Unclean Animals - Christianity

Christianity

See also: Christian views on the old covenant

In the Bible, Leviticus and Deuteronomy contain lists of unclean animals but the idea can also be found in the Book of Genesis in the story of Noah and the Ark.

"Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth" —Wikisource:Bible (King James)/Genesis#Chapter_7 "And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase" —Wikisource:Bible (King James)/Deuteronomy#Chapter_14

In the very early days of Christianity it was debated if converts ought to follow Jewish customs (including circumcision and dietary laws) or not. A decision was reached at the Council of Jerusalem, although the extent and application of this decision has been a matter of some debate. (Some see a parallel with the Noahide Laws - See also: Genesis 7:2). In the Acts of the Apostles the "apostles and elders" promulgated the decision in a letter "to the Gentile believers":

"For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled ..." – Acts 15:28-29

Additional texts regarding food are found in First Epistle to Timothy where it states:

"...commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." – 1 Timothy 4:3-5

Paul affirms that any created thing in the food line is acceptable as long as it meets two tests -it must be sanctified (or set apart as holy) by the Bible, and it should be prayed over with thanksgiving. There is debate over this text as the Bible never directly declares pork as holy, but rather God refers to as an abomination and therefore not sanctified. (Leviticus 11:7,Deuteronomy 14:8)

"Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, To go to the gardens after an idol in the midst, Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse, Shall be consumed together," says the LORD. —Isaiah 66:17 NKJV

Another text that is written by Paul in the Epistle to the Colossians,

"...Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ....Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days." – Colossians 2:8-16

Yet Paul himself later delivered the following message to the Gentile churches,

"Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood."Acts 15:19-20

Here Paul is stating that the dietary restrictions forbidding the eating of fat and blood are still enforced for God stated "this shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall eat neither fat nor blood."(Leviticus 3:17) The majority of Christians agree that the sacrificial system was done away with at the cross. However the dietary restrictions predate Leviticus (see Genesis 7:1-2 quoted above and the Noahide Laws). Some scholars therefore conclude that Colossians 2 was referencing the ceremonial feast days such as the Feast of Unleavened Bread and not clean and unclean foods. Others note that to say that everything is now clean means alcohol, tobacco, rats, roaches, and possum are now fit for food. And that God never declares something an abomination and then changes His mind.

There are Torah-submissive Christians who believe that the dietary restrictions continue under the new covenant. Such groups point to verses such as Daniel 1:8, which states

"But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself." —Daniel 1:8 NKJV

And…

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." —1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NKJV

Others state, in Acts 11:8 Peter was convinced that it would be out of character for the Lord to recommend an unclean diet. (See also Acts 10:10-17 for context.) Acts 11:11,18 clarifies Peter's vision. These verses indicate that God was instructing him not to refer to gentiles as "unclean" as it was common in Israel, indicating that salvation had been extended to the gentiles. One modern example of a Torah-submissive group is the Seventh-day Adventist Church whose co-founder Ellen G. White was a proponent of vegetarianism. Many Seventh-day Adventists avoid meat for health reasons, though vegetarianism is not a requirement. Members of the United Church of God as well as other Sabbath-keeping Christian Churches also believe in abstaining from unclean meats. In their publication on the subject, they state that:

"The Bible teaches that the distinction between clean and unclean has never been rescinded and that the distinction continues to exist for a good reason." — http://www.gnmagazine.org/booklets/CU/

Some claim Jesus stated that consumption of unclean food did not cause impurity citing texts such as:

"And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."Matthew 15:10-11

and

"And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man." —Mark 7:14-23

However, the aforementioned scriptures are in regards to the Pharisees question of hand washing and not clean and unclean foods for it is written...

"Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." —Matthew 15:1-2

And Jesus concluded the matter stating...

"For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man." —Matthew 15:19-20

Therefore Jesus was addressing the tradition of hand washing and not unclean foods. This is also why Peter three times stated "Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean (Acts 10:14). Then in (Acts 10:15) God says "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common". Such a statement "proves that the dietary law was still in effect after the resurrection" at least for mans standards it is unsure if this is seen as a command by God. To read the interpretation of Peters dream see Peter's vision of a sheet with animals. Lastly Jesus also rebuked the Pharisees for placing their man-made traditions over the direct commandments of God stating

"Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’" —Matthew 15:3-9