Firstfruits

Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology

(Heb. resit [   Psalm 24:1 ). Consequently, that which is first and best belongs to him and is to be given to him.

Because of God's creative power and ownership of all, the Bible instructs believers to give God the best of the animal sacrifices (see  Leviticus 1-5 ). The land is also viewed as a gift from God and the best of it, its "firstfruits, " is to be given to him—crops ( Exodus 23:16,19 ), the wheat harvest ( Exodus 34:22;  Leviticus 2:14;  23:20 ), olive oil ( Numbers 18:12;  Deuteronomy 18:4 ), the finest new wine ( Numbers 18:12;  Deuteronomy 18:4 ), honey ( 2 Chronicles 31:5 ), sheep wool ( Deuteronomy 18:4 ), and fruit ( Nehemiah 10:35 ). The Old Testament makes it clear that everything that God's people have is to be viewed as from God and gained through his providence ( Psalm 50:10 ).

Believers are the "firstfruits" of God"a kind of firstfruits of all he created" ( James 1:18 ). Spiritual "firstfruits" may be the first converts in an area ( Romans 16:5 ). As "firstfruits" believers are a testimony to God's power in salvation. They are his first born, redeemed by Christ's blood. In their holy standing, believers are God's firstfruits"holy to the Lord, the firstfruits of his harvest" ( Jeremiah 2:3 ). God's people are therefore to present themselves as holy firstfruits to God, as "living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God" ( Romans 12:1 ). In having the "firstfruits of the Spirit, " the work of the Spirit in effecting the present redemption of their souls, believers are given the guarantee that they will have the future redemption of their bodies at the second coming of Christ ( Romans 8:23 ).

In  1 Corinthians 15:20,23 , Paul teaches that Christ in his bodily resurrection is the "firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." As such, he is the guarantee that all those who belong to him will be raised from the dead at his second coming. In the natural world, the first sheaf of the crop was to be brought to God ( Leviticus 23:10,11,17 ) as a guarantee that the rest of the harvest was coming. So it is in God's redemption harvest. First, Christ the "firstfruits" has triumphed in his resurrection; then, the rest of his "crop, " the redeemed, will be raised triumphantly at his second coming ( 1 Corinthians 15:23 ).

In light of this, God's people, as his "firstfruits, " are to have a sanctifying effect on others ( 1 Corinthians 5:6-7 ), just as Abraham and the patriarchs had a sanctifying effect on disobedient Israel ( Romans 11:14-16 ). Believers are to be true followers of the Lamb, just as the saints in the second coming, who are described as holy in life, "purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb" ( Revelation 14:4 ).

W. Harold Mare

Bibliography . P. Levertoff, ISBE, 2:307-8; J. P. Lewis, ZPED, 2:541.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

(See Firstborn .) The whole land's produce was consecrated to God by the consecration of the first-fruits ( Romans 11:16); just as the whole nation by that of the firstborn. At the Passover, on the morrow after the sabbath, a sheaf of green barley (which is earlier than wheat), of the first fruits of the crop, was waved before the Lord. At Pentecost, 50 days later, two loaves of wheaten bread (Leviticus 23). The feast of tabernacles, on the 15th day of the seventh month, was itself an acknowledgment of the fruits of the harvest. Besides these national offerings the law required that the first of all ripe fruits and liquors should be offered by individuals ( Exodus 22:29). A cake of the first dough baked was to be a heave offering ( Numbers 15:19;  Numbers 15:21). The first-fruits of the oil, wine, and wheat were to be offered to Jehovah, for the benefit of the priests as His representatives ( Numbers 18:11-13).

The Talmud fixed on the 60th as the least to be given of the produce, a 30th or 40th as a liberal offering. The individual presentation of the first-fruits in a basket took place at the temple or tabernacle. The offerer said: "I profess this day unto the Lord thy God that I am come unto the country which the Lord sware unto our fathers to give us." The priest took the basket and set it down before the altar of the Lord. The offerer added: "A Syrian (Jacob) ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt," etc. (Deuteronomy 26). The Talmud adds that companies of 24 used to assemble at evening m a central station, and pass the night in the open air; the leader in the morning summoned them, "Let us arise and go up to mount Zion, the house of the Lord our God." On the road to Jerusalem they recited Psalm 122; Psalm 150. Each party was preceded by a piper and a sacrificial bullock with horns gilt and crowned with olive.

The priests met them, and the Levites singing Psalm 30. Each presented his basket, reciting the formula in Deuteronomy 26. King Agrippa, it is stated, once carried his basket as others. The offerings were either Bichurim , raw produce, "first-fruits," or Tirumot , "offerings," prepared produce. Times of apostasy brought a neglect of this duty; the restoration of the offering of both kinds was a leading point in the reformation under Hezekiah ( 2 Chronicles 31:5;  2 Chronicles 31:11), and under Nehemiah ( Nehemiah 10:35;  Nehemiah 10:37;  Nehemiah 12:44). The prophets insist on this duty ( Ezekiel 20:40;  Ezekiel 44:30;  Ezekiel 48:14;  Malachi 3:8). Fruit trees were to be regarded as uncircumcised, i.e. profane, for three years. The produce of the fourth was devoted to God, and only in the fifth year the produce became the owner's ( Leviticus 19:23-25).

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

According to Israelite law, the people had to present to God the first portion of the harvest, whether of grain or fruit, as an expression of thanks to him for the entire harvest ( Exodus 22:29;  Exodus 23:19). This offering may have been in the form of a cake made from the cereal, or in the form of a basket of cereal or fruit ( Numbers 15:17-21;  Deuteronomy 26:2).

In addition to the offerings of firstfruits by private individuals, there were offerings of firstfruits at Israel’s national festivals. These included the Feast of Unleavened Bread ( Leviticus 23:10-11), the Feast of Harvest, or Pentecost ( Leviticus 23:15-17), and the Feast of Tabernacles, or Ingatherings ( Exodus 23:16;  Leviticus 23:39). (For details see Feasts .) The firstfruit offerings became the property of the priests and so formed one source of their food supply ( Numbers 18:12-13).

Since people had to present their firstfruits before they could use the remainder of the harvest for themselves, firstfruits had a symbolic meaning. They were a sign of hope, a guarantee of greater things to come. This is the meaning of the New Testament illustrations of firstfruits. The risen Christ is called the firstfruits of believers who have died, because his resurrection guarantees the resurrection of all believers ( 1 Corinthians 15:20;  1 Corinthians 15:23). The Holy Spirit, whom believers have already, is the firstfruits, or guarantee, of future glory ( Romans 8:23).

Just as the firstfruits of the Israelites were the finest from their harvest, so God wants Christians to be the finest creatures in all his creation ( James 1:18). Like the firstfruits, they belong especially to God ( Revelation 14:4). Paul sometimes spoke of the first people who became Christians in a locality as the firstfruits of the church in that place ( Romans 16:5;  1 Corinthians 16:15).

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Presents made to God of part of the fruits of the harvest, to express the submission, dependence, and thankfulness of the offerers. The portion given was instead of the whole, in acknowledgement that all was due to God. They were offered in the temple before the crop was gathered on the fifteenth of Nisan, in the evening, and threshed in a court of the temple. After it was well cleaned, about three pints of it were roasted, and pounded in a mortar. Over this was thrown a measure of olive oil and a handful of incense; and the priest, taking the offering, waved it before the Lord towards the four cardinal points, throwing a handful of it into the fire on the altar, and keeping the rest. After this, all were at liberty to get in the harvest. When the wheat harvest was over, on the day of Pentecost they offered as first fruits of another, in the name of the nation, two loaves, of about three pints of flour each, made of leavened dough,  Leviticus 23:10,17 . In addition to these firstfruits, every private person was obliged to bring his firstfruits to the temple, but Scripture prescribes neither the time nor the quantity.

There was, besides this, another sort of firstfruits paid to God,  Numbers 15:19,21   Nehemiah 10:37 : when the bread in the family was kneaded, a portion of it was set apart, and given to the priest or Levite of the place; if there were no priest or Levite, it was cast into the oven and there consumed.

Those offerings are also often called firstfruits, which were brought by the Israelites from devotion, to the temple, for the feast of thanksgiving, to which they invited their relations and friends, and the Levites of their cities. The firstfruits and tenths were the most considerable revenue of the priests and Levites.

Christians have "the firstfruits of the Holy Spirit,"  Romans 8:23; that is, more abundant and more excellent gifts than the Jews; these were also a foretaste of the full harvest. "Christ is risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept,"  1 Corinthians 15:20 , the forerunner of all those who, because he lives, shall live also,  John 14:19 .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Exodus 23:19 Exodus 34:26 Leviticus 2:14-16 Numbers 18:12 Deuteronomy 18:4 Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Proverbs 3:9

According to  Leviticus 23:9-14 , the first sheaf of the new crop of barley was presented as a wave offering before the Lord. This took place on the day after the Passover sabbath and was a public acknowledgment that all came from God and belonged to Him ( Numbers 28:26; compare  Exodus 23:16;  Exodus 34:22 ). Not only were the Israelites to be mindful that the land of Canaan was the Lord's possession and that they had only the rights of tenants ( Leviticus 25:23 ), but they were also to be aware that the fertility of Canaan's soil was not due to one of the Baals but rather to the Lord's gift of grace.

Israel was described as God's “firstfruits” ( Jeremiah 2:3 ). Christ in His resurrection is described as the “firstfruits” of them that slept (1Corinthians 15:20, 1 Corinthians 15:23 ). The Holy Spirit is spoken of as a “firstfruits” ( Romans 8:23 ), and believers are also spoken of as “a kind of firstfruits” ( James 1:18 ). The saved remnant within Israel is described as “firstfruits” ( Romans 11:16 ), as are the 144,000 of the tribulation period ( Revelation 14:4 ). The first converts of an area were designated “firstfruits” ( Romans 16:5;  1 Corinthians 16:15 ). In each case the emphasis was on special dedication and blessing.

Larry Walker

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

1: Ἀπαρχή (Strong'S #536 — Noun Feminine — aparche — ap-ar-khay' )

denotes, primarily, "an offering of firstfruits" (akin to aparchomai, "to make a beginning;" in sacrifices, "to offer firstfruits"). "Though the English word is plural in each of its occurrences save  Romans 11:16 , the Greek word is always singular. Two Hebrew words are thus translated, one meaning the "chief" or "principal part," e.g.,  Numbers 18:12;  Proverbs 3:9; the other, "the earliest ripe of the crop or of the tree," e.g.,  Exodus 23:16;  Nehemiah 10:35; they are found together, e.g., in  Exodus 23:19 , "the first of the firstfruits."

 Romans 8:23 1—Corinthians 15:20,23 Romans 16:5 1—Corinthians 16:15 2—Thessalonians 2:13  James 1:18 Revelation 14:4 James 1:15  2—Thessalonians 2:13