By Terry Moore and Art Braidic
This booklet is published by the Eternal Church of God with permission of the authors. This booklet is not to be sold. It is provided free to the public as an educational service by the authors and the publisher.
© 2010 Eternal Church of God ®
All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
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The God of the Bible declared specific details regarding which kinds of meat His people could eat. Despite these divine teachings, countless numbers of individuals seem willing to devour almost every conceivable variety of flesh. In fact, mankind’s diet is as diverse as his cultures and ethnicities.
However, does the type of meat that we eat have any effect on us? Is there a link between what human beings consume and the state of our physical and spiritual health? Why did the Almighty reveal the laws regarding unclean and clean meats?
Are God’s food laws outdated? Did Christ’s sacrifice remove all restrictions on what we may consume? Are they now obsolete? Or is it possible that they are still valid today—offering enormous benefits to mankind?
The Unclean and The Clean
In our modern age, the earth’s inhabitants devour more than 100 million tons of pork each year. Shrimp consumption has risen to the point where Americans alone annually spend more than 3.5 billion dollars consuming this small shellfish. In the year 2005, nearly 1.5 million tons of crab was garnered from the world’s oceans in order to satisfy our desire for this crustacean. Man’s appetite for shark fin soup has resulted in the death of nearly two million sharks over the past five years. The harvesting of catfish has more than doubled in the last twenty years. With the hundreds of differing cultures around the globe, it seems that almost every animal on earth somehow makes its way onto our dinner plates.
While multitudes of people may find these various meats appetizing, we need to consider some very important questions. Is all animal flesh good for food? Are all animals safe to eat? Were human beings designed to properly digest the flesh of pigs, catfish and lobster? Did Jesus Christ abolish the law of unclean meats in the New Testament, or is God still concerned about what we should, and should not, ingest? How can we be certain about these issues?
If you have ever wondered about the biblical food regulations, this booklet may be a godsend. It will clearly answer your questions, proving from the Scriptures that God did not abrogate these laws which are indelibly placed into the Creator’s design. It will reveal many of the fascinating reasons why the Almighty created these precepts, and demonstrate that they exist for the benefit of mankind.
The following pages will also reveal the truth regarding the handful of verses religious leaders have misinterpreted, taken out of context, and misused in an attempt to justify eating unclean meats. Finally, it will serve as a reference—listing exactly which animals God tells us are appropriate to eat and which are not.
The Bible indicates that the laws regarding unclean and clean meat were given to the nation of Israel thousands of years ago. This fact has led many to believe that these regulations applied only to those particular people living during the period of the Old Covenant. However, the truth is that unclean animals have always been polluted flesh. In fact, there is ample evidence that God made dietary regulations for mankind from the time of our creation.
The first example comes from the Garden of Eden. After creating Adam, God instructed him regarding what was good for food and what was unacceptable:
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die (Genesis 2:16-17).
While the Eternal does not specifically mention the consumption of animals, in this verse, it is clear that He designated some trees good for food while one was not. God knows what is clean and what is harmful for us, and this is an enduring principle that He intended to be passed down to all generations.
We are not to partake of some things that exist in this world. Even though what God declared unclean might appeal to our senses, it is clearly not to be consumed.
In a second example, Cain and Abel made an offering of their first fruits to God. The book of Genesis recounts this event stating:
... Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof... (Genesis 4:2-4).
Neither of these men would ever consider offering unclean animals to the holy God. Even in this early history of man, it was understood which animals were acceptable for sacrifice and which were not.
Additionally, there is another profound example showing us that the food laws always existed. This comes from the story of Noah and the flood. In this account we see a commonly overlooked, but extremely important, detail regarding God’s instructions to Noah after he had prepared the ark:
And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female (Genesis 7:1-2).
Most Bible students have been overwhelmingly taught that God instructed Noah to take a single pair of every animal on earth into the ark to escape the flood. As we can see, this teaching is clearly flawed. The Eternal instructed Noah to bring SEVEN pairs of the clean animals, but only ONE pair of the unclean beasts.
Why would God instruct Noah to do such a thing? The answer is because the food laws were very much in effect. They were kept by all those who obeyed God. Seven pairs of clean animals were set aside for the benefit of the surviving family so that they would have food, both during their extended stay on the ark and after leaving it. Taking seven pairs of clean animals would also ensure plenty of offspring from these edible creatures as the world began to repopulate.
There is yet another reason God required seven pairs of clean animals. This was to provide Noah with the proper sacrificial offerings once he left the ark. As Moses later wrote of this account:
And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him: Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark. And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar (Genesis 8:18-20).
It is an abomination to offer any unclean animal to God (Lev. 27:11). Therefore, Noah required additional clean animals to make such sacrifices.
Of the unclean animals only one pair was taken aboard the ark. Since they were unclean, they would not be eaten by Noah and his family—neither would they be used for sacrifice. The unclean beasts were only brought along to preserve their species. The fact that Noah took seven pairs of clean animals and only one pair of the unclean into the ark is another definitive proof of the existence of God’s dietary law long before the exodus of Israel.
Another important piece of evidence is the stupendous promise the Almighty gave to the childless and aged patriarch Abraham. This faithful man was told that His descendants would one day be like the stars in heaven. Further, the very Savior of mankind was destined to come through his lineage. Why did God give this man such a grand legacy? The Eternal explains:
And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws (Genesis 26:4-5).
The word “laws” in this verse is “tôrâh” in the original Hebrew. This term is a direct reference to the first five books of the Old Covenant. Clearly this means Abraham would have known and kept the Ten Commandments, the holy days, and the laws regarding the unclean and the clean meat found in those Scriptures. This is another profound proof that God’s food laws were in existence from man’s earliest history.
We see from the Scriptures that the Eternal’s laws regarding the unclean and the clean were in effect from the very beginning of mankind’s existence. To understand this truth on a practical level, we must consider the structure of the animals God made. At creation He fashioned every living thing with a specific purpose. Thus, there is a design to every creature which makes one edible while another is not. Those animals He designated for man’s consumption were designed so that their flesh would be both free from toxins and beneficial for human health.
Obviously one would shudder at the thought of eating spiders or scorpions. Elementary logic tells us that the toxins found in these types of creatures can make us ill if ingested. But what about the many other unclean animals that society deems safe and which please the palate of man? Is there a physically legitimate reason why God puts restrictions on consuming these creatures? The answer is yes!
The Almighty is the Author of all the laws that exist, and He set these regulations in motion throughout the entire universe. While we are well aware of the rules of physics, chemistry, gravity, and thermodynamics, we must also understand that there are physical laws working in our bodies—ultimately regulating our health. The Creator also designed the human body. Obviously He would know which foods we can properly digest, and which are not best suited for human consumption.
The God did not keep us in the dark about this foundational precept. He outlined the types of meat that are good for food, and the ones that are not. These rules are recorded in a specific set of instructions given to the priesthood, stating:
And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth (Leviticus 11:1-2).
The purpose of the Levitical priesthood was to minister to God and His people. They were to both teach and enforce God’s laws. In the following verses, the Eternal specified exactly which animals were good for food. But what was His purpose for doing so? Was He simply exercising His lordship over Israel—controlling their every move? Was His intent to deny them tasteful pleasures? Not at all!
Being a loving Father, the Almighty wants what is best for His children. He desires that we have good things (Ec. 3:13), and that we enjoy the food He has created for us to eat. For this reason, during creation week, God provided mankind with a scrumptious variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and meats for nourishment. With literally hundreds of differing herbs, spices and meats, we have a menu with the capacity to satisfy anyone’s taste buds time and time again.
However, like any caring parent, God desires that we learn to choose what is good for us. He wants each of us to learn to choose the right way. That is why He gave us freewill. It is His responsibility to instruct us about these right ways to live. It then becomes our responsibility to choose to follow His correct path.
Therefore, God’s instructions are for our ultimate benefit. He is the great Designer. He created every atom and molecule. He knows every fiber of our being, as well as the distinct function of every animal that He created (Jn. 1:3). The Creator knows what is best for every living creature. He knows which animals are good for food, and those that are not. In fact, He made specific animals so that their flesh would be appropriate for the nourishment of mankind. By this we see how God’s divine instructions regarding the food laws actually show His boundless love for us.
Consider the characteristics of land mammals that are clean and good for food. When classifying these creatures, the Eternal declares:
Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat (Leviticus 11:3).
In this verse there are the two distinct characteristics of a land animal whose flesh God considers to be clean and edible. They must have cloven hooves and chew the cud. What exactly is the purpose of this criterion?
Animals that chew the cud are called ruminants. Rumination is a process supernaturally designed to filter food through an amazing stomach having four chambers. After the food is chewed and swallowed, any undigested material is brought back up and meticulously chewed again and again. Incredible as it may sound, most cattle spend up to ten hours a day chewing their cud.
The function of this process is to ensure that the vegetation these animals consume is thoroughly refined, which in turn exposes more surface area for bacterial breakdown in the stomach. After the food has been efficiently broken down, it passes from the first chamber of the animal’s stomach to the second, third, and finally to the fourth chamber known as the abomasum. During this last state of digestion, enzymes and hydrochloric acid are finally secreted.
Though it may sound complicated, there is a great purpose for this type of digestion. The entire routine makes thorough digestion possible with little chance for toxins to infect the animal’s muscle tissue. Most of the poisonous properties of plants eaten by these types of animals are passed off. Since vegetation is a building block for their flesh, this process leaves their flesh in an ideal state for human consumption. Their meat is easily digested in our stomachs. It has little or no toxins, and contains more of the nutritious juices that are beneficial to the body. Naturally it is more advantageous to consume such meat.
On the other hand, animals that do not chew the cud convert their food less perfectly. Consequently their flesh contains more toxins and impurities. In fact, in many instances, their meat harbors various parasites that can be transferred to those who ingest it.
Four-footed animals that are clean for food must also have a cloven or parted hoof. This is another divine design in order to keep the animal’s flesh free from noxious substances. When an animal’s hoof is parted, and they find themselves in unfavorable pastures containing pollution, fecal matter, or poisonous plants, this material tends to pass off between the separated hooves.
On the other hand, animals with undivided hooves that feed on the same type of ground become affected by this material. As the toxins become trapped in the hoof, they migrate through the tissues and travel from the feet into the legs. While these undesirable substances usually do not bring serious injury to the animal, its flesh becomes tainted by contaminants that are toxic and harmful to those who may eat their meat.
By this examination of chewing the cud and cloven hooves, we see that there are definite physical reasons for animals being classified as either unclean or clean for food. God designated their status, and pointed out the identifying marks for us to distinguish between the two categories. He makes it clear that both of these defining characteristics must be found in any four-footed animal in order to consider it fit for human consumption.
To assure that we have no trouble discerning between the unclean and the clean, God gave us examples of creatures that lack one or more of these characteristics:
Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you (Leviticus 11:4-8).
Some of the animals the Eternal declare to be unfit for food are the camel, rabbit (coney), and hare (a fast-running animal that resembles a rabbit but is larger, has longer ears and legs and does not burrow). Additionally, He gives us a prime example of one such beast that has cloven hooves, but does not chew the cud—the swine.
Pork is forbidden to be eaten. Despite God’s command, this meat is consumed by millions of people around the world every day. Whether it is a boar, pig or hog—all of these are unclean meat. Strangely, people the world over find this flesh irresistible. Pork chops, glazed ham, baby back ribs, sausage, pepperoni, bacon, lard, and most forms of gelatin—the options for preparing this animal is extensive. But consider the lifestyle of this unclean beast.
Pigs were created to be part of God’s janitorial crew. They will eat just about anything placed before them, including garbage, decaying flesh, their own feces, and the dung of other animals. While they are fondly known for wallowing in the mud, few realize that this muck in which they love to roll is soaked with urine, fecal matter, and all sorts of germs that are excreted by these filthy creatures. Additionally swine do not sweat. Therefore, these land mammals do not easily eliminate toxins which are passed off by perspiration in other animals.
Due to their design and behavior, swine flesh contains contaminates such as trichinella, tapeworms, and toxoplasma gondii. Therefore, pork must be raised and cooked in a specific manner in order to avoid infection. If not properly prepared, swine can transfer parasites that live in its muscle tissue. Ingestion of meat containing live trichina larvae produces nausea, heartburn, dyspepsia, and diarrhea within a few days. Later, as the worms encyst in different parts of the human body, other manifestations of trichinosis appear such as headache, fever, chills, cough, eye swelling, joint and muscle pain, broken capillaries and itching.
The severity of these symptoms depends on the extent of infection, and will generally fade within a few years as the worms die off. On the other hand, in more severe cases, the worms enter the central nervous system where they cannot survive for long, yet they still can cause enough damage to produce serious neurological deficits such as lack of muscle coordination, retina dysfunction, blindness, brain damage, respiratory paralysis, and even death.
Perhaps even more tragic are the effects this tainted meat can have on infants. Babies whose mothers have passed this parasite on to them will suffer terribly with symptoms such as: low birth weight, petechiae or ecchymosis, enlarged liver and spleen, diarrhea or vomiting, feeding problems, seizures and jaundice. Many of these symptoms can lead to permanent disabilities such as: abnormal brain and nervous system function, eye damage from inflammation of the retina or other parts of the eye, and hearing loss.
Does this sound like an animal that we should be serving to our loved ones for dinner? Of course not, and the God who created us and these animals made this clear thousands of years ago! With such risk involved, it is a wonder that this unclean meat remains a staple of many people’s diet.
Most of today’s commercial pork comes from pigs that are fed corn, wheat, or other grains, and the animals are not allowed to wallow in urine and dung. Therefore, many believe that swine flesh is now clean enough to eat. This is simply not true. Whatever man may do to the creation, it never negates the Word of God or the design of the beast.
According to the standards set by the One who created this animal, a pig’s flesh is unclean no matter what kind of diet or environment they may experience. God did not attach any “ifs or buts” to His guidelines. He did not make exceptions to the rules. The Almighty did not state that these animals are unclean, BUT IF we feed them well, and keep them unsoiled they are clean. By such behavior, we act as if we know better than God. We put ourselves in His place, and this is clearly having other God’s before Him (Ex. 20:3).
These animals were simply not designed to be eaten by mankind—period! No matter what they eat, or how well they are cared for, their organs do not function in a manner that makes their flesh beneficial as human food.
The world’s oceans, lakes, rivers and streams contain an impressive assortment of animal life. Within the earth’s waters are thousands of species of fish, crustaceans, squid, whales, sharks, and rays—most of which are hunted, harvested and consumed by mankind in one form or another. But are all of these animals good for food? What does God say about them?
These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat (Leviticus 11:9).
Once again our Maker has set the criteria for determining which fish are suitable for food. They are those that have both fins and scales. Why is this so? Again we can see that cleanliness is a function of the animal’s design.
Fins give a fish the ability to move quickly from place to place, thus avoiding harmful or toxic environments. Such fish are unlikely to become bound to waters that may contain contaminants that can be transferred to humans through their flesh.
Considering that most of man’s pollutants make their way into the streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans, can there be any question why this characteristic is so important? For example, sewage has always been a byproduct of our existence and this toxic mixture of human excrement usually ends up in our waterways. In our present age, we have added large quantities of even more harmful substances to the mix such as mercury, oil, solvents, inks, dyes, cleansers, and a multitude of other hazardous wastes.
God designed fins to enable the fish to quickly remove itself from such contaminated water. In addition, the scales of clean fish are also very important. They act as a protective garment. Scales are tiny flat platelets, which prevent the absorption of poisons and actually allow these fish to perspire—excreting toxins from its flesh.
After defining those fish that are clean, God describes the water creatures that are unclean:
And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination. Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you (Leviticus 11:10-12).
These divine guidelines mean that such animals as lobster, crab, shrimp, shark, squid, octopus, catfish, oysters, whale, and many others are unfit for human consumption. This also includes the families of crustaceans, mussels, and mollusks. Despite the Almighty’s unerring wisdom in designing His creation, there are millions of people who eat these unclean creatures. This has resulted in many becoming ill from the toxins residing within these polluted aquatic animals.
Raw shellfish are a major source of food poisoning around the globe. They carry diseases such as salmonella and hepatitis type A. Consider that clams and oysters filter a whopping 25-50 gallons of seawater a day, which pumps their flesh full of toxins. Eating contaminated shellfish can result in paralytic poisoning which begins with numbness in the lips and tongue. This infection may eventually spread to the limbs and is often accompanied by respiratory problems.
Catfish are perhaps the most contaminated of all water creatures. Being bottom-feeders, these fish ingest sludge containing feces and many industrial pollutants. Even those raised in controlled environments such as fish farms are still tainted because they were purposefully designed to clean up the excrement left behind by all other freshwater organisms.
Despite the risks involved many people ignore the danger and embrace such impure meat. For those who dare to indulge, special preparation is often necessary for these animals because of the high level of toxicities in their flesh.
Shockingly, some will even dare to defy death by consuming the lethal puffer or blowfish. This highly venomous creature must be prepared with the utmost care. Chefs are required to train for three years, and then eat one serving that they have personally prepared, before unleashing their culinary skills on the public. Not surprisingly, lusting after the flesh of this unclean fish has resulted in dozens of fatalities with many more becoming extremely ill after consuming its meat.
Next God outlines winged creatures. When setting the criteria for fowl that may be eaten, the Eternal lists those that are NOT to be consumed:
And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, and the vulture, and the kite after his kind; Every raven after his kind; And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, and the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, and the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat (Leviticus 11:13-19).
The vast majority of unclean birds mentioned in these verses are birds of prey. The “swan” listed in the King James version is a mistranslation referring to the horned owl. These are birds that feed on the flesh of other creatures—including dead and rotting flesh. Because of their nature, it is obvious that consuming them can be harmful. It would be as if we were eating the same putrid meat that they consumed. Consider eating a vulture that just dined on the flesh of rotting road kill. Nobody in their right mind would do such a thing, and the result might just put an individual in the hospital.
No clean fowl are listed in this passage of Scripture. Approximately two-dozen species of unclean birds are named out of many found around the world. These unclean birds illustrate the characteristics of ALL unclean fowl. They fall into several categories, each of which is unclean “after its kind.” Since these verses do not describe which birds are clean, how can we be certain of the characteristics that designate birds fit for humans to eat?
It is important to understand that when giving sacrifices to God in the Old Covenant there were NEVER any unclean animals used. Therefore, the criteria of clean fowl are determined by the dove and the pigeon—birds traditionally used for sacrifice (Lk. 2:24; Lev. 1:14-17). By comparing the differences between these clean birds and those listed as unclean, we arrive at the following characteristics for fowl that may be eaten:
1.They must not be birds of prey.
2.They must have an elongated middle front toe and a hind toe.
3.They must spread their toes so that three front toes are on one side of a perch and the hind toe on the other side.
4.They must have craws or crops (an expanded, muscular pouch near the gullet or throat).
5.They must have a gizzard with a double lining which can easily be separated.
Clean birds have all these characteristics. Unclean birds lack one or more of these traits. Additionally, when considering all of the clean fowl, we see that they feed strictly on vegetation. The more common of these are dove, pigeon, duck, goose, chicken, quail and turkey.
It is also worth noting that, although it proved to not be a blessing, God provided Israel with quail to eat (Num. 11). The Eternal would never give His people unclean meat to it, and thus we see that quail bear the characteristics of clean fowl for food.
Arthropods also play a prime role in cleaning up our environment. Because of their predetermined design, most of them host microbes, and many are poisonous. As you may have already concluded, few are considered clean. In fact, God reveals only one class of insect that may be eaten:
All flying insects that creep on all fours shall be an abomination to you. Yet these you may eat of every flying insect that creeps on all fours: those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to leap on the earth. These you may eat: the locust after its kind, the destroying locust after its kind, the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind. But all other flying insects which have four feet shall be an abomination to you (Leviticus 11:20-23, NKJ).
The clean insects are those of the locust, grasshopper, cricket, and cicada families. These have a unique diet and behavior. They only eat vegetation and are usually found in sanitary areas. If they find themselves in an unfit environment, they have the ability to jump and fly away from anything noxious.
It is written that John the Baptist’s diet consisted of locusts and honey (Mt. 3:4). Jesus stated that there was none greater than John (Mt. 11:11), and like all of God’s people, John kept the Almighty’s dietary laws. This is another piece of evidence proving that God considers these creatures to be clean—containing many beneficial nutrients and fiber that is valuable to our bodies.
Most people will be glad to know that simply because these insects are clean we are not required to eat them. In our culture, the majority of Americans would find the thought of eating crickets repulsive. However, for those so inclined, these strange looking creatures are clean and designated as being good for food.
God’s words are specific. They make it clear that all other creeping things (insects) are unclean and not fit for human consumption.
The Eternal also gives a list of other animals that are categorically unclean. The following are also unfit for humans to eat:
And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten. Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination (Leviticus 11:41-42).
The insects mentioned here are those which swarm together, such as ants, bees, flies, and all others that are not part of the locust, grasshopper, cricket, or cicada families. All of these are unclean. In addition, any insect that does not fly is considered unclean.
God also declares that all creatures which move on their belly are unclean. This is referring to the kind of movement made by various reptiles such as snakes, lizards, worms, crocodiles, alligators, turtles, and tortoises.
Animals that “goeth upon all fours” are mentioned as well. This refers to beasts with paws that walk on four feet such as dogs, cats, tigers, foxes, wolves, bears, panthers, raccoons, weasels, rabbits, and various rodents.
Lastly God makes it clear that all spiders are unfit for food. The reason for this should be obvious to all. Not only do they consume other insects that are considered unclean, but many also contain poisons that are toxic to the human body.
Now that we understand the characteristics of unclean and clean animals, we need to realize the answer to another important question. If the Almighty made some animals clean for food, and others which are not, why did He create these unclean creatures? Couldn’t He have simply made all animals and insects clean and acceptable for food?
The Eternal can certainly do anything He desires, but the fact remains that He did not make all creatures clean to eat. Instead He made each with a specific purpose. Every living thing on earth was created for a reason, and our recent history has shown us that when some creatures do not exist the environmental balance deteriorates. The only way a harmonious environment can exist is if all the elements God created are in their proper place. The earth was amazingly designed with stability in nature so that our world will flourish. As the Creator states:
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good… (Genesis 1:31).
God designed this world with all the necessary elements to maintain healthy and clean surroundings. Everything He made was magnificent, but this does not mean that everything was good to eat! In order to maintain a homeostatic setting there must be plants and animals to work as filters to cleanse the harmful elements. Just as the Eternal created numerous varieties of plants and trees that clean the gases from the air and create fresh oxygen, He also created certain animals that serve as custodians to keep the earth sanitary. These creatures are God’s cleanup crew. They were designed for the purpose of maintaining a healthy environment—not for humans to eat!
God created various rodents to ingest the world’s filth. He formed birds of prey and reptiles to clean up the dead, rotting carcasses, and keep the rodent population under control. He allows carnivorous creatures to destroy the weak and diseased in order to maintain a vigorous genealogy of beasts—as well as limiting population growth. He made insects that consume germs and various bacteria. He created venomous spiders to keep the insect populations in check. The Almighty created varied bottom dwelling fish to suck up the sludge and the excretions left by other animals and fish. He made whales to filter the oceans and sharks to set boundaries on the marine populace. He made crustaceans, which are also bottom feeders, to ingest rotten residues left on the ocean floors and to filter impurities out of the world’s lakes, streams, rivers and oceans. It’s not surprising that many of these unclean sea creatures even look like giant underwater insects!
Would any of us ever consider boiling a cockroach and eating its innards? Of course not! Then why do we see this as an acceptable practice with crabs and lobsters? These unclean animals have important functions in the world we occupy, but they were never designed for humans to eat. Their purpose is to ingest potentially harmful substances from the environment, in an effort to uphold a safe and healthy setting in which the earth’s inhabitants can dwell. Because of their god given profession, their flesh is tainted by impurities that were never meant to enter the mouth of mankind.
Were these divine dietary laws done away upon Christ’s crucifixion? Are the food laws no longer required today? Is all flesh now clean to eat? To further answer this question we must consider several undeniable facts.
First, we must consider the structure of the animals God had made. Upon their creation God made every living thing with a specific purpose. Those that He designated for mankind to eat were designed so that their flesh would be both free from toxins and beneficial for human consumption. As important and as far reaching as Christ’s sacrifice was, His death did not change the composition of beasts or the digestive system of man. God’s creation continues to function the same way it has for thousands of years. That which was unfit for man to eat in the beginning is still unfit today. The unclean animals that were unclean before the flood were still unclean after the water receded and they are still unclean today!
Understanding this, we must also recognize the unchanging nature of God. Does it seem reasonable that the pure and holy God would suddenly put a stamp of approval on that which He has always considered to be unclean? Of course not! God has never accepted this meat for food in the past, and He does not accept it today. Consider the enduring words of our Creator:
For I am the LORD, I change not (Malachi 3:6).
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8).
Jesus Christ is the mighty God who thundered the Ten Commandments to Israel in the wilderness. He is the great “I AM” who commissioned Moses to confirm the food laws to His people (1 Cor. 6:1-4; Jn. 5:39; 8:58). He did not accept sin in the Garden of Eden, He did not accept sin when dealing with Israel in the wilderness, He did not accept it while He walked the earth as a man, and He certainly does not accept sin today! His crucifixion only allows us to be washed from our past sin. It did not give us license to continue practicing sinful ways (Rom. 3:25, 6:1).
The Ten Commandments and dietary food laws have always been holy, just, and good (Rom. 7:12). They were in effect before the flood and prior to Jesus’ birth. Christ kept these laws. His disciples continued to hold fast to them, the New Testament church observed these laws, and the Eternal expects Christians to keep them today!
These undeniable truths demonstrate that the regulations regarding food were always adhered to and have never been rescinded. Still this does not stop some theologians from attempting to force their prejudice into the Scriptures.
To validate their mistaken belief, so-called scholars have wrested a handful of verses in the New Testament from their context. They have put their own personal twist on them in an effort to convince religious people that the New Covenant does away with God’s food laws. One of the most often misused verses is found in the Apostle Peter’s vision of unclean animals.
Virtually all Bible students agree that God placed restrictions on what animals His people could eat in the Old Covenant. Yet, most Christians have been taught that Jesus Christ did away with these standards thereby opening the door for us to eat whatever we please. Countless numbers of professing believers have accepted this assumption based on an interpretation of Peter’s vision recorded in the Book of Acts.
The record of this event begins with a man named Cornelius—an Italian gentile. Although not Jewish, he was a God fearing man who prayed regularly, gave alms to the poor, and his entire family revered God (Acts 10:2).
Because of the deep devotion demonstrated by Cornelius and his family, God sent an angel who instructed him to send men to Joppa where Peter abode. Servants were sent, and they found Peter on a housetop praying.
Prior to the arrival of these men, while deep in prayer, Peter became very hungry and fell into a trance. At this point the apostle was given an extraordinary vision in which he:
… saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven (Acts 10:11-16).
In this revelation Peter was told to kill and eat all manner of unclean creatures. This array would have included horses, pigs, dogs, cats, rats, lizards, snakes, and even detestable insects such as spiders and cockroaches. Peter’s response to this command was far from compliant. He refused, saying, “... I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.” Peter’s reaction indicates that he was reared to keep the scriptural food laws, and he had never eaten anything unclean his entire life—including during his discipleship with Christ.
Peter had been with Jesus day and night for over three years. Therefore, the apostle clearly understood Christ’s teaching in regards to the food laws. It matched what he had been taught all his life. There were some animals simply unfit for humans to consume. Peter was certain that this precept stood just as firm a decade after Jesus’ crucifixion as it did when God affirmed it to ancient Israel.
Because Peter knew God did not want him to eat unclean animals, he wondered what this vision could possibly mean. What did the Almighty truly cleanse? What was this visualization designed to impress upon Peter? The answer to these questions begins to be understood in the verses immediately following the vision:
Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate, and called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there. While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them (Acts 10:17-20).
Notice that Peter instantly doubted what this vision meant. He did not assume, as so many have today, that God suddenly changed the food laws after thousands of years. Instead, Peter pondered the meaning before being instructed to go with these men without distrusting their intent. In order to fully grasp the meaning of Peter’s vision, it is important to understand what was taking place at the time and why he might have reservations about going with these individuals.
They were gentiles, and the Jews were taught to have nothing to do with the uncircumcised. Without God’s instruction, Peter would have naturally questioned their intent and sincerity. Embolden by God’s words, Peter confidently left with these servants to meet Cornelius.
Upon reaching their destination, Peter realized the true meaning of the vision. Cornelius excitedly brought Christ’s apostle into his house, where many others who believed in God were also waiting. It was here that Peter announced the profound meaning of his strange vision, stating:
Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean (Acts 10:28).
Until this time, the apostles had only known the Jewish faith. They believed that God worked with the Israelites alone. They thought of other races as being common people and therefore unclean. Therefore, the Jews had nothing to do with gentiles unless they converted to the Jewish faith and were circumcised.
Peter realized that the vision was symbolic. It pictured this view that Jews had toward the gentiles. He understood that Christ had broken down the wall of spiritual separation between Israelites and gentiles (Eph. 2:14-15). God had now made salvation available to ALL men and women.
After the actual meaning of this vision was understood, it was expressed in the Scriptures two more times. On the second occasion, speaking of the vision’s significance, Peter stated:
…Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him (Acts 10:34-35).
When the apostle Peter returned from visiting Cornelius, the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem required him to explain his actions. He again described the vision, what occurred afterward, and its meaning, saying:
Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life (Acts 11:17-18).
Note that Peter witnessed the vision three times, three men were sent to retrieve him, and the meaning of the vision was explained three times. This illustrates the biblical principle which states that there must be two or three witnesses in order for testimony to be considered valid (Dt. 19:15). For this reason, God’s interpretation of the unusual imagery was explained three times as a legal witness for all to understand.
Not only is eating the meat from unclean animals not justified by these verses, this passage proves that the laws separating the unclean meats from the clean were still very much in effect long after Christ’s death. Because these laws continued to be such a vital part of the lives of God’s people, the Almighty used them to teach an enormously important lesson to Jewish Christians who had previously viewed gentiles as unclean.
The vision was simply an illustration to relate how God had spiritually cleansed the gentiles. They were to be admitted into His church without the requirement of becoming Jews and being circumcised. Peter’s visualization did not mean that the structure of unclean animals was miraculously changed so that they were now considered clean.
Despite this obvious truth, some still try to use this passage to justify eating whatever they desire. In order to do so they must misinterpret, twist, or misuse God’s true purpose for giving Peter this vision.
Many religious people will admit that these three statements by Peter properly explain a correct interpretation. They will confess that the vision does refer to the gentiles, and yet they still believe that the vision is somehow dual in its meaning—supposing that it also means we can eat whatever we please. As we have seen, they are sadly mistaken.
There are many Bible students who will contend that the food laws are no longer binding based on verses they find in one of Paul’s letters to Timothy. They believe that in this epistle, the apostle reveals virtually any kind of meat is acceptable as long as we eat it thankfully. But is this what Paul actually said to the evangelist? Consider his words:
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer (1 Timothy 4:1-5).
Notice that Paul was speaking to Christians who “believe and knew the truth.” Thus, they understood the Bible which consisted of only the Old Covenant at that time. When Paul wrote a second letter to Timothy, he plainly stated:
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).
The Scriptures to which Paul refers are unmistakably for “instruction in righteousness,” and they include the laws regarding the animals that are clean and good for food. They are also for our reproof and correction commanding avoidance of all unclean meats (Lev. 11; Dt. 14).
It is the demonic doctrine of devils which requires people to “… abstain from foods which God created to be received.” These people knew which types of meat God had created for man to receive, and they were also aware of those that were absolutely forbidden for consumption. The only meats to be eaten with thanksgiving were the clean animals that the Almighty’s Word set apart as suitable for food!
Further evidence of this everlasting principle is found when we review Paul’s words that tell us:
… 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 4:4-5).
When Paul says that the meat is “sanctified by the word of God,” what exactly does he mean? The term, sanctify, means to make holy, or set apart for a right use. In this context we need to consider what meats are documented as set apart for proper use in the Eternal’s Word. The only meats designated for human consumption in the entirety of the Bible are indelibly recorded in the Books of Leviticus chapter eleven, and Deuteronomy chapter fourteen. These chapters define God’s laws of unclean and clean meats.
Therefore, Paul’s statements make this truth even more apparent. The animals which God created and sanctified are only those defined as clean in the Bible. They alone have the kind of flesh that can be received with thanksgiving and prayer.
It is an apostate doctrine of devils to teach that we can eat any animal we wish. You will not find a single Scripture stating that God had ever set apart snails, oysters, clams, snakes, octopus, shark, lobster, crab, swine, dogs, cats or rats as fit for human consumption.
Notice also that Paul’s statement is a reference to events occurring in the “latter times”—a time following the founding of the New Testament Church. This tells us that instead of simply giving a stamp of approval regarding eating all kinds of animals, Paul is warning us against those who would later forbid marriage and require abstinence from the clean meats God had created to be received with thanksgiving (v. 3).
Understanding this, are there any who teach such things today? The answer is yes! The Catholic faith arose centuries after the establishment of the New Testament Church, and they teach exactly what Paul warned against. Their priests are required to abstain from marriage, and they command their members to refrain from eating meat on certain days of the week.
These are false doctrines—exactly the kind of heresy to which Paul referred. The Almighty’s apostle was certainly not warning against those who advocate eating clean meats which are whole-heartedly endorsed by the God of your Bible.
Another passage that is sometimes improperly used to support eating unclean animals is found in the letter Paul sent to brethren in Rome. He writes:
Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs (Romans 14:1-2).
While some may claim that the words “all things” validate consuming unclean meats such as pork and shellfish, it does nothing of the sort. Instead Paul is addressing an issue of passionate vegetarians who were causing division in the church. This is blatantly obvious from the very beginning of the chapter.
The context of these first two sentences makes it clear. Paul was speaking about a conflict between those who “believe that they may eat all things,” and those “who are weak and eat only herbs.” The word “herbs” is the Greek word lachanon, and it means a vegetable. Paul is only addressing the issue of eating meat in contrast to vegetarians who abstain. Therefore, he tells the brethren that eating meat is not an impure act as the vegetarians believed. The Scriptures clearly state that we may eat clean animals.
It must also be understood that when Paul says, “one believes they may eat all things,” he absolutely does not mean that these people thought they could devour any animal on earth. These verses actually contain NO COMPARISON BETWEEN UNCLEAN AND CLEAN MEATS. That is not the issue being addressed. Paul is only referring to those who believe we may eat both clean meat and herbs as opposed to those who feel that only vegetables are to be consumed.
The point the apostle was making is that, just because the weak of faith may not have yet come to this realization, they are not to be ridiculed, viewed as inferior, or offended by those who understood that it is permissible to eat meat. Additionally, those who did not eat meat should not judge those who did. Paul was very clear about this continuing to state:
Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him (Romans 14:3).
If these individuals were called by God, absolutely no one has a right to view them as contemptible. God accepted their present state as fit for instruction of the truth, and therefore both the vegetarian and the meat eater were to respect one another. Paul exhorts them not to condemn one another or attempt to force their dietary preference upon their brethren. They were both within the guidelines of the Scriptures.
Paul makes this statement because, if the vegetarian believed that eating clean meat was wrong, and ate it anyway, to that person it would be an impure act. It would not be an act of faith. It would violate their conscience which is a sin (Rom. 14:23).
Paul wanted these Christians to understand that the conscience is a precious thing. It guides us as a type of moral compass. When presented with an option that does not oppose God’s law, the Almighty desires that we follow our conscience. Not honoring our inner sense of right and wrong hardens the heart, making us less sensitive to God’s correction. Conversely, if we continue living by what we believe is right, we can eventually be guided toward the truth. Because of this Paul encouraged the Corinthians not to quarrel about the issue of meat as opposed to herbs, saying:
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. For meat destroy(s) not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence (Romans 14:19-20).
Paul’s conclusion regarding this matter makes the context irrefutable. He was only addressing the matter of vegetarianism verses eating meat. When he stated that it was acceptable to eat meat, he did not mean we could eat any kind of flesh that we might desire. It must be understood that the only animals God’s people would ever consider eating were those designated by God as clean. That which God labeled as unclean would never even be considered as an option.
As previously noted, Peter’s staunch refusal to eat anything unclean demonstrates that the food laws were still observed by Christians well after Christ’s death. To make a change in these regulations would have been an issue of immense proportion. If Paul’s words were actually an amendment of such enormity, it would have been clearly stated in the Scriptures. He would certainly not address such an important issue with vague references that never even mention the words unclean or clean.
If Paul’s words supported the consumption of swine and squid, there would have been very clear and direct statements in this regard. In fact, a change of this magnitude would have been treated just as the issue of circumcision. It would require a hearing by the council of the Jerusalem elders, similar to the conference recorded in Acts chapter fifteen.
Instead, there is absolutely no biblical evidence whatsoever of a decision reversing God’s prohibition against eating unclean animals. Thus, Christians today are to continue adhering to the food laws as instructed by God and confirmed by the New Testament Church.
Despite the myriad of evidence proving that the food laws are still in effect, some religious folks continue to eat unclean meat. They attempt to justify their consumption by taking Scriptures out of context, adding their own words, or conjuring up personal interpretations of the Bible.
In another example, some mistakenly claim that Christ Himself gave a stamp of approval on eating unclean meats. The passage they refer to as evidence is found in the book of Mark, chapter seven. There the gospel writer documents one of the many confrontations between Jesus and the Pharisees. After these religious leaders found fault with Christ’s disciples for not washing their hands according to the Pharisees’ particular rules, Christ answered them with the following words:
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 (Mark 7:15).
What exactly is the Jesus saying? Could He possibly be telling us that it does not matter what we eat? Is He conveying that we can eat anything we want because that which we consume does not pollute us? Absolutely not!
In order to understand the intent of Jesus’ words we must recognize the context of His statement. Beginning with the first verse, we understand the subject matter has nothing whatsoever to do with meat:
Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables (Mark 7:1-4).
The issue was the method in which the disciples washed their hands—not clean and unclean meats! These religious zealots had formed their own criteria for what was holy. They had created various ritualistic washings which they required to be done before one could eat or drink. They had created manmade ceremonies as an intrinsic part of their religion instead of God’s pure instruction.
For example, according to the Pharisees, one was expected to wash a series of times depending on the type of food being eaten and how many people were dining together (The Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 53b, Shabbat 62b, sotah 4b). Thus the Pharisaic adversaries of Jesus accused His disciples of wrongdoing based on their personal traditions—not the Eternal’s law. Their next statement makes this abundantly clear:
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?” (Mark 7:5).
This verse shows that the issue being discussed was simply a tradition of men in which the manner of washing hands was in question. The issue was NOT an edict declared by God such as unclean and clean meats.
It is also important to realize that this account does not say that Jesus and His disciples were eating with dirty hands. Instead, it indicates that they simply did not wash a series of times, up to the elbow, or in a manner that was according to the criteria set by the Pharisees. Neither Jesus nor His disciples broke a biblical command—they did not violate any godly principle. Christ’s only disregard was to the unbiblical tradition of the Pharisees.
Our Wonderful Counselor responded to their false accusation, giving them some very good advice. With searing rebuke He said:
... Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition (Mark 7:6-9).
The Pharisees had built their own regulations around God’s law while blatantly ignoring the true principles of His Word. Jesus declared that these ritualistic washings were no more than a vain, hypocritical show. After chastising these critics, Jesus explained that their physical ritualistic washings did not make them spiritually clean or pure.
The Son of God did not say, or even insinuate, that we may eat whatever we want because nothing that we consume can defile us. Eating noxious substances certainly can defile a person. In fact, many unclean meats are a subtle form of poison. Jesus was making the point that we cannot wash our hands up to the elbow seven times and consider ourselves righteous for doing so. Whether we ceremonially wash or not does not spiritually cleanse or defile us. It is the words and behaviors that come from the mind and heart which defile men and women.
In this context, it is also important to understand that the Pharisees strictly kept the food laws. We never see Jesus chastising them for eating only clean meat. Neither do we witness the Pharisees rebuking Jesus and His disciples for eating unclean meat. This is because Jesus kept these laws as commanded in the Old Covenant.
This point absolutely must be understood. If Christ had eaten unclean meat, He would have sinned—leaving us with no Savior! The Messiah would only eat meat that was clean and we are to follow His example (1 Jn. 2:6).
Because Jesus’ disciples were brought up under this Pharisaic tradition all their lives, they wondered about Christ’s statement. Jesus then explained exactly what He meant:
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 7:17-23).
Jesus Christ made this issue crystal clear. The Pharisee’s accusation was not about eating pork, shrimp or lobster. It was a matter of eating without washing in the manner the religious leaders specified. Jesus explained that this ceremonial cleansing did not make a person clean internally. The food that was eaten would run its course and be discharged regardless of how a person washed prior to eating.
Further, while considering Christ’s comment regarding “purging all meats,” two points must be remembered. First, they were not eating flesh, or even talking about animal tissue. This biblical reference has nothing to do with meat whatsoever! The disciples were originally questioned about eating bread. As Mark records the beginning of this encounter:
And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault (Mark 7:2).
The second point is that the Greek word for “meats” is brōma—a term that applies to food in general. Of course, in the context of their time and culture, food would ONLY include those meats that were clean.
In this light, the entire argument becomes even more obvious. Christ was simply speaking of the fact that any supposed contamination to the food resulting from unceremonially washed hands would automatically be cleansed by the body. As John Gill’s Commentary states:
purging all meats; that which it leaves behind, is pure and nourishing; and whatever is gross and impure, is carried with it into the draught, so that nothing remains in the man that is defiling (e-sword, Gill, Mark 7:19).
Now that we understand the undeniable truth, it must also be noted that many Bible students have been misled by some mistranslations of this verse. These errors in translating are the result of prejudiced men who have allowed their personal opinions to become involved in their work. Therefore, sometimes, their mistaken ideas produced inaccuracies in the Scriptures.
For example, ignoring the obvious context of Christ’s statements, some translators included the words, “Jesus declared all foods clean.” However, it must be understood that uninspired men created this phrase, and it, or anything similar to it, has been unlawfully added to the Bible. These words are not in the original manuscripts. You will not find them in older and more accurate translations.
Originally the phrase, “thus He said making all meats clean,” was a marginal note. Eventually this error came to be inserted into the actual text. Some works will place these words in parentheses or italics to show that they were added by translators and not in the original manuscripts. Notice some examples:
Good News Bible: …because it does not go into your heart but into your stomach and then goes on out of the body” (In saying this, Jesus declared that all foods are fit to be eaten).
New International Version: For it doesn’t go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods “clean”).
This parenthetical inclusion was used to signify that these words were not part of the original. However, this marginal notation led some more modern works to ignore the rules completely. They boldly included this bogus phrase without any notation, indicating that it was an addition. By so doing, these translators have committed the heretical act of adding their personal opinions to God’s Word. Consider how this practice led to the following mistranslations:
Contemporary English Version:It doesn't go into your heart, but into your stomach, and then out of your body. By saying this, Jesus meant that all foods were fit to eat.
English Standard Version: …since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled? Thus he declared all foods clean.
These translations have led some Bible readers to think that Christ cleansed unclean meats. No matter how desperately one may desire this verse to permit eating unclean meat, the subject was never about unclean animals.
This fact reveals an incredible irony. The truth is that unclean meat is never even considered food for God’s people in the Bible—not in one single place! Consuming unclean animals is only biblically mentioned in the context of behavior of the ungodly (Isa. 65:4, 66:17). Only meats that are clean are considered food. Thus, this spurious phrase exposes the translator’s prejudice, gall, and blatant error.
It is clear that Christ was only stating that our bodily digestive process purifies the food we eat of any unseen dirt. Therefore, there was no need for the Pharisaic extra-biblical ceremonial washings. Jesus was NOT making a pronouncement reversing God’s laws regarding which meats could be eaten. The King James, Literal, and Darby translations of the Bible best translate the context of this event.
These more modern translators, who corrupted Holy Writ, have made a very grave mistake. They have gone against the Word of God in several ways. They have disregarded the context of the verse. They have omitted the first century culture, times, and practices. They ignore Christ’s real intent, Mark’s specific words, and have simply published what they wanted the verse to convey.
These heretical acts directly violate God’s edict, which states, “Ye shall not add unto the Word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it…” (Dt. 4:2). Worst of all, these so-called scholars have led millions of believers astray—causing them to partake of that which God clearly defines as a sin.
Our bodies were amazingly and wonderfully designed with specific needs. We cannot put just anything into them and expect to function properly. Prolific author and teacher Herbert W. Armstrong gives us food for thought in his article entitled Is All Animal Flesh Good for Food?
In a very real sense, your stomach is your fuel tank. Your automobile's tank is its stomach. You wouldn't think of pouring just any old thing that will pour into the “stomach” of your car. You know that your car was not made to consume and “digest” fuel oil, water, milk, or kerosene.
What happens to the food you eat? In the stomach the digestive process takes place. And, once digested—if you have eaten fit and digestible food—a portion of the essential minerals and vitamins—the life-giving properties in the food—filter through the intestinal lining into the bloodstream to replenish and build up decaying cells, to provide energy, body warmth, good health.
Your body is wonderfully made! It is the most wonderful mechanism in the world.
But, just as you must use the right kind of gasoline in the gas tank and the right kind of oils and greases in the other parts of your car or impair its performance, so you must put the right kind of food into the most delicate mechanism of all, your body (The Plain Truth, pp 15-16, Feb. 1980).
As this article points out, we are very careful about what type of fuel we put into our automobiles. We would never mix sand with milk, put it into our gas tanks, and expect our vehicles to function properly. However, when it comes to our bodies, most people are indifferent when choosing the food necessary to for empower their metabolism.
This is not how it is supposed to be. We were designed to be fueled by specific vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, and meats. God made all things for a specific purpose and he has not kept us in the dark about what we are to eat. He made this clear from the very beginning of our creation. We are to only eat that which has been predestined as clean food.
However, is maintaining vigor the only reason for giving us the dietary food laws? Is it only a matter of health—or is there a far reaching principle that God desires for us to learn.
The Eternal has perfect wisdom and judgment. We can fittingly say that He has done rightly when outlining which animals are unclean and clean. He is able to do so because He created all things. He knows exactly how each part of His creation functions. There can be no question that the Eternal can distinguish between what is good for us and what is not. But this is not the sole purpose of His food laws. They are much more profound than functioning as a mere set of guidelines designed for our physical health.
God is holy. He does not tolerate sin. Therefore, our Creator designed these physical laws to serve a vital spiritual purpose—demonstrating God’s way of life to all mankind. While the Eternal’s food laws are clearly for our physical benefit, they are also symbolic—portraying a profound truth that we should apply to all the choices we make in life!
In fact, God’s primary purpose in creating these rules is to help us understand a principle that is absolutely essential to our salvation! But how are these things related? The truth begins to be understood as the Almighty explains His reason for giving us these laws:
For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth (Leviticus 11:44-46).
After instructing His people be holy, and not defile ourselves with unclean meat, the next verse states the reason why God gave us the laws of unclean and clean:
To make a difference between the unclean and the clean… (Leviticus 11:47).
This is the transcendent spiritual principle that we are to learn by adhering to the law of the unclean and the clean. It is to practice making a difference between the two. Certainly the clean meat was created for our benefit, but the primary reason for these laws was to provide us with a first-hand example of how we are to live.
Unclean food portrays the profane aspects of life that are to be avoided. The clean meats represent those acts that are holy and which should be included as part of our lives. We are to be holy! We are NOT to put what is unclean into our mouths, and this is a type—a pattern—designed to be an object lesson whose purpose is to teach us an enormous, all encompassing truth. We are to make a difference regarding everything we introduce into our lives.
As we are not to put unclean food into our bodies, we must not allow ourselves to partake of unclean entertainment, impure thoughts, impure behaviors that defile our body or mind. Amazingly, this is the ultimate purpose of God’s clean and unclean food laws.
God could have made all animals good for food. He is all-powerful. He can do absolutely anything He desires. Why didn’t He design all animals so their meat is clean? It is because our Creator wants us to practice making physical choices in what we eat as a teaching tool—training us in that which we are to do spiritually. In the same fashion that some food is unfit for humans to ingest, there are things in life that are morally unclean—unfit for human use. Certain behaviors are repulsive to God, and we must learn to avoid them in the same way we are to shun unclean foods.
Thus, we are to act out this spiritual concept every day as we order at the restaurant, eat each meal, or shop for groceries. We are to be scanning the menus and ingredients to make certain there are no unclean things in our food. In like manner we are to examine all other aspects of life in which we indulge.
This spiritual concept, which is directly related to the dietary food laws, is made clear as God instructs His ministers. Through the prophet Ezekiel, the Eternal foretells a message that will be given to the priests of the future millennial temple:
And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean (Ezekiel 44:23).
That which will be taught in the future reflects what was taught in the past, and what we should be practicing now. This physical act of refusing that which is unclean and only eating the clean is a lesson reminding us not to bring anything unholy into our lives.
Sadly, this deeply insightful concept has been lost to most religious people today. It is obvious that the profound spiritual application of this law is no longer being followed by most who claim to be Christian. Instead, the morals and ethics of our professing Christian society, and most of the world, continue to reflect a misled majority. Countless numbers persist in boldly defying God’s instructions to make a distinction between the holy and the profane.
We have all become accustomed to the perversion, violence and immorality spreading like wildfire throughout the world today. As we watch television, read newspapers, and listen to the radio we are exposed to it every single day. A quick glance at the entertainment industry alone reveals that most people appear to actually enjoy various kinds of deviance. The moral quality of film and television has plummeted into the darkest depths of the filthiest sewer. Violence, sex, anti-family, anti-parents and anti-God themes now dominate the media.
For example, a 2007 Federal Trade Commission report revealed U.S. media corporations were routinely ignoring their own rating restrictions by actively marketing violent entertainment to children and teens. The study showed that R rated movies, mature video games, and music with explicit content were routinely being marketed to youth under the age of seventeen (http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2007/04/marketingviolence.shtm).
The Parents Television Council reported that sexual topics, such as oral sex and pornography which were virtually absent from television a decade ago, are now commonplace during what is considered the family hour! The report also showed what was once considered foul language has increased by nearly 80 percent. This study focused on programs to which an estimated 10 million children were tuning in every day from the years 1998 through 2006. Additionally, the offensive violence displayed during the 8:00 p.m. programming time increased 45 percent. By 9:00 p.m. aggressive and brutal behavior increased 92 percent. By 10:00 p.m. this number had jumped a whopping 167 percent
(http://www.parentstv.org/ptc/publications/reports/violencestudy/exsummary.asp, rtvd. 8/29/2010).
Sitcoms today have made promiscuous behavior a primary subject of their storylines. Network administrators no longer even attempt to hide the smut and filth. Shows such as Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives, Passions, Lipstick Jungle, and Gary Unmarried are just a few of the recently popular licentious television programs. They portray immorality as “normal,” and act as if their marketing of sin is something desirable. Thus, depravity is now expected by viewers. It is considered acceptable behavior as millions gawk at, and take pleasure in, the utter garbage being marketed on screen. Worse yet, many live their lives vicariously through these ungodly programs. This acceptance in the media is teaching society that profane and deviant behaviors are acceptable as well as desirable. As a result, many now entertain the desire to make such television fantasies become a reality.
The movie industry increasingly pushes the envelope of sick fascinations. Motion pictures today are so violent and sexually graphic that people with biblically based morals walk away shocked and appalled by what they see. Sadly their response is all too uncommon. Most people remain fixated on the screen with the thrill of ever escalating sex and violence.
The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has a rating system based upon content of movies. The rating of G is for general audiences. Films in this category are not to include sexual acts, strong violence, drug use, or a theme that the board feels would offend parents with younger children. PG suggests parental guidance, where any of the above content may be included in “moderation.” PG-13 is a more stern warning to parents, suggesting that children under the age of thirteen should not view this material. R indicates that a film contains adult themes and activity, ranging from hard language, intense violence, sexually oriented nudity, or drug abuse.
The MPA expects parents to take this rating system seriously. Nevertheless, these ratings are frequently ignored—especially when the children are in the adolescent or early teenage years. Parents will often bring their children to inappropriate movies thinking that their presence somehow makes everything okay. More often than not, young adults are left at a movie theater to decide for themselves what they will view.
Additionally, this system of categorizing unclean movies has become extremely lenient over the years as society has become more and more desensitized to sin. G rated films today are often PG. PG has become R rated, and R has actually transitioned to virtual blood baths and soft pornography. Instead of discerning between the unclean and the clean, we simply put a mild warning label on the film—ostensibly giving it a legitimate stamp of approval. The truth is that most modern movies are a lot like unclean meat. They are dirty, impure, and not fit for human consumption!
Because of our twisted perspective of freedom, and our lust for what is considered taboo, promiscuous behavior has spun completely out of control. Literally millions of adults, teenagers, and even children, are fornicating out of wedlock on a regular basis. The pornography industry has infiltrated nearly every computer on the planet and made addicts of countless numbers.
The world has its method of discernment, but God has a far superior rating system! The Almighty, Creator of all things, knows better than we do. He tells us:
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:9).
God is holy. His ways, standards, and values are the distinguishing marks for which we should strive. But do any of our modern ratings come close to matching up to His? Absolutely not! God’s values far exceed the filth mankind churns out, and we ought to adopt His criterion—not that of our morally depraved society! We should not hesitate to turn the television off, walk out of a theatre, exit a website, or change the radio station if a program, song, or movie is inappropriate. We cannot allow our ethics to deteriorate, and become fixated on much of the sin-filled entertainment peddled today.
The patriarch Job gives us an example of making a difference between the unclean and the clean. He is quoted, saying:
I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman? For what is the allotment of God from above, and the inheritance of the Almighty from on high? Is it not destruction for the wicked, and disaster for the workers of iniquity? (NKJ, Job 31:1-3).
Job stated that He made a pact with his eyes. He would not give in to looking upon another woman lustfully. Why? The answer is that he knew it was the first step to breaking the Seventh Commandment, and was a sin itself (Mt. 5:28). Such iniquity distances us from God, and we ultimately suffer for it.
Have we made a covenant with our eyes, or do we allow images of sex and violence to cloud our vision in the name of entertainment? Do we let our computers drift to unclean places on the Internet? What about the music to which we listen?
Today the music industry is aggressively promoting promiscuous behavior and violence. Many of the compositions young impressionable adults listen to now include extremely dark overtones in both their sound and language. The messages of anti-family, anti-God, sexual abandonment, hatred, envy, drugs, and violence are found almost everywhere in modern songs. Tragically America has opened her arms to such themes, which ultimately leads many to acting out such behaviors. Our society has declined to the point where even our most prestigious schools are compromising their standards by offering courses in depravity!
In the halls of some of America’s most elite—and expensive—educational institutions, students are taking classes in subjects such as super heroes, garbage, and zombies. Students are dishing out as much as $5,000 a class to be schooled in filth and immorality! Below is a list of just a few unclean classes currently offered in some of America’s formerly respectable institutions of higher education:
• The Joy of Garbage - Santa Clara University
• The Phallus - Occidental College
• The Science of Superheroes - University of California at Irvine
• Star Trek and Religion - Indiana University at Bloomington
• The Role of Swine in American History - Xavier University
• American Degenerates - Brown University
• The Horror Film in Context - Bowdoin College
• Zombies in Popular Media - Columbia College
• European Witchcraft - Oneonta College
• The Art of Sin and the Sin of Art - Rhode Island School of Design
• Taking Marx Seriously: Should Karl Marx Be Given Another Chance? - Amherst College
As we can plainly see, society is not making a difference between the unclean and the clean in their food, music, movies, sitcoms, websites, education, or behaviors. We no longer have high standards when it comes to our moral philosophy. We are welcoming rubbish into our lives and creating an environment of spiritual squalor that is now running rampant. Mankind has actually become like bottom feeders.
We cannot allow ourselves to be influenced by such trash! It is our responsibility to make a difference between the unclean and the clean—between the holy and the profane!
Consider Elijah, who was a prophet in Israel. He was called to confront a sinful nation that had turned from the true God to worship a false deity. As this righteous man opposed the pagan priests of Baal, he looked toward Israel and stated:
How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word (1 Kings 18:21).
Just as Elijah questioned the children of Israel who had wavered in their faith, God is asking us—how long are we going to remain undecided? How long will we continue to partake of that which is unclean, both physically and spiritually?
We cannot be double minded forever. We must choose one pathway or the other. If we believe that God and His ways are right and good, then we must follow Him! But if we believe that the standards established by so-called “experts” and theologians supersede God’s Word, then we will naturally follow those.
The God of the Bible has a high standard of morals and principles. These standards are to be lived both physically and spiritually. He has given us His criteria regarding how we are to live and what we are to consume.
Our Creator understands the innermost workings of all living things. He knows what is good for us and what is not. He is the one who defines sin (1 Jn. 3:4). The Ten Commandments are a testament to this truth. Obviously since the laws defining sin have not been abolished, the laws regarding unclean meats have also never been abrogated (1 Jn. 2:4; Rev. 22:14). The Bible clearly shows that these regulations are to be kept continually. If we unwisely choose to reject this command, we will be among those who Christ will fatally rebuke when He makes His triumphant return. As Isaiah prophesied:
For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many. They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD (Isaiah 66:15-17).
Those who continue to reject God’s food laws defile themselves, and they will ultimately drink from the cup of His wrath. We can avoid this tragic end, however. We have been given a vast array of wonderful clean meats to nourish us and sustain healthy lives and we have also been given the ability to choose to not partake of, or participate in, that which is clearly defined as unclean.
Today the vast majority are choosing the latter. But if we claim to love God, we cannot lower our standards and conform to the decadence of the majority. In an age where almost any bizarre lifestyle seems acceptable, we must always be on guard—constantly aware of our environment. Morals have declined immeasurably, values are changing for the worse, and the integrity of the most people is quickly fading. We must make a difference in what we choose to eat, think, say, and do.
Whether it is unclean movies, pork, vile music, lobster, adultery, sexual habits, catfish, lying, or crab—any impure meat or behavior must be avoided. We have to realize this fundamental truth. If we do not strive to obey God in all our ways, we open ourselves to partaking of the filthy, profane and vile acts found in this world.
Such an approach will eventually lead us to that which is unclean before God Almighty. It will cause us to SIN and we will suffer the physical and spiritual consequences! Therefore, the undiscriminating mode of this world cannot be the path true Christians take. We cannot allow our standards to be influenced by the contaminated world in which we live. We must scan our both our physical and spiritual menus each day, that are filled with the choices that this world presents to us. We must scrutinize our thoughts, actions, and entertainment. As we examine our food labels, we are reminded to analyze all these things. We MUST do as the Eternal instructs—rightly discern between the holy and the profane—the unclean and the clean.
* * *
Albacore
Alewife
Anchovy
Australian Bass
Bass
Black Crappies
Black Drum
Black Grouper
Black Sea Bass
Blackfin Chub
Blackfin Tullibee
Bloater
Blueback
Bluebill Sunfish
Bluefin Tuna
Bluefish
Blue Runner
Bonitos
Boston Bluefish
Bowfin
Branch Herring
Brook Trout
Brown Trout
Buffalofish
Butterfish
Carp
Chilean Sea Bass
Chub
Chum Salmon
Cod
Coho Salmon
Common Sucker
Crappie
Crevalle Jack
Cutthroat
Dab
Flounder
Fresh Water Mullet
Frost Fish
Gag
Giant Sea Bass (endangered)
Guadalupe Bass
Glut Herring
Grouper Grunt
Gray Sea Trout
Gray Sole
Gulf Pike
Haddock
Hardtail
Hake
Halibut
Hardtail
Herring
Horse Mackerel
Ice Fish
Jack
King Salmon
Kingfish
Lake Herring
Lake Trout
Largemouth Bass
Lemon Sole
Long Nose Sucker
Long Jaw Chub
Mackerel
Menhaden
Moronidae
Mullet
Muskeilunge
Nassau
Northern Sucker
Patagonian Toothfish
Pickerels
Pig Fish (God did not name it)
Pike
Pilchard
Pink Salmon
Pollack
Pollock
Pompano
Porgy
Rainbow Trout
Red Drum Red Horse Sucker
Red Salmon
Red Snapper
Red Striped Sucker Redfin
Redfish
River Herring
Robalo
Rock Bass
Salmon
Sand Sea Trout
Sardine
Scup
Sea Bass
Sea Herring
Sea Trout
Sergeant Fish
Shad
Sheepshead
Silver Hake
Silversides
Skipjack Tuna
Smallmouth Bass
Smelt
Snook
Spanish Mackerel
Spotted Bass
Spotted Sea Trout
Striped Bass
Summer Flounder
Trout
Tuna
Weakfish
Winter Flounder
White Bass
White Crappies
White Fish
White Grunts
White Sea Trout
White Sucker
Whiting
Yellow Grunt
Yellow Perch
Yellow Tail Flounder
Yellowfin Tuna
Yellowfish Grouper
Abalone
Bullhead
Calamari
Catfish
Clam
Crab
Crayfish
Cuttlefish
Dolphin
Eel
European Turbot
Jellyfish Limpet
Lobster
Marlin
Mussel
Octopus
Otter
Oyster
Paddlefish
Porpoise
Prawn
Puffer
Ray Seal
Scallop
Sculpin
Shark
Shrimp
Squid
Stickleback
Sturgeon
Swordfish
Toadfish
Walrus
Whale
Caecilian
Frog Newt
Salamander Snake
Toad
Chicken
Dove
Duck
Goose
Grouse
Guinea fowl
Partridge Peacock
Peafowl
Pheasant
Pigeon
Prairie chicken
Ptarmigan
Quail Sageh
Songbird
Sparrow
Swan
Turkey
Albatross
Bat
Bittern
Buzzard
Condor
Cormorant
Coot
Crane
Crow
Cuckoo
Eagle
Falcon
Flamingo
Grebe Grosbeak
Gull
Hawk
Heron
Kite
Lapwing
Loon
Magpie
Osprey
Ostrich
Owl
Parakeet
Parrot
Pelican Penguin
Plover
Rail
Raven
Roadrunner
Sandpiper
Seagull
Stork
Swallow
Swift
Vulture
Water Hen
Woodpecker
Antelope
Bison
Buffalo
Caribou
Cow
Deer Elk
Gazelle
Giraffe
Goat
Hart
Ibex Lamb
Moose
Ox
Ram
Reindeer
Sheep
Alpaca
Armadillo
Ass
Badger
Bear
Beaver
Boar
Burro
Camel
Cat
Cheetah
Chimpanzee
Chipmunk
Coyote
Dog
Donkey
Elephant Fox
Gorilla
Groundhog
Hare
Hippopotamus
Hog
Horse
Hyena
Jackal
Kangaroo
Llama
Leopard
Lion
Mole
Monkey
Mouse
Mule Muskrat
Onager
Opossum
Panther
Pig
Porcupine
Prairie Dog
Rabbit
Raccoon
Rat
Rhinoceros
Squirrel
Swine
Tiger
Vicuña
Wolf
Zebra
Cicada, Cricket, Grasshopper, Locust
EDITED BY Edward M. Bartlett
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