MEALS, MEAL TIMM (mels, tim).
(1) When and How Served. The meals of the Israelites consisted of a simple breakfast in the morning and two other daily meals, one at midday (Gen. xviii :1 ; xliii :16, 25 ; RUth ii ; Kings xx :16) and the other some time in the evening (Gen. xix ; Ruth iii :2). In earlier times the midday meal as well as the evening meal was regarded as important and consisted of sub stantial fare. It was also customary to ask a blessing upon the food ( Sam. ix :13 ; Matt. xiv : ; xv :36; Luke ix :16 ; John vi I). Meat was served in a solid form, and no soups were used by the Israelites. Portions of flesh, whether boiled or roasted, were lifted by the fingers and placed on a piece of bread, which served as a plate, and also as a fork to lift to the mouth. The food of the poorer classes consisted of bread dipped in vine gar, milk, and parched corn (Ruth 11:14) ; those in a better position had in addition boiled flesh and a variety of vegetables and fruits; while the wealthy had roasted flesh of fattcd cattle, venison and fowls. At feasts honor was shown to guests by the position assigned to them at table, by the choice pieces and the amount of the portions set before them.
(2) Seasoning of Food. It does not appear that the people were very particular in the sea soning or dressing of their food. Salt was the only seasoning of what was prepared in the tem ple ; if we do not add the oil wherewith meat offerings were baken. The paschal lamb was eaten with bitter herbs; salt, honey, butter, oil, and perhaps sometimes aromatic herbs were used in their common ragouts.
(3) Various Customs. People of different na tions disliked to eat together. The Egyptians hated to eat with shepherds (Gen. xliii:3t). The Jews abhorred eating with heathens, particularly the Samaritans (John iv :9) ; they reproached our Savior for eating with publicans (Matt. ix :I ; Luke xv 2). The Jews washed their hands be fore and after they partook of their meals (Matt. xv :2; Mark vii :2 ; Luke xi :33). Anciently, they sat at separate tables, but in after ages they cop ied after the Persian, Chaldean, and Roman man ner of lying on couches at their meals; hence John leaned on Jesus' bosom at his last supper (John xiii :23, 25). The different sexes feasted in differ ent apartments, a common custom in some places of the East. Perfumes on their hair, or on their
couches, together with music and dancing, were common at their feasts (Luke vii :37 ; xv ; John xii).
(4) Effect of the Law. The abolishment of the ceremonial law, by the death of Jesus Christ, took away the legal distinction of meats; but to avoid offence of the weak Jews who turned Christians, and were hard to wean from their ancient customs, the synod of Jerusalem required their Christian brethren to abstain from meats offered to idols, and from things strangled, and from blood. This matter, especially that of eat ing things offered to idols, and which were some times, after the oblation, sold in the public markets, occasioncd no small disturbance. St. Paul determines, that all food was clean and in different in itself ; and that whatever was bought in the public market, might be eaten without any scrnple of conscience; but warmly inculcates the forbearance of flesh offered to idols, if it tended to lay a stumbling-block before any person, or grieved any tender conscience; and charges such as did otherwise, with being murderers of their Christian brethren, for whom Christ died (Tit. i :15; Rom. xiv; Cor. vi :11-13; viii and x). (See FOOD.) MEAN (men).
1. The verb to 'mean' (from Anglo-Sax. maenan to intend, tell, and connected with 'mind,' the root being man, to think) signifies sometimes to design, intend, purpose. Gen. 1:20, 'But as for you, ye thought evil against me ; but God meant it unto good ;' Is. iii :15, 'What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor?' x :7, 'Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither dotb bis heart think so ;' Acts xxi: 13, 'What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart?' Acts xxvii :2, 'We launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia' ; 2 Cor. viii :13; 'For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye bur dened.' 2. The noun 'mean' in Prov. xxii :29, significs that which is obscure. (Comp. Acts xxi :39.) MEARAH (me-a'rah), (Heb. melt-ow raw', a cave). A place on the northern boundary l'alestine (Josh. xiii:4), near Sidon. Commonly identified witlt a district of caves on Lebanon, to the cast of Sidon, called Jezzim; also with Moghe friyeli, northeast of Sidon.