Nourishment, in the biblical context, encompasses both physical sustenance and spiritual sustenance, reflecting the holistic care God provides for His creation. The concept of nourishment is woven throughout Scripture, illustrating God's provision and the importance of feeding both body and soul.

Physical Nourishment

The Bible frequently addresses the provision of physical nourishment as a demonstration of God's care and faithfulness. In Genesis 1:29 , God provides for humanity's dietary needs: "Then God said, 'Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food.'" This initial provision underscores God's intention for humanity to be sustained by the earth's bounty.

The Israelites' journey through the wilderness further exemplifies divine provision. In Exodus 16:4 , God promises manna from heaven: "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day.'" This miraculous sustenance highlights God's ability to provide for His people even in desolate circumstances.

In the New Testament, Jesus emphasizes God's provision in Matthew 6:31-32 : "Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them." Here, Jesus reassures believers of God's awareness and provision for their physical needs.

Spiritual Nourishment

Beyond physical sustenance, the Bible places significant emphasis on spiritual nourishment. Deuteronomy 8:3 states, "He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." This passage highlights the necessity of God's Word as spiritual food.

Jesus, in His ministry, identifies Himself as the source of spiritual nourishment. In John 6:35 , He declares, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst." This metaphor underscores the sufficiency of Christ in satisfying the deepest spiritual needs of humanity.

The early church also recognized the importance of spiritual nourishment through the Word and fellowship. Acts 2:42 describes the believers' devotion: "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." This commitment to spiritual practices provided the early Christians with the nourishment needed to grow in faith and community.

Nourishment in Christian Living

For believers, nourishment involves a balanced pursuit of both physical and spiritual sustenance. The Apostle Paul, in 1 Timothy 4:8 , advises, "For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come." This verse encourages Christians to prioritize spiritual growth while acknowledging the importance of caring for the body.

The practice of the Lord's Supper, or Communion, serves as a profound reminder of spiritual nourishment. In 1 Corinthians 11:24-25 , Paul recounts Jesus' words: "And when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.'" This sacrament symbolizes the believer's ongoing reliance on Christ for spiritual sustenance.

In summary, nourishment in the Bible encompasses God's provision for both physical and spiritual needs, urging believers to seek sustenance from the Word of God and the person of Jesus Christ, while also trusting in God's provision for their daily needs.1. (n.) The act of nourishing, or the state of being nourished; nutrition.

2. (n.) That which serves to nourish; nutriment; food.

1305. diatrophe -- food, nourishment
... food, nourishment. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: diatrophe Phonetic
Spelling: (dee-at-rof-ay') Short Definition: nourishment, food Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1305.htm - 7k

5160. trophe -- nourishment, food
... nourishment, food. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: trophe Phonetic
Spelling: (trof-ay') Short Definition: food, nourishment Definition: food ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5160.htm - 6k

1979. episitismos -- provisions
... Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: episitismos Phonetic Spelling:
(ep-ee-sit-is-mos') Short Definition: provision, nourishment, food Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1979.htm - 6k

2023. epichoregeo -- to supply
... Word Origin from epi and choregeo Definition to supply NASB Word Usage provides
(1), supplied (2), supplies (1), supply (1). aid, minister nourishment unto. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2023.htm - 7k

545. omnah -- bringing up, nourishment
... 544, 545. omnah. 546 . bringing up, nourishment. Transliteration: omnah
Phonetic Spelling: (om-naw') Short Definition: care. Word ...
/hebrew/545.htm - 6k

6718b. tsayid -- provision, food
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition provision, food NASB Word Usage food
(1), nourishment (1), provision (2), provisions (1). 6718a, 6718b. ...
/hebrew/6718b.htm - 5k

4361. makkoleth -- foodstuff
... Word Origin from akal Definition foodstuff NASB Word Usage food (1). food. From
'akal; nourishment -- food. see HEBREW 'akal. 4360, 4361. makkoleth. 4362 . ...
/hebrew/4361.htm - 6k

Spiritual Nourishment.
... RELIGIOUS EXULTATION. 681. " Spiritual Nourishment. 681. 7s. M. Pratt's
Coll. Spiritual Nourishment. 1 Bread of heaven! on thee ...
/.../adams/hymns for christian devotion/681 spiritual nourishment.htm

Everything that is Useless or Hurtful is Rejected.
... Since, therefore, great difference of nature obtains in all animals, and the very
nourishment which is accordant with nature is varied to suit each kind of ...
/.../chapter vi everything that is useless.htm

Of the Condition of the Beasts and Man.
... a shipwreck, to the miseries of this life; who is neither able to move himself from
the place where he has been born, [1817] nor to seek the nourishment of milk ...
/.../lactantius/on the workmanship of god/chap iii of the condition of.htm

Reference to the Processes of Digestion and Nutrition.
... of the power and skill of Him that fashioned and regulates this universe, who has
adapted to the nature and kind of each animal the nourishment suitable and ...
/.../chapter v reference to the processes.htm

Give us Today Our Needful Bread
... Now since all manner of nourishment is spoken of as bread according to Scripture
as is clear from the fact that it is recorded of Moses that he ate not bread ...
//christianbookshelf.org/origen/origen on prayer/chapter xvii give us today.htm

Feeding in the Ways
... This flock shall 'feed in the ways'; as they go they will find nourishment. That
is not all; the top of the mountains is not the place where grass grows. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/feeding in the ways.htm

But Since the Human Being is a Twofold Creature...
... to a force that is introduced into it. Now this power or force both is,
and is called, nourishment. But it is not the same in all ...
/.../gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/chapter xxxvii but since the.htm

The Resurrection-Body Different from the Present.
... Nay, suppose we were to grant that the nourishment coming from these things (let
it be so called, as more accordant with the common way of speaking), although ...
/.../chapter vii the resurrection-body different from.htm

Human Flesh not the Proper or Natural Food of Men.
... and abominable, and more detestable than any other unlawful and unnatural food or
act; and if what is against nature can never pass into nourishment for the ...
/.../chapter viii human flesh not the.htm

The First Per??an Discourses - to the Pharisees Concerning the Two ...
... daily dependence might call forth constant faith in our Father Which is in heaven.'
[4203] [4204] Another Rabbinic saying places [4205] our nourishment on the ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xi the first peraean.htm

Nourishment (14 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Nourishment (14 Occurrences). ... Is not the life more
than the nourishment, and the body than the clothing? (YLT). ...
/n/nourishment.htm - 10k

Nourish (16 Occurrences)
... 6. (vi) To promote growth; to furnish nutriment. 7. (vi) To gain nourishment.
8. (n.) A nurse. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. NOURISH. ...
/n/nourish.htm - 13k

Fast (157 Occurrences)
... 1. (vi) To abstain from food; to omit to take nourishment in whole or in part; to
go hungry. ... 3. (vi) Abstinence from food; omission to take nourishment. ...
/f/fast.htm - 49k

Foster (2 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) Relating to nourishment; affording, receiving, or sharing nourishment or
nurture; -- applied to father, mother, child, brother, etc., to indicate that ...
/f/foster.htm - 7k

Meat (387 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Food, in general; anything eaten for
nourishment, either by man or beast. Hence, the edible part ...
/m/meat.htm - 36k

Teaching (372 Occurrences)
... er, tech'-ing: I. OLD TESTAMENT TERMS 1. Discipline 2. Law 3. Discernment 4. Wisdom
5. Knowledge 6. Illumination 7. Vision 8. Inspiration 9. Nourishment II. ...
/t/teaching.htm - 62k

Teacher (103 Occurrences)
... er, tech'-ing: I. OLD TESTAMENT TERMS 1. Discipline 2. Law 3. Discernment 4. Wisdom
5. Knowledge 6. Illumination 7. Vision 8. Inspiration 9. Nourishment II. ...
/t/teacher.htm - 61k

Teach (172 Occurrences)
... er, tech'-ing: I. OLD TESTAMENT TERMS 1. Discipline 2. Law 3. Discernment 4. Wisdom
5. Knowledge 6. Illumination 7. Vision 8. Inspiration 9. Nourishment II. ...
/t/teach.htm - 65k

Clothes (208 Occurrences)
... Matthew 3:4 And this John had his clothing of camel's hair, and a girdle of skin
round his loins, and his nourishment was locusts and honey of the field. ...
/c/clothes.htm - 37k

Milk (66 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A white fluid secreted by the mammary glands of female mammals for the
nourishment of their young, consisting of minute globules of fat suspended in a ...
/m/milk.htm - 34k

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