Bethlehem: The House of Bread

The profound historical and spiritual significance of the city of Bethlehem, and even of the name itself, is evident in the fact that Jacob buried Rachel in Bethlehem. Ruth and Boaz lived in Bethlehem, and David was born in Bethlehem. Yeshua could not have been born in any other city. His birth in Bethlehem fulfilled the messianic prophecy of Michah 5:1.

But in addition, in Hebrew, the city’s name (Beit Lechem) means “house of bread.” Biblically, bread equals sustenance, the staple of life. Bread was also associated with the Garden of Eden. The rabbis teach us that bread grew on trees in the Garden of Eden before the fall. This rabbinic thought comes from the fact that after the fall people had to work to make their bread.

While Bethlehem, the “house of bread” where the Messiah was born, points to paradise—the Garden of Eden—it also points to the kingdom of the Messiah as the Last Adam and Son of David who came to reverse the curse and restore the blessings and the bread of Eden. Jesus is the Bread of Life (John 6:48). He willingly hung from a cross, which was made from a tree. And though God gave Moses manna to sustain the children of Israel for a time, He now gives us Jesus, the Bread of Eternal Life, that leads to complete satisfaction.

Jesus came to bring us a sneak preview of the coming messianic kingdom. In this coming, Eden will be fully restored and there will be a great banquet. Like in the garden from the fall, we won’t be working for our food; we’ll be feasting on the bread from heaven.

Forgiveness and the House of Bread

In Matthew 18:21-22 (my paraphrase), Peter came to Yeshua and said, “How many times do I have to forgive someone who has wronged me? Up to seven times?” Yeshua responded, “No, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven!” Of all the numbers Yeshua could have picked, why seventy times seven? Why 490? Because 490 is the numerical value of the word Beit Lechem, or the “house of bread.” Forgiveness and bread are connected.

Yeshua also connects forgiveness and bread in the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13), where He says, “Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matt. 6:11-12 KJV). Forgiveness and bread are even in our remembrance of the death of the Messiah. When we take Communion, we follow the words of Jesus in 1 Corinthians 11:24: “This is My body, which is for you. Do this in memory of Me.” The matzah at the Passover (the bread He used at the Last Supper/Seder) symbolizes His broken body. It reminds us of the forgiveness that He purchased for us.

There are some even deeper connections between bread and forgiveness, especially if we dig further into the significance of that number 490. The words “nativity” (moladati) and “Bethlehem” both individually add up to 490. This numeric insight makes perfect sense, since Jesus was born in a manger in the city of Beit Lechem so that we might be forgiven.

The Messiah came so we can taste and experience the bread of forgiveness. Physically, we can’t live without bread. Spiritually, emotionally, and relationally, we can’t live without the bread of forgiveness. And there’s something more. The number 490 is also the numeric value of the biblical Hebrew word tamim, which means “complete,” “perfect,” or “finished.” A person who can’t forgive will always live an imperfect and incomplete life that lacks a proper understanding of the “finished” gracious work of the cross. The Hebrew phrase “Let your heart therefore be perfect” (1 Kings 8:61 KJV) also has a value of 490. Forgiving helps make us complete and is a vital ingredient for perfecting (or maturing) our hearts.

Unless we learn to forgive, our faith will never be perfect or complete. A person who can’t forgive lacks an accurate understanding of the Messiah’s sacrifice and will always live an imperfect and incomplete life.

As we thank God for Bethlehem, the house of bread, where His Son, the Bread of Life, was born, I pray that you, my friend, would experience this sacred bread that provides physical and spiritual sustenance. May you feast upon it as you sit at His banqueting table with God’s banner of love over you. May you know deep in your heart that we who have been forgiven much are to love much. In that spirit I pray you allow the experience of God’s love and forgiveness to extend to others, bringing great blessing to their lives and the lives of others. And with His blessing, may the Lord multiply your bread and fish for His glory in the name of Yeshua, Jesus our Messiah.

Tune in to hear Rabbi Jason Sobel this Wednesday and Thursday on LIFE TODAY. Adapted from Transformed by the Messiah by Rabbi Jason Sobel. Copyright © 2025 by Rabbi Jason Sobel. Published by W Publishing, an imprint of Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.