Before commencing the meal, the guests washed their hands. This custom was founded on natural decorum; not only was the hand the substitute for our knife and fork, but the hands of all the guests were dipped into one and the same dish ; uncleanliness in such a case would be intolerable. Hence not only the Jews, but
SUP
29
SUP
Washing before or after a. Meal. (From Lane's Modern
Egyptians.)
the Greeks {Od. i, 136), the modern Egyptians (Lane, i, 190), and many other nations have been distinguished by this practice; the Bedawin, in particular, are careful to wash their hands before, but are indifferent about do- ing so after their meals (Biirckhardt, Notes, i, G3). The Pharisees transformed this conventional usage into a ritual observance, and overlaid it with burdensome reg- ulations— a wilful perversion which our Lord reprobates in the strongest terms (^Nfark vii, 1-13). Another pre- liminary step was the grace or blessing, of which we have but one instance in the Ohl Test. (1 Sam. ix, 13), and more than one pronounced by our Lord himself in the New Test. (Matt, xv, 36 ; Luke ix, 16; John vi, 11) ; it consisted, as far as we may judge from the words ap- plied to it, partly of a blessing upon the food, partly of thanks to the Giver of it. The Kabblnical writers have, as usual, laid down most minute regulations respecting it, which may be found in the treatise of the Mishna entitled Berachoth, ch. vi-viii. See Wash.
The mode of taking the food differed in no material point from the modern usages of the East; generally there was a single dish, into which each guest dipped his hand (Matt, xxvi, 23) ; occasionally separate por- tions were served out to each (Gen. xliii, 34; Ruth ii, 14 ; 1 Sam. i, 4). A piece of bread was held between the thumb and two fingers of the right hand, and was dipped either into a bowl of melted grease (in which case it was termed ■^uifitoi^, "a sop," John xiii, 26) or into the dish of meat, whence a piece was conveyed to the mouth between the layers of bread (Lane, i, 193, 194; Burckhardt, A'ates, i, 63). It is esteemed an act of politeness to hand over to a friend a delicate morsel
A Paity al Uiuuti
1 ^i|lt' (tiom Liueu Modern Hgijptians.)
(John xiii, 26; Lane i, 194). In allusion to the above method of eating, Solomon makes it a characteristic of the sluggard tliat "he hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again" (Prov. xix, 24; xxvi, 15). At the conclusion of the meal grace was again said, in conformity with Deut. viii, 10, and the hands were again washed. See Mkal. Thus far we have described the ordinary meal. On state occasions more ceremony was used, and the meal was enlivened in various waj'S. Such occasions were numerous, in connection partly with public, partly with private events. In the first class we may place the great festivals of the Jews (Deut. xvi ; Tob. ii, i) ; pub- lic sacrifices (Deut. xii, 7; xxvii, 7; 1 Sam. ix, 13,22; 1 Kings i, 9; iii, 15; Zeph.i,7); the ratification of trea- ties (Gen. xxvi, 30; xxxi,54); theofferingof the tithes (Deut. xiv, 26), particularly at the end of each third year (xiv, 28). In the second class, marriages (Gen. xxix, 22; Judg. xiv, 10; Esth. ii, 18; Tob. viii, 19; Matt, xxii, 2; .John ii, 1) ; birthdays (Gen. xl, 20; Job i, 4 ; Matt, xiv, 6, 9) ; burials (2 Sam. iii, 35 ; Jer. xvi, 7 ; Hos. ix,4; Tob. iv, 17) ; sheep-shearing (1 Sam. xxv, 2, 36 ; 2 Sam. xiii, 23) ; the vintage (Judg. ix, 27) ; lay- ing the foundation-stone of a house (Prov. ix, 1-5); the reception of visitors (Gen. xviii, 6-8: xix, 3 ; 2 Sam. iii, 20 ; xii, 4 ; 2 Kings vi, 23 ; Tob. vii, 9 ; 1 Mace, xvi, 15 ; 2 Mace, ii, 27 ; Luke v, 29 ; xv, 23 ; John xii, 2) ; or any event connected with the sovereign (Hos. vii, 5). " The day of the king," in this passage, has been vari- ously understood as his birthday or his coronation; it may, however, be equally applied to any other event of similar importance. On each of the above-mentioned occasions a sumptuous repast was prepared; the guests were previouslj^ invited (Esth. v, 8; Matt, xxii, 3), and on the day of the feast a second invitation was issued to those that were bidden (Esth. vi, 14 ; Prov. ix, 3 ; Matt, xxii, 3). The visitors were received with a kiss (Tob. vii, 6; Luke vii, 45); water was produced for them to wash their feet with (Luke vii, 44) ; the head, the beard, the feet, and sometimes the clothes were perfumed with ointment (Psa. xxiii, 5 ; Amos vi, 6 ; Luke vii, 38 ; John xii, 3) ; on special occasions robes were provided (Matt. xxii, 11 ; comp. Trench, On Parables, p. 230); and the head was decorated with wreaths (Isa. xxviii, 1 ; Wisd. ii, 7, 8 ; .Josephus, .4?^^ xix,9, 1). This custom prevailed extensively among the Greeks and Romans. Not only were chaplets worn on the head, but festoons of flowers were hung over the neck and breast (Plutarch, Symp. iii, 1, 3; Martial, x, 19; Ovid, Fast, ii, 739). They were generally introduced after the first part of the entertain- ment was completed. Thej' are noticed in several fa- miliar passages of the Latin poets (Horace, Carm. ii, 7, 24; 5«^ii, 3, 256; Juven. v, 36). The regulation of the feast was under the superintendence of a special offi- cer, named ap\LTpiK\iroQ (John ii, 8 ; A. V. "governor of the feast"), whose business it was to taste the food and the liquors before they were placed on the table, and to settle about the toasts and amusements; he was generally one of the guests (Ecclus. xxxii, 1, 2), and might therefore take part in the conversation. The classical designation of this officer among the Greeks was aviiiroaiap-)^oQ; among the Romans mugister or rex convivii. He was chosen by lot out of the guests (Smith, Diet, of Aniiq. p. 925). See Akchitriclinus. The places of the guests were settled according to their respective rank ((ien. xliii, 33 ; 1 Sam. ix, 22; Mark xii, 39; Luke xiv, 8; John xiii, 23); portions of food were placed before each (1 Sam. i, 4; 2 Sam.vi, 19; 1 Chron. xvi, 3), the most honored guests receiving either larger (Gen. xliii, 34; comp. Herod, vi, 57) or more choice (1 Sam. ix, 24: comp. II. vii, 321) portions than the rest. The importance of the feast was marked by the num- ber of the guests (Gen. xxix, 22 ; 1 Sam. ix, 22 ; 1 Kings i, 9, 25; Luke v, 29; xiv, 16), by the splendor of the vessels (Esth. i, 7), and by the profusion or the excel- lence of the viands (Gen. xviii, 6; xxvii, 9; Judg. vi, 19 ; 1 Sam. ix, 24 ; Isa. xxv, 6 ; Amos vi, 4). The meal