This speech indicates that drink is Knowledge (‘Ilm), and food is Action (‘Amal), which is the will of the One who sent him. It also indicates that he [the Divine manifestation] does not literally eat or drink, based on his word to the woman: "But whoever drinks of the water that I give him will never thirst forever," and his word to his disciples: "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work."

What confirms that "permissible food" refers to esoteric knowledge (‘Ilm al-Batin) and "forbidden food" to exoteric knowledge (‘Ilm al-Zahir) is what Paul alluded to in the fourteenth chapter of his Epistle to the Romans, saying:

"For if your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not by your food destroy the one for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit."

That which indicates this meaning and confirms it is what the Messiah (peace be upon him) explicitly stated in the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John, saying: {For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.} They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."