Fine Flour
Ok…the thread a while back about the Holy Communion/gluten (http://www.sonlight-forums.com/showthread.php?t=92911) has been percolating in my mind and I have done a little looking and what I have found has been very interesting.
Now I have always been taught that “fine flour” was wheat flour exclusively. It is one of those pieces of brain lint that I have….don’t know how I know, only that it has been hanging around in my brain for a long time. Here are a couple of on-line sources:
Here is one: http://bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Def.show/RTD/ISBE/ID/3428
From: http://www.houseofdavid.net/pgs/bread-grains-bible.shtml
Bread could also serve as a sacrificial offering in the ancient
Temple, but only unleavened bread made of “fine flour” (pure wheat) was acceptable. This subject is another example of how English translations of the Bible can be misleading. The King James Authorized Version translates this offering as a “meat offering,” but what the Hebrew version is actually referring to is a “cereal” or “meal” offering.
This is from my Theological Book of the Old Testament
1512 “[Hebrew letters that I won’t try to reproduce here] (sōlet) (fine) flour
The word (from Akkadian salātu “crush”), denoting a finely ground flour, is known throughout the ancient Mediterranean world (e.g. Akkadian siltu, Arabic sultun, Aramais sûltā, Egyptian tr.t. As opposed to qemah “meal” which came from whole kernels and bran, this finest of flour was ground exclusively from the inner kernels of the wheat (hence, LXX semidalis, Vulgate similia). Though available to all, it was expensive and considered a luxury item (Ezk 16:13; cf Rev 18:13), to be used especially in entertaining important guests (Gen 18:6)
Fine flour figured prominently in the Levitical sacrifices (Lev 2, etc.), the offering of the twelve tribal leaders at the inauguration of the tabernacle worship (Num 7), the regulations relative to the fulfillment of the Nazirite’s vow (Num 6:15), the consecration ceremony of the priests (Ex 29:2ff.), and the ordination of Levites, whom God graciously allowed to that the place of the firstborn in a life of dedicated service to him (Num 8:8). The fine flour reminded the priest and Levites of their high calling and the fine quality of their service and dedication to God of all the fruits of their labor (cf I Peter 2:5).
I won’t list every instance that fine flour is mentioned in the above definition but I will flesh out the Levitical sacrifices and fine flour and add a couple of other references:
Lev 2:1 “When anyone wishes to bring a cereal offering to the Lord, his offering must consist of fine flour….”
Lev 5:11 (As a sin offering for a poor man) “If he is unable to afford even two turtledoves or two pigeons, he shall present as a sin offering for his sin one tenth of an ephah of fine flour.”
For the daily cereal offering Lev 6:8 “He shall then take from it a handful of fine flour…”
In the peace offerings Lev 7:12 “When anyone makes a peace offering in thanksgiving, together with his thanksgiving sacrifice he shall offer unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes made of fine flour mixed with oil and well kneaded.” It is interesting to me that “cakes made with fine flour are different” and in addition to “unleavened wafers.”
Fine flour was part of the purification from leprosy (Lev 14:1-32) (which I have always understood to be symbolic of one’s purification from sin but I am not a theologian)
And part of the Feasts of First Fruits and Pentecost offerings. (Lev 23:4-32)
And fine flour was specified for the temple showbread (Lev 24:5)
Part of the offerings made to the Lord on entering the Promised Land (Num 15:1-12)
And re-iterated in the directions for offerings and feast in Numbers 28-29
I also found these articles on the internet that I also found very interesting:
http://www.affcrit.com/pdfs/1996/03/96_03_ml.pdf
Spiritual meaning of Drink offering:
http://www.biblemeanings.info/Words/Religious/Drink_offering.htm
Just thought I would share some of the bunny trail I went on…
