Festivals & practices
Firstfruits
The first portion of a harvest brought as an offering to God.
Also called Β· first produce
What it means
Leviticus 23 requires a sheaf from the first harvest to be brought to the priest and presented to God. Until the day of this offering, the people must not eat bread, roasted grain, or fresh grain from the crop.
Deuteronomy 26 describes bringing the first produce in a basket to the place chosen by God. The worshiper recalls God bringing Israel out of Egypt and giving them the land, then rejoices with the Levite and the foreigner living among them.
How it appears in the Bible
In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul describes the risen Christ as the firstfruits of the dead. He gives the order of resurrection: Christ first, followed by those who belong to him when he comes again.