/13 the nature of spiritual.htm

On the Words, Crucified and Buried.
... leaves, He came at a season when food was not ... having drunk wine mingled with myrrh,
and vinegar, after receiving ... and build upon it the other articles of the ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture xiii on the words.htm

Joy, a Duty
... any depression in business, what lugubrious articles appeared concerning ... caught with
honey than with vinegar; and there ... is good salt with that food which is ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 41 1895/joy a duty.htm

Crucified, Dead, and Buried. '
... who daily broke in upon her to rob her of what scanty food had been ... But, besides
these four articles of dress, there was the seamless woven inner garment, [6085 ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xv crucified dead and.htm

Ancient Chaldaea
... established by Ross and Lynch in two articles in the ... not occupy such an important
place among food-stuffs. ... from it a kind of bread, wine, vinegar, honey, cakes ...
/.../chapter iancient chaldaea.htm

Of the Lord's Supper, and the Benefits Conferred by It.
... the present day than for all the other articles of their ... testify by an external symbol
that his flesh was food. ... and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 17 of the lords.htm

A Mystery! Saints Sorrowing and Jesus Glad!
... them and filled their little bag with food, yet Lazarus dies ... our diet, fills our
mouth with vinegar, and makes ... See the Preface to the Articles, "Being by God's ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/a mystery saints sorrowing and.htm