Bread
from Dan's Corner
"While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying 'Take and eat; this is my body.'" -- Matthew 26:26 "And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them saying, 'This is my body given for you.'" -- Luke 22:19
During Jesus' final Passover, after which He was crucified, Jesus reconfirms the tenet that He is bread which God sent, not for the body, but to nourish the spirit and soul of the believer. Jesus hammers this point home in the sixth chapter of the Gospel According to John. Particularly in verse 35: "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry." Then in verse 51: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven." Bearing this in mind, let's take a quick Hebrew lesson.
Locations in Israel that begin with 'Beth' actually translate to the work 'Beit' which means 'House' or 'House of.' The town of Bethsaida is Beit Tzaidah in Hebrew. Tzaidah in Hebrew means 'nets.' So Beit Tzaidah is 'House of Nets.' That makes sense since we know from Scripture that Bethsaida was located on the shore of the sea and was a fishing village.
The town we know as Bethany is translated Beit Anyah. Anyah means poverty. Bethany is the 'House of Poverty.'
Now to Bethlehem, Jesus' birth place -- in Hebrew Beit Lechem. Lechem means bread. Hence Bethlehem means 'House of Bread'. Towns in those times, as in this case, took on names reflecting local commerce or industry. Isn't it fitting that the Bread of Life that sustains our spirit and soul was born in Israel's bakery -- Bethlehem?
Our God doesn't miss a trick!
