Different firstfruit offerings appear in the Torah in connection with crops and festivals. Deuteronomy 26 combines the offering with a confession recounting God's saving acts toward Israel.
Customs & Culture
Firstfruits
Firstfruits were the first portion of agricultural produce offered to God in acknowledgment that the whole harvest came from Him.
Primary Scripture
Historical and Cultural Background
Biblical Examples
Israelites bring firstfruits to the sanctuary, and Paul later calls the risen Christ the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Biblical Significance
Paul's metaphor carries the agricultural idea that the first portion is both the beginning of the harvest and a pledge that more is to follow.
Common Misconceptions
Firstfruits are not simply another word for every tithe or offering; the biblical categories overlap but are distinct.
Historical Setting and Evidence
Culture: Israelite, Judean/Jewish
Period: Exodus and Wilderness, Conquest and Judges, United Monarchy, Divided Monarchy, Kingdom of Judah, Babylonian Exile, Persian Period, Hellenistic Period, Hasmonean Period, Roman / Second Temple Period
Evidence: Well Attested
Interpretive Importance: Major
Directly prescribed in Torah and used as a familiar metaphor in the New Testament.
Scripture References
Related Information
Sources
Exodus 23; Leviticus 23; Deuteronomy 26; 1 Corinthians 15