what does the bible say about eating
meat what is the purpose of clean and
unclean animals
and did the food lost change in the new
testament it's time to unlearn the lies
hey welcome to unlearn my name is lex
and i'd like to invite you to join us
each week
as we unlearn the lies and dig deeper
into the truth of god's word
now let's get started many christians
believe that the food laws in the bible
have been abolished
and that we can now eat anything we want
they often say the laws concerning clean
and
unclean animals were only for the jews
and no longer apply to believers today
but what does the bible really say about
this first i want to look at what the
bible says about clean and unclean
animals
then we'll examine what the new
testament says about the food laws the
food laws are broken up into four
categories land animals sea creatures
birds and creeping things
each of these sections contain
instructions about how to determine
what is clean and unclean although some
animals are listed specifically the
bible does not provide us with a full
list of clean and unclean animals
but it does give us instructions on how
to determine which animals can be eaten
speak to the children of israel saying
these are the animals which you may eat
among all the animals that are on the
earth
among the animals whatever divides the
hoof having cloven hooves
and chewing the cud that you may eat
nevertheless these you shall not eat
among those who chew the cud or those
that have cloven hooves
the camel because it chews the cud but
does not have cloven hooves is unclean
to you the rock high racks because it
chews the cup but does not have cloven
hooves
is unclean to you the hair because it
chews the cud but does not have cloven
hooves
is unclean to you and the swine though
it divides the hoof
having cloven hooves yet does not chew
the cud is unclean to you
their flesh you shall not eat and their
carcasses you shall not touch
they are unclean to you the bible
specifically mentions swine as being
unclean but the prophet isaiah also had
this to say about eating swine
i have stretched out my hands all day
long to rebellious people who walk in a
way that is not good
according to their own thoughts a people
who provoke me to anger continually to
my face
who sacrifice in gardens and burn
incense on altars of brick
who sit among the graves and spend the
night in the tombs
who eat swine's flesh and the broth of
abominable things in their vessels
god calls us rebellious for eating swine
and he says we are provoking him to
anger for doing so
then in chapter 66 he says that those
who eat swine will be destroyed
eating swine's flesh and the abomination
and the mouse
shall be consumed together says the lord
did god change his mind about eating pig
keep these verses in mind as we continue
now let's look at which sea creatures
we're allowed to eat
those you may eat of all that are in the
water whatever in the water has fins and
scales
whether in the seas or in the rivers
that you may eat
but all in the seas and they're in the
rivers that do not have fins and scales
all that move in the water or any living
thing which is in the water
they are an abomination to you they
shall be an abomination to you
you shall not eat their flesh but you
shall regard their carcasses as an
abomination
whatever in the water does not have fins
or scales that
shall be an abomination to you so the
only sea creatures we can eat are the
fish that have fins and scales
this means no crab lobster squid shrimp
or catfish
i used to eat all those things when i
was in ignorance to god's instructions
but once i understood that god forbids
those things i stopped eating them
now let's look at the birds god says are
unclean for food and those you shall
regard as an abomination among the birds
they shall not be eaten they are an
abomination the eagle
the vulture the buzzard the kite and the
falcon after its kind
every raven after its kind the ostrich
the short-eared owl
the seagull and the hawk after its kind
the little owl the fisher owl and the
screech owl the white owl
the jackdaw and the carry-on vulture the
stork
the heron after its kind the hopi and
the bat
there are a large number of birds that
we are allowed to eat and we're only
prohibited from eating
these certain birds notice they're the
birds of prey such as eagles hawks kites
falcons and owls
as well as the scavengers such as
vultures buzzards and ravens
it also forbids ostrich stork heron and
bat
i've never met anyone who wants to eat a
vulture or bat so the list of unclean
birds
doesn't really seem to be the main
problem people have with the food laws
in the bible
the main issue seems to be with
shellfish and pig the bible also gives
us another list of unclean land animals
concerning the creeping and crawling
things
these also shall be unclean to you among
the creeping things that creep on the
earth the mole
the mouse and the large lizard after its
kind the gecko
the monitor lizard the sand reptile the
sand lizard
and the chameleon i've heard people
argue that the old testament laws have
been abolished or that they
no longer apply to christians they
conveniently say this about the
commandments they don't want to keep
however there are a number of old
testament laws that christians do
believe
we should obey for example the laws
concerning sexual immorality are
typically enforced by most christians
however there's a growing number of
christians who now reject the laws
concerning homosexuality
homosexual proponents like to point out
that christians don't obey the food laws
and they indicate their hypocrisy for
saying that homosexuality is an
abomination
while they're eating unclean animals
which the bible also calls an
abomination
this is a very good point to consider as
we look at these things can we condone
one abomination and forbid another
if the bible calls eating shrimp an
abomination how can we approve of that
behavior
while condemning homosexuality when the
bible says something is an abomination
it's saying that those things are going
against the created purpose
eating unclean things is an abomination
because that is not what it was created
for
likewise homosexuality is an abomination
because that is not what humans were
created for
did yeshua really come to abolish god's
commandments
listen to what yeshua said about
thinking such things
do not think that i came to abolish the
law or the prophets
i did not come to abolish but to make
full for assuredly i say to you till
heaven and earth pass away
one jot or one tittle will by no means
pass from the law
till all is complete whoever therefore
breaks one of the least of these
commandments
and teaches men so shall be called least
in the kingdom of heaven but whoever
does
and teaches them he shall be called
great in the kingdom of heaven
yeshua is giving us a very clear
declaration that he did not come to
abolish the law
he also tells us that if we want to be
great in the kingdom that we must do and
teach
all of the commandments in the law so we
can't conclude that he abolished the
food laws
when he clearly said that he didn't one
of the most common verses people point
to when claiming the food laws no longer
apply is mark chapter 7.
so let's examine those verses and see
what yeshua is saying
then the pharisees and some of the
scribes came together to him
having come from jerusalem now when they
saw some of his disciples eat bread with
defiled that is with unwashed hands
they found fault for the pharisees and
the jews do not eat
unless they wash their hands in a
special way
holding the tradition of the elders so
we see that the context of this passage
is eating bread with unwashed hands
the jews taught that ceremonial
handwashing was required before eating
anything
traditionally jews wash their hands and
say a blessing before
eating any meal that includes bread this
tradition is
unrelated to personal hygiene and is
required even if their hands are already
clean
the talmud indicates that failing to
wash your hands before a meal is a
significant transgression
and one rabbi even said that eating
bread without washing is like having sex
with a prostitute
this is the mindset that the pharisees
were approaching yeshua's disciples with
and this is why the bible says they
found fault with them
for not washing their hands this sets
the context of what yeshua says so keep
that in mind
he answered and said to them well did
isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites
as it is written this people honors me
with their lips but their heart is far
from me
and in vain they worship me teaching as
doctrines the commandments of men
for laying aside the commandment of god
you hold to the tradition of men
the washing of pitchers and cups and
many other such things you do
he said to them all too well you reject
the commandment of god
that you may keep your tradition notice
that yeshua is referring to this ritual
washing as a tradition of men
and he said they are placing their
traditions above the commandments of god
yeshua is not speaking against the
commandments he is speaking in favor of
them
again we need to keep this in mind
because many people try to use this
passage
to say that yeshua is doing away with
the food laws however how can he be
scolding the pharisees for not obeying
god's commandments
then turn around and say we don't have
to obey god's commandments
that's absurd now let's look at the
verse that people like to cite as
evidence that we don't need to obey the
food laws anymore
so he said to them are you thus without
understanding also
do not perceive that whatever enters a
man from outside cannot defile him
because it does not enter his heart but
his stomach
and is eliminated thus purifying all
foods if you look at this verse in other
translations
you might see a translator's note in
parentheses that says something about
jesus declaring all foods clean
for example this is what the niv says
for does not go into the heart but into
their stomach
and then out of the body in saying this
jesus declared all foods clean
there are two things we must realize
declaring all foods clean does not mean
all animals are food yeshua is not
redefining food here
the second thing we need to realize is
that the words in parentheses are not
in the original text those words are
placed there by translators
the entire context of this section is
about eating bread with unwashed hands
it has nothing to do with meat at all so
the context does not allow for us to
interpret his words in such a way
that we can conclude that eating unclean
animals is now permitted
the next section of scripture that we
need to look at is peter's vision
people often claim that peter's vision
was about making all animals clean for
food
but is that what the bible really says
peter went up on the housetop to pray
about the sixth hour then he became very
hungry and wanted to eat
but while they made ready he fell into a
trance and he saw heaven open and an
object like a great sheep bound at the
four corners
descending to him and let down to the
earth
in it were all kinds of four-footed
animals of the earth
wild beasts creeping things and birds of
the air and a voice came to him
rise peter kill and eat but peter said
not so
lord for i have never eaten anything
common or unclean
and a voice spoke to him again the
second time what god has cleansed you
must not call
common this was done three times and the
object was taken up to heaven again
notice that he argued with god saying
not so lord
for i have never eaten anything common
or unclean not only does this
show us that peter never ate anything
unclean but it also supports the fact
that mark 7
was not about making unclean animals
clean if yeshua had already declared
all animals are good for food then why
would peter be having an argument with
god about it
the idea that he would eat an unclean
animal was unthinkable to him
and he wondered what the vision might
have meant now while peter wondered
within himself what this vision
which he had seen meant behold the men
who had been sent from cornelius had
made inquiry for simon's house
and stood before the gate and they
called and asked whether simon whose
surname was peter
was lodging there while peter thought
about the vision
the spirit said to him behold three men
are seeking you
arise therefore and go down with them
doubting nothing
for i have sent them then peter went
down to the men who had been sent from
cornelius and said yes
i am he whom you seek for what reason
have you come
and they said cornelius the centurion a
just man
one who fears god and has a good
reputation among the nation of the jews
was divinely instructed by a holy angel
to summon you to his house
and to hear words from you then he
invited them in and lodged them
on the next day peter went away with
them and some brethren from joppa
accompanied him
peter wondered what the vision meant
because he understood that it was not
about food
while he was thinking about it the men
cornelius sent showed up
to call for him it's important to note
that cornelius was a gentile
now listen to the conclusion that peter
made concerning his vision then he said
to them you know how unlawful
it is for a jewish man to keep company
with or go in
to one of another nation but god has
shown me that i should not call any man
common or unclean
therefore i came without objection as
soon as i was sent for
i asked then for what reason have you
sent for me
this was the first time peter gave the
interpretation of his vision and he said
god has shown me
that i should not call any man common or
unclean
but this was not the only time he
explained his vision
when he returned to jerusalem he was
confronted by a group of jews who were
upset that he had eaten
with gentiles now the apostles and
brethren who were in judea heard
that the gentiles had also received the
word of god and when peter came up to
jerusalem
those of the circumcision contended with
him saying you went into uncircumcised
men and ate with them
the jews in that day had laws against
eating with gentiles
but those laws didn't come from the
bible they came from the oral traditions
of the elders
which were given by the rabbis who
claimed to have authority over the
scriptures
however peter's vision showed him the
error in those man-made laws
and so he explained to them the vision
and interpretation as well
but peter explained it to them in order
from the beginning
saying i was in the city of joppa
praying and in a trance i saw a vision
an object
descending like a great sheet let down
from heaven by four corners
and it came to me when i observed it
intently and considered i saw four
footed animals of the earth
wild beasts creeping things and birds of
the air and i heard a voice saying to me
rise peter
kill and eat but i said not so lord for
nothing common or unclean has at any
time
entered my mouth but the voice answered
me again from heaven
what god has cleansed you must not call
common now this was done three times and
all were drawn up again into heaven
at that very moment three men stood
before the house where i was having been
sent
to me from caesarea then the spirit told
me to go with them
doubting nothing moreover these six
brethren accompanied me
and we entered a man's house and he told
us how he had seen an angel standing in
his house
who said to him send men to joppa and
call for simon whose sermon name is
peter who will tell you words by which
you and all your household will be saved
and as they begin to speak the holy
spirit fell upon them
as upon us at the beginning then i
remembered the words of the lord how he
said
john indeed baptized with water but you
shall be baptized with the holy spirit
if therefore god gave them the same gift
as he gave us when
we believed on the lord jesus christ who
was i
that i could withstand god when they
heard these things they became silent
and they glorify god saying then god
has granted to the gentiles repentance
to life
notice that after peter explained the
vision everyone understood the
interpretation to be that god
has also granted to the gentiles
repentance to life
no one concluded that peter's vision was
about food they all recognized that it
was about taking the gospel to the
gentiles
some people want to argue that god gave
them a new interpretation of that vision
and they say that peter's vision gives
us permission to eat unclean animals
however listen to what peter says about
giving your own private interpretation
apart from what the scripture says
no prophecy of scripture is of any
private interpretation
this means you cannot give any other
interpretation than what is given in the
bible
you can't make up your own private
interpretation of certain scriptures
we have to let the bible interpret
itself and the bible is very clear that
peter's vision was about taking the
gospel to the gentiles
and has absolutely nothing to do with
food and to say otherwise
is a twisting of the scriptures another
verse that people like to cite as
evidence that we no longer need to obey
the food laws is in romans 14
14 which says i know and i'm convinced
by the lord jesus that there is nothing
unclean
of itself but to him who considers
anything to be unclean
to him it is unclean they will quote
this verse and claim this means there is
no longer any
unclean animals this is a perfect
example of taking a verse out of context
and making up your own interpretation
we need to look at the context to see
what paul was talking about why don't we
start at the beginning of the chapter
receive one who is weak in the faith but
not to disputes over doubtful things
for one believes he may eat all things
but he who is weak
eats only vegetables so we see here that
paul is talking about eating meat versus
eating only vegetables
and he says the person who is weak in
their faith only eats vegetables
notice he also indicates that he is
talking about doubtful things
which means he is talking about things
that are not clear in scripture
we looked at the verses in leviticus 11
that clearly tells us which animals are
food and which ones are not
so we can't conclude that eating unclean
animals is a doubtful thing in the
scriptures
next he says we should not judge or
despise someone for these things
let not him who eats despise him who
does not eat and let not him who does
not eat judge him who eats
for god has received him who are you to
judge another servant
to his own master he stands or falls
indeed he will be made to stand for god
is able to make him stand
i have seen vegetarians or vegans claim
that eating meat is a sin
which leads them to make judgments about
those of us who do eat meat
paul is saying not to do that if you
choose to eat only vegetables that's
fine
but don't judge others if they choose to
eat meat however nothing in this chapter
has said anything about eating unclean
animals
the only thing he addresses here is
eating meat versus eating only
vegetables
so we must be careful not to draw our
own conclusions about something the
bible has not said
my whole life i ate whatever i wanted
without any concern for what god thought
about my food
i would eat pork or shellfish or various
other things the bible says are unclean
and i would pray god bless this food and
i never realized that i was asking god
to bless things
he said not to eat god has given us a
variety of wonderful foods to eat
fruits vegetables fish meat poultry and
bread
and various other things and we should
be grateful for his wonderful provision
god could have made us eat grass like
cows but instead he gave us a variety of
good tasty things to eat
god is so good to us yet we can be so
ungrateful at times
when we choose to eat the things that
god says not to eat we are being
ungrateful for the good foods he has
given us
we are telling god that the food he gave
us are not good enough
and we want something else this is the
same thing we see in the garden of eden
when god told adam and eve they could
eat from all the trees in the garden
except for one tree they could have
lived in the garden happily eating all
sorts of fruits and vegetables
but instead they ate some of the
forbidden fruit they didn't obey god's
simple rule about what they should not
eat eating unclean animals is no
different
consider also that only clean animals
were offered in the temple
and your body is the temple of the holy
spirit you don't want to defile your
temple with unclean things do you
i remember the first time i ordered
pizza after i started eating kosher
i was looking at the menu and i realized
that i had a choice
to eat what i want or to eat the things
that god approves of this is when i
understood that eating is an act of
worship when we eat in obedience to
god's commandments
think about it every animal on your
plate was killed to give you food
this is a type of sacrifice and when we
understand that our body is a temple
then eating is a type of worship so are
we bringing holy sacrifices into the
temple or are we defiling it with
unclean things
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we'll see you next time