Portal:Bible/Featured article/November, 2007
First Fruits are a religious offering of the first agricultural produce of the harvest. In classical Greek, Roman, Hebrew and Christian religions, the first fruits were offered to the temple or church. First Fruits were often a primary source of income to maintain the religious leaders and the facility.
In the Ancient Israel, First Fruits were tithed as Heave Offerings; the tithe was allocated throughout the year, but for accounting purposes traditionally began each year at Tu Bishvat, which was thus the occasion of a festival. In later times this tithe was limited to the traditional seven agricultural products (Wheat, Barley, Grapes in the form of Wine, Figs, Pomegranates, Olives in the form of Oil, and Dates) grown in Palestine, but eventually onions, cucumbers, melons, a traditional cheese (known as tiltan), the herb fenugreek, and certain other vegetables were permitted as well. This tithe, and the associated harvest festival, is legislated by the Torah (Exodus 23:16, 19; Leviticus 23:9; Deuteronomy 26:2).
In the Canonical Gospels, the concept of the harvest of First Fruits is used metaphorically and allegorically. In the Gospel of Matthew (13:30), Jesus is described as stating, that “in the time of harvest“ he would instruct the harvesters to gather the “tares“, bind them into bundles, and burn them, but to “gather the wheat into [his] barn.“ In the Gospel of John (4:36), Jesus is described as stating, “...he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.“