In biblical literature, corn is often used symbolically and literally to represent sustenance, provision, and divine blessing. The term "corn" in the Bible typically refers to grain, such as wheat or barley, rather than the modern understanding of maize. This entry explores the significance of corn in the Scriptures and its comparison to the lives and virtues of saints.

Biblical References to Corn

Corn is frequently mentioned in the Bible as a staple of life and a symbol of God's provision. In Genesis 41:47, during the seven years of abundance in Egypt, "the earth produced plentifully," highlighting the abundance of corn as a divine blessing. Similarly, in Psalm 65:13, the psalmist describes the meadows and valleys as being "clothed with flocks and covered with grain; they shout for joy and sing," illustrating the joy and prosperity associated with a bountiful harvest.

In the New Testament, Jesus uses the imagery of corn to teach spiritual truths. In John 12:24, He states, "Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." Here, corn symbolizes the principle of sacrifice leading to greater spiritual fruitfulness, a concept mirrored in the lives of saints who often endure trials for the sake of spiritual growth and the benefit of others.

Corn as a Symbol of Divine Provision

Corn, as a representation of God's provision, is evident in the account of Joseph. In Genesis 42:1-3, during a severe famine, Jacob sends his sons to Egypt to buy corn, which Joseph had stored during the years of plenty. This narrative underscores the idea that God provides for His people through foresight and wisdom, qualities that are often attributed to saints who act as stewards of God's resources.

The provision of corn is also seen in the laws given to Israel. In Leviticus 23:22, God commands, "When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner." This law reflects God's concern for the needy and the responsibility of His people to share their blessings, a virtue exemplified by saints known for their charity and compassion.

Comparison to Saints

Saints, in their lives and actions, often embody the qualities associated with corn in the Bible. Just as corn is a source of nourishment and life, saints are seen as spiritual sustenance for the Church, providing guidance, wisdom, and encouragement to believers. Their lives, marked by sacrifice and service, mirror the kernel of wheat that dies to produce much fruit, as described by Jesus.

Moreover, saints are often remembered for their role in providing for the physical and spiritual needs of others, much like the corn that sustains life. Their acts of charity, hospitality, and teaching reflect the biblical principle of sharing one's abundance with those in need, as seen in the laws of gleaning.

In summary, corn in the Bible serves as a powerful symbol of God's provision and the virtues of sacrifice and service. These themes resonate in the lives of saints, who, through their faith and actions, become instruments of God's grace and provision to the world.Hosea 14:7
They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Withholding Corn
... given a snap of my fingers for it compared with that ... be a partaker of the inheritance
of the saints in light ... tried to avoid the sin of withholding corn; and if ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/withholding corn.htm

Introductory to Texts from the Gospels on the Incarnation. ...
... Arians compared to the Jews ... Of old time He was wont to come to the Saints individually,
and to hallow ... 1:5. And so S. Jerome, S. Leo, &c., as mentioned in Corn. ...
/.../chapter xxvi introductory to texts from.htm

Satan Considering the Saints
... possessed thereof) none can take from thee: compared with which ... you are more generous
than other saints, if you ... he could destroy that handful of corn upon the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 11 1865/satan considering the saints.htm

On the Resurrection, and the Judgment, the Fire of Hell, and ...
... of birds, another of fishes." For heavenly things are worthily compared to the saints,
and earthly ... the sowing in the ground of a "bare grain of corn, or of ...
/.../origen/origen de principiis/chapter x on the resurrection and.htm

Heavenly Rest
... The worldling, when his corn and his wine are ... Baxter himself, when he wrote of the
"Saints' Rest," paused ... said; "But these are only tinklings compared with the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/heavenly rest.htm

Christ the Mediator of the Covenant
... Christ may be fitly compared to Jacob's ladder, which reacheth ... it, drop by drop;
so the saints have the ... Joseph opened all the storehouses of corn: Christ is ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/2 christ the mediator of.htm

A Bundle of Myrrh
... It is not all the saints who can enter here, for they ... there is a bread which even
the corn-fields of ... are little better than husks for swine compared with Jesus ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/a bundle of myrrh.htm

Religion Pleasant to the Religious.
... the Psalmist, "since the time that their corn and wine ... The pleasures of sin are not
to be compared in fulness ... The Saints and Martyrs too are clad in white robes ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol vii/sermon xiv religion pleasant to.htm

The Best Things Work for Good to the Godly
... attributes of God work for good to the saints. ... for its sanctifying nature, is in
Scripture compared sometimes to ... to the fan, which winnows corn, and purifies ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a divine cordial/the best things work for.htm

Death.
... gathered to his grave as a shock of corn to the ... death he made death a pleasant sleep
to saints, and the ... times over, and it must not be compared, in difference ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xxiv death.htm

Are Christians sinners, saints, or both? | GotQuestions.org

What are the prayers of the saints in Revelation 5:8? | GotQuestions.org

What are tribulation saints? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus