Does the Bible Permit Christians to Eat "Unclean" Meat in New
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DOES THE BIBLE PERMIT CHRISTIANS TO EAT “UNCLEAN” MEAT IN NEW TESTAMENT TIMES? Steven M. Collins 3901 Crescent Drive Sioux Falls, SD 57106 Copyright 1994 Steven M. Collins For more Bible literature contact: Shelter in the Word PO Box 107, Perry, Michigan 48872-0107 Tel: 517-625-7480 Fax: 517-625-7481 E-mail: [email protected] During the pre-Christian era, it is a well- 3. These aspects of the Law of Moses are found known fact that God forbade the Israelites to eat literally adjacent to the chapter on dietary laws certain types of animal flesh. While the Israelites (Leviticus 11). Since Joseph and Mary frequently disobeyed God’s instructions, it was scrupulously observed Leviticus 12 in rearing quite clear that God’s law prohibited the Jesus, it follows that they scrupulously observed consumption of pork, shellfish and other types of Leviticus 11 in their choice of meats which were animal flesh. Therefore, if a person ate “unclean” fed to Jesus and the rest of their children. The food in Old Testament times, it was because they observant nature of Jesus’ family is further were choosing to disobey God’s instructions, not confirmed in Luke 2:39: “And when they [Joseph because they felt they had a divine authorization to and Mary] had performed all things according to consume such meats. the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee.” In the modern world, most Christians [Notice that Luke does not call these Old consume “unclean” meats not out of rebellion, but Testament requirements the “law of Moses.” but because of a belief that New Testament scriptures refers to them as the “law of the Lord.”—a subtle, permit them to do so. The belief that Old but important indicator of the early Christian Testament instructions on the consumption of church’s views about Old Testament laws.] Luke animal flesh are no longer applicable is often 2:41 adds that Joseph and Mary kept the Feast of referred to as “Christian liberty” (i.e. “freedom” Passover “every year” at Jerusalem. It is not clear from the “restrictions” of the Old Testament). This whether they brought their children with them article will examine the subject of “unclean meats” every year, but verse 42 states that they brought from biblical and scientific viewpoints in an effort Jesus with them to Jerusalem for the Passover to determine what the “New Testament” Christian Feast when Jesus was twelve years old. viewpoint on this subject should be. The answer During his adult years, the scriptures portray will reveal whether modern Christians are (A) Jesus as being loyal to the “observant” traditions of exercising “liberty” to eat unclean meats or (B) his parents. We know that Jesus was careful to ignoring God’s guidance on the subject. observe the Passover and Days of Unleavened In the Old Testament, the issue was clear: God Bread (Matthew 26:17-19), and that he participated said to avoid eating the flesh of certain animals. It in the “Last Great Day” of the Feast of Tabernacles is in New Testament times that the issue has (John 7:37). In Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus openly become blurred. The Old Testament meat declared his allegiance to the Old Testament Laws instructions are still found in Leviticus 11 and of God (i.e. “law of Moses”). He emphatically Deuteronomy 14 in our Bibles. Clearly, anyone stated: who eats forbidden animal flesh is disobeying “think not that I am come to destroy the law those scriptures. However, do they have the or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to “liberty to do so as a result of New Testament fulfill... Till heaven and earth pass, one jot [a dot scriptures? A deeper question is: if God really has of the i] or one tittle [a cross of the t] shall in no abolished his Old Testament dietary laws, is there wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” any empirical physical evidence to support that Whew! Jesus’ affirmation that his coming will conclusion? abolish “nothing” from the Old Testament laws of At Mt. Sinai, God gave Moses not only the God ought to give all modern Christians pause Ten Commandments but also many divine about assuming Jesus made any major changes in instructions about personal behavior, methods of the observance of the dietary laws. Two truisms of worship and lifestyle choices. These divine biblical study are as follows: (A) The words of instructions came to be known as the “law of God (in the Old Testament) and Jesus Christ (in Moses” even though they were actually “the law of the New Testament) carry more scriptural authority God given to Moses.” When Jesus Christ lived his than the words of their human followers, and (B) physical life, many often forget he was reared as a one must interpret vague scriptures in light of the devout Jew. After Jesus’ birth, Joseph and Mary meaning of clear scriptures, not vice versa. observed the seven-day purification period for Applying both these truisms, any vague passages in women, and also had Jesus circumcised on the New Testament books must be interpreted in a eighth day (Luke 2:21-23), according to the manner consistent with the clear declaration of instructions of the law of Moses in Leviticus 12:1- Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:17. Given the 2 vehemence of Jesus’ support for God’s Old devout obedience to the laws of God (which Testament laws in Matthew 5:17-18, we must including the dietary laws throughout his life. insist on finding very explicit evidence in the New Nowhere in the scriptures is Paul accused by his Testament that something was “done away” before detractors of “eating unclean meats.” we abandon the practice. This is particularly true in Having said the above, it needs to be the case of Paul’s writings as Peter warned that acknowledged that some things were “done away Paul’s writings were easy to misunderstand (II with” in the New Testament. Clear scriptures Peter 3:16). It is noteworthy that while God record that the New Testament did abolish the canonized many of Paul’s writings, Peter’s need for animal sacrifices and the various rites warning about their difficult doctrinal application associated with those sacrifices (Hebrews 9:9-15, was also canonized. If Paul’s words were easily 10:4). It is also clear that the requirement of misunderstood in his own time and in his own physical circumcision was abolished (I Corinthians culture, how much easier might it be for us to 7:19 Galatians 6:15). Some might say: “See, that misunderstand Paul’s writings when we not only means the whole law of Moses was abolished,” but read Paul’s words in a different language but are that is a recklessly broad claim. Since the Ten also two millennia removed from his historical Commandments were part of the “law of Moses,” context? an assertion that the whole “law of Moses” was Hebrews 13:8 tells us that Jesus Christ is: “done away with” also asserts the Ten “... the same yesterday, today and forever. Commandments were “done away with.” Does that Be not carried about with divers and strange mean Christians are now “free” to rob banks, lie, doctrines.” sleep with anyone they want to and murder at Here the writer of Hebrews warns against will?” Of course not! Paul himself expressed following false doctrines by reminding the reader amazement that people had gotten the idea that that Jesus Christ’s doctrines not only “did not New Testament faith “did away with” the laws of change” but also “will never change.” Does this God. He wrote in Romans 3:31: scripture sound like Jesus Christ was one to “Do we then make void the law through radically alter the Old Testament laws of God? faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” Quite the contrary, the scriptural evidence is that Therefore, we must carefully evaluate the Jesus supported and practiced them faithfully scriptures to see what requirements really were during his entire life. “done away.” Let us begin with the need for animal It is apparent that Jesus Christ and his sacrifices and the rituals associated with them. In disciples obeyed the dietary laws of Leviticus 11 Jeremiah 7:22-24, God stated: and Deuteronomy 14. The fact that there is no “For when I brought your ancestors out of mention of any controversy about this point Egypt, I said nothing to them, gave no orders, between Jesus and the Pharisees makes this about burnt offerings or sacrifices. My one evident. The Pharisees were eagerly looking for command to them was this: Listen to my voice, grounds to accuse Jesus on religious grounds to then I will be your God and you shall be my undermine his popularity with the masses. If Jesus people... but they did not listen.” (New Jerusalem (or his followers) had ever eaten unclean meats, Bible) the Pharisees would have made it one of their God Himself stated that the sacrificial laws central accusations against him. Likewise, if the and rituals were not a part of his original laws early New Testament church had eaten unclean given to Israel, but were added later because the meats, it would have been a “cause celebre” in the Israelites did not obey him. Since they were not a book of Acts. The fact that there were no part of God’s original laws, their abolition in the controversies in the gospels about eating pork, New Testament does nothing to revoke the main shellfish, etc.