Biblical Fruits and Grains: Wheat

Wheat

In Genesis 30:14, we see the first mention of wheat in the fertile regions of Egypt. Note that in the dream of Pharaoh, it is wheat that bears 7 ears (Genesis 41:22). This “wheat” was held to a special regard by the Egyptians, and the elite were buried in death with 7 -eared wheat for their journey to the land of the dead.

From Egypt, this special wheat was eventually taken and planted (post-Exodus) in Israel and Syria (Psalm 81:16, 147:14). In these verses of the Psalms, this kind of wheat is the “kidney fat of wheat” or “the very best of wheat”. Therefore, there is an association between “wheat” and “the kidney” and the kidney fat of the burnt offerings.


Wheat is placed foremost in importance when Israel entered the Promised Land.
“A land of wheat,
And barley,
And vines,
And fig trees,
And pomegranates; [note the separation of these 5]

A Land of Olive oil,
And honey.” (Deuteronomy 8:8)


Wheat is thus listed as the primary replacement of manna, and as the first of these 7, perhaps in order of what was abundant most listed first, followed by the less and lesser abundant.

In the 7 tier basket of firstfruits, which was borne upon the head of Jewish Pilgrims every Shavuot/Pentecost
http://www.templeinstitute.org/shavuoth/favorite-fruits.htm
http://www.templeinstitute.org/shavuot.htm
...only the honey is absent on top, replaced with a dove...while the Olive remains as the olive, and not as oil.

30, 60, 100 fold Israeli wheat was generally almost the same as the planting of “winter wheat” thousands of years ahead of the realization of 19th Century A.D. Kansas (in the USA). Seeding would have followed the Fall Harvests, the planting occuring in November and early December. Spring Harvests were generally about 3 weeks later than Barley, in April and May (sometimes early June also).

As stated above, each head of wheat in New Testament times is thought to have varied 30, 60, or 100 grains of wheat (by Jesus’ implication) in Matthew 13:8 (cf. Genesis 26:12).

Job 31:40 lists thorns as the opposite (counter) to wheat…and weeds as the opposite (counter) to barley.

Thorns are representative of “Greed” (Matthew 13:22).

Less than a decade after the Apostle John’s death: Ignatius spoke of being “ground as wheat”, while on his way to Rome to be martyred. Was he telling us that for someone else’s “greed” he was being martyred for Christ? Something to consider.