Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, the concept of "crust" primarily relates to bread, a staple food in ancient Near Eastern diets. Bread, often made from wheat or barley, was a fundamental part of daily sustenance and held significant symbolic and spiritual meaning throughout the Scriptures.
Bread in Biblical ContextBread is frequently mentioned in the Bible, symbolizing God's provision and sustenance. In the Old Testament, bread is a central element in various narratives and rituals. For instance, during the Exodus, God provided the Israelites with manna, described as "bread from heaven" (
Exodus 16:4). This miraculous provision underscored God's care and faithfulness to His people during their wilderness journey.
In the New Testament, bread continues to hold profound significance. Jesus Christ refers to Himself as the "bread of life" in
John 6:35 , emphasizing that He is the spiritual sustenance necessary for eternal life. The breaking of bread also becomes a central act in the Last Supper, where Jesus establishes the New Covenant with His disciples (
Matthew 26:26).
Symbolism and Spiritual LessonsThe crust of bread, while not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, can be understood as part of the whole loaf, representing the completeness and sufficiency of God's provision. In a spiritual sense, just as the crust is an integral part of bread, every aspect of God's Word and His provision is essential for spiritual nourishment.
The process of bread-making, including the formation of the crust, can also serve as a metaphor for spiritual growth and maturity. Just as dough must be kneaded and baked to form a crust, believers are often refined through trials and challenges, resulting in spiritual maturity and strength.
Cultural and Historical InsightsIn ancient Israel, bread was typically baked in communal ovens or on hot stones, resulting in a crusty exterior. This crust helped preserve the bread, making it a practical and enduring food source. The communal aspect of bread-making and sharing further highlights the importance of fellowship and community in biblical times.
The act of breaking bread together was a sign of hospitality and fellowship, as seen in the account of Abraham entertaining the three visitors (
Genesis 18:6) and in the early Christian practice of gathering for communal meals (
Acts 2:46).
ConclusionWhile the Bible does not specifically focus on the crust of bread, the broader context of bread in Scripture provides rich insights into God's provision, the importance of spiritual nourishment, and the value of community and fellowship among believers.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) The hard external coat or covering of anything; the hard exterior surface or outer shell; an incrustation; as, a crust of snow.
2. (n.) The hard exterior or surface of bread, in distinction from the soft part or crumb; or a piece of bread grown dry or hard.
3. (n.) The cover or case of a pie, in distinction from the soft contents.
4. (n.) The dough, or mass of doughy paste, cooked with a potpie; -- also called dumpling.
5. (n.) The exterior portion of the earth, formerly universally supposed to enclose a molten interior.
6. (n.) The shell of crabs, lobsters, etc.
7. (n.) A hard mass, made up of dried secretions blood, or pus, occurring upon the surface of the body.
8. (n.) An incrustation on the interior of wine bottles, the result of the ripening of the wine; a deposit of tartar, etc. See Beeswing.
9. (n.) To cover with a crust; to cover or line with an incrustation; to incrust.
10. (v. i.) To gather or contract into a hard crust; to become incrusted.
Strong's Hebrew
1487. gush -- a clod, lump... 1486, 1487. gush. 1488 . a clod, lump. Transliteration: gush Phonetic
Spelling: (goosh) Short Definition:
crust. Word Origin from
...Library
Earth's Ugliest, Deepest Scar.
... scenes more congenial to himself. The wilderness is one of the most marked
spots on the earth'scrust. That remarkable stretch of...
Wesley on Geology and Rousseau
... some such manner as he describes; 2) that the antediluvian earth was without high
or abrupt mountains, and without sea, being one uniformcrust, enclosing the...
Geological Reform.
... clear is he, that no causes beside such as are now in operation are needed to account
for the character and disposition of the components of thecrust of the...
What is Your Word Worth?
... do. There is an old saying that "promises are like pie-crust"made to be broken."
Are your promises of the pie-crust variety? Possibly...
The Sign for Man and the Remembrancer for God
... Now, as then, when any great convulsions shake what seems permanent, and bring home
to men the thinness of thecrust of use and wont roofing an infinite depth...
Ears and no Ears
... What can a poor man like me do to get through thatcrust of familiarity with the
mere surface of Christian truth and teaching which is round many of you?...
Entire Sanctification a Necessity.
... As the basis of Astronomy is the universe of worlds revealed by the telescope, and
as the basis of Geology is thecrust of the earth, so the basis of Theology...
The Future State a Self-Conscious State.
... Though I may never have been in Italy, I yet know that the soil of Italy is a part
of the commoncrust of the globe, that the Apennines are like other...
The Christian Faith
... that evil, while outwardly his life is moral and upright, it is only a question
of time when the inner badness will break through the thincrust of outer...
But we must Follow Our Preacher, who Can Only Turn Away with...
... ourselves to be in? That tears were raining on thiscrust of earth in that
far-off time, exactly as they are to-day? Yes, indeed, it...
Thesaurus
Crust (3 Occurrences)... 1. (n.) The hard external coat or covering of anything; the hard exterior surface
or outer shell; an incrustation; as, a
crust of snow.
...Crust (3 Occurrences).
...Earthquake (17 Occurrences)
... In the slow process of cooling, thecrust of the earth tends to wrinkle
and fold as it contracts. This causes a stress to be set...
Coffin (2 Occurrences)
... burial. 2. (n.) A basket. 3. (n.) A casing orcrust, or a mold, of pastry,
as for a pie. 4. (n.) A conical paper bag, used by grocers....
Lees (3 Occurrences)
... be better preserved (Isaiah 25:6). "Men settled on their lees" (Zephaniah 1:12)
are men "hardened or crusted." The image is derived from thecrust formed at...
Ground (538 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (imp. & pp) of Grind. 2. (n.) The surface of the earth;
the outercrust of the globe, or some indefinite portion of it....
Rock (176 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) Any natural deposit forming a part of the earth'scrust, whether consolidated
or not, including sand, earth, clay, etc., when in natural beds....
Eruption (6 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The act of breaking out or bursting forth; as: (a) A violent throwing out
of flames, lava, etc., as from a volcano of a fissure in the earth'scrust....
Eczema (3 Occurrences)
... vesicles, and the discharge of a watery exudation, which often dries up, leaving
the skin covered with crusts; -- called also tetter, milkcrust, and salt rheum...
Dash (30 Occurrences)
... used with against. 2. (vt) To break, as by throwing or by collision; to
shatter; tocrust; to frustrate; to ruin. 3. (vt) To put...
Paste (10 Occurrences)
... making potter's ware. 2. (n.) Specifically, in cookery, a dough prepared
for thecrust of pies and the like; pastry dough. 3. (n.) A...
Resources
How does the geologic timescale fit with the view of a young earth? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the significance of the Sea of Galilee in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgHow does the Cambrian Explosion fit within the framework of young-earth creationism? | GotQuestions.orgCrust: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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