Bible Reading: Milk, literally and figuratively

First mention of milk is as part of highly valuable gifts that Jacob prepared to give to his estranged brother Esau, in order to reconcile and head off conflict between them.

Genesis 32:14, 16

After passing the night there, Jacob selected from what he had with him the following presents for his brother Esau… Thirty milch camels and their young….

Camel milk is extremely nutritious and important for the people who depend on it. For one example, it is high in vitamin C, an essential vitamin for human health and survival, in a land where foods rich in vitamin C are extremely scarce. So it is not surprising that in the very first book of the Bible, the value of milch camels is emphasized. As they are gifts from Jacob to Esau as part of reconciliation, there is also the obvious symbolism of milk as symbol of family and community peace and prosperity.

Genesis 49:12

His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk.

This is part of Jacob’s prophecy regarding Judah and his, and subsequently his descendent tribe’s, beauty, respect and prosperity. Again the essentials of milk and wine are used as symbols of beauty (notice Jacob is not saying Judah’s teeth will be whiter than the moon!) The early patriarchs, prophets and poets of the time were intensely devoted to the beauty of the land and flock’s yield as being the sustenance of their people.

Exodus 3:8

Therefore I [the Lord] have come down to rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians and lead them out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey…

This is the place in the Bible where the words and promise of God became a frequently used expression to denote prosperity “flowing with milk and honey.” Notice the two foods mention represent basic sustenance (milk) and sweetness (honey.)

Deuteronomy 32:14

Butter from its cows and milk from its sheep, with the fat of its lambs and rams…

This is from the song of Moses, telling the entire assembly of Israel of what God provided for them, and how they responded in sin. Here Moses mentions that the milk is from sheep, providing us with that dietary information about the Israelis dependence on both camel and sheep milk.

Judges 4:19

He [Sisera] said to her [Jael], “Please give me a little water to drink. I am thirsty.” But she opened a jug of milk for him to drink, and then covered him over.

Sisera of the Canaanite kingdom was an enemy of Barak of the kingdom of Israel, and they had battled on Mount Tabor. Sisera escaped but ended up demanding protection in the tent of Jael, wife of the Kenite Heber, of a people who were at peace with Israel. After Sisera falls asleep Jael slays him with a tent peg. Notice how Jael had given him milk instead of water… this is a very early reference to the lore that milk promotes sleep.

Proverbs 27:23, 27

Take good care of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;
And there will be ample goat’s milk to supply you, to supply your household, and maintenance for your maidens.

Notice that here it is goat’s milk that is mentioned. Milk was clearly such a nutritious and vital source of protein, fluids, sugars, vitamins and minerals for the people of Israel and a large reason why they prospered in health and fertility.

Proverbs 30:33

For the stirring of milk brings forth curds, and the stirring of anger brings forth blood.
Here the author contrasts the good and healthy results of the agitation of milk (for curds and butter) with the destructive agitation of people in their anger.

Isaiah 7: 14, 21-22

Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall be living on curds and honey by the time he learns to reject the bad and choose the good.

On that day a man shall keep a heifer or a couple of sheep, and from their abundant yield of milk her shall live on curds; curds and honey shall be the food of all who remain in the land.

Here is mention of milk from cows, added now to the references we have found of milk from camels, sheep and goats. On a prophetic level, this is a reference to Isaiah’s vision of the coming of Christ, although at the time this prophecy was made the focus was on the future birth of the nearer term king of Israel. Here curds and honey is less representative of prosperity as it is of basic survival foods during a time of conflict and devastated lands (honey being a found food, and curds being a preserved food.)

Isaiah 28:9

To whom would he impart knowledge? To whom would he convey the message? To those just weaned from milk, those taken from the breast?

Here God is paraphrasing how people had mocked the prophecies of Isaiah, how they had made Isaiah sound like he could only be believed by a babbling baby. However, in the next few verses God takes these words and turns them in turn on the enemies of Israel. So here mother’s milk is used as an analogy for someone who is not an adult to speak and prophesy, as some had accused Isaiah. God assures that the mockers will be the ones who were not the wise adults who could see their own disaster coming.

1 Corinthians 3:1-2

Brothers, I could not talk to you as spiritual people, but as fleshly people, as infants in Christ. I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were unable to take it. Indeed, you are still not able to, even now…

Here St. Paul is responding to the Corinthians who had hoped for a more high minded and sophisticated wisdom dialogue or colloquy with him. Paul is saying that he is sustaining them, but with a level of conversation like milk for infants, which is beneficial but easy to understand. He goes on to comment in subsequent verses that if they persist in acting like immature children, and that until they stop fighting amongst themselves, he will not give them the “solid food.”

1 Peter 2:1-3

Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, insincerity, envy, and all slander, like newborn infants, long for pure spiritual milk so that through it you may grown into salvation, for you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Isn’t it interesting to contrast the styles (perhaps reflective of the different audiences) between St. Peter here in this writing, and that of St. Paul discussed prior? St. Paul had a rebellious and aggressive situation to deal with, where he was trying to get them to “grow up” before delivering the message of the Gospel in its fullest impact and maturity. St. Peter is writing as a general presbyter, acknowledging these failings of humans, but not having to deal with a raucous congregation, as St. Paul had to. St. Peter was painting for the Gentile converts of Asia Minor, to who he was writing, a goal of being like infants who only focus on pure spiritual milk and not adult “one-upmanship” of the intellect, pride and coveting. He later compares this process to the people growing into living stones built into priestly spiritual houses. So Peter uses the analogy of milk to show that how this simple food given to infants results in the growth of great things, of salvation, all on its own, without being spurred by the ambitions of the mind and heart. Remember that St. Peter was the first Pope of the Catholic Church, and these words of his remain as beautiful guidance by the man who allowed the Church to be built “upon” him. It is an interesting coincidence that Pope Benedict XVI’s first encyclical is “Deus Caritas,” God is Love, and here in what one could view as the first Pope’s “first encyclical” Peter is urging the flock to “long for spiritual milk so that through it you may grown into salvation, for you have tasted that the Lord is good.”