What does the Bible say about Thanksgiving?
The Bible obviously does not directly mention or address the modern American holiday of Thanksgiving. Still, it contains rich teachings about gratitude, communal celebration, and giving thanks to God that deeply resonate with the holiday's spiritual themes.
Throughout Scripture, the practice of giving thanks to God is woven into the fabric of faithful living. The Psalms overflow with expressions of gratitude, with passages like Psalm 100:4 instructing believers to "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." This established pattern of thankfulness carries forward into the New Testament, where the Apostle Paul frequently encourages believers to give thanks in all circumstances, recognizing every good gift as coming from God.
The Bible's perspective on food and feasting is particularly relevant to Thanksgiving celebrations. Rather than promoting austere or restrictive attitudes toward food, Scripture often portrays shared meals as occasions for joy and thanksgiving. Ecclesiastes 9:7 encourages people to "Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do." This appreciation for communal celebration finds its deepest expression in the New Testament practice of the Lord's Supper (Eucharist), where sharing food becomes a sacred act of remembrance and gratitude.
The biblical principle that everything should be done for God's glory, including eating and drinking (1 Corinthians 10:31), provides an understanding of how modern believers might approach Thanksgiving. The holiday is an opportunity to practice intentional gratitude, acknowledging God as the source of all blessings. This aligns with the biblical pattern of setting aside special times to remember God's faithfulness and celebrate His provision, similar to the festivals and feasts prescribed in the Old Testament.
When considering contemporary Thanksgiving celebrations through a biblical lens, we can see how the holiday serves as a natural expression of biblical thankfulness. While the specific American holiday isn't mentioned in Scripture, its core elements–gathering with others, expressing gratitude, and enjoying God's provision–align closely with biblical principles of thanksgiving and celebration. This suggests that when approached thoughtfully, Thanksgiving can be more than just a cultural observance; it can become a meaningful opportunity to practice the grateful, God-centered celebration that Scripture consistently encourages.
Verses about Thanksgiving:
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
Colossians 3:16-17, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
1 Corinthians 10:16, "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?"
Philippians 4:6, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."
Luke 22:19,"And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.'"
