Genesis 18:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Even after this, the elder did not find rest, but instead returned to serve. He prepared butter, milk, and a cooked calf, placing it before them—actively participating in every aspect of the offering. He did not consider himself worthy to join them at the table; instead, he stood by as they dined beneath the tree. What a remarkable expression of extraordinary love! What profound humility! What elevation of a soul devoted to God! While they were eating, this aged man stood before them. It seems that due to his immense joy and hospitality, he transcended his frailty and appeared rejuvenated. Indeed, the passionate zeal of the spirit often empowers one to rise above physical limitations.

As the feet of the travelers were cleansed and they settled beneath the tree, Abraham presented to them everything that had been arranged; however, he refrained from taking a seat and instead stood before them, embodying the role of a servant.

Observe that respect necessitates modesty. Abraham was told to take the prime seat at the table. His humility received such favor that he was granted the promise of a son.

Divine Scripture informs us that the angels present at Abraham's bush were ‘yadosh’ (Gen. 18:8). Likewise, the same Scripture indicates that Abraham ‘saw... men’ (Gen. 18:2). Thus, if we examine the Scripture directly, it is ‘the men who were yadoshah,’ not the angels; yet if we delve deeper into the meaning, they were depicted as merely yadoshah. They, along with their Lord, possess an incorporeal essence and appeared to take on bodies in order to be visible; hence, it seemed as though they were consuming food—not truly ingesting it into mouths and stomachs (for they lacked physical forms)—but rather transforming it according to their will. It is indeed unwise to ponder how the ineffable has been achieved.

They dined. Jonathan expresses it this way: it appeared to him that they were partaking in a meal. Indeed, what purpose does physical nourishment serve for spiritual entities? The angel who visited Manoah refuted this notion (Judges 13:16). Similarly, the angel in Tobit asserts that he neither consumed food nor drink but merely presented a vision of such actions (Tob. 12:19). However, Blessed Augustine acknowledges that both angels and humans can partake in food, though angels do so according to their own desire while humans eat out of necessity. To resolve any confusion, it suffices to state that spiritual beings, including angels, can indeed consume bodily sustenance when they assume a physical form.