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Clean and Unclean Meats

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by pinoybaptist, Jun 6, 2008.

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  1. pinoybaptist

    pinoybaptist Active Member
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    I saw the thread on eating pork, and on that page is a google ad with the question "Why did God Create Clean and Unclean Meats" ?
    I thought to myself, good question.

    So I throw the question at you all.

    God created all things. Even those animals which he later told the Israelites to be off limits to them.

    Why were these things off limits to the Israelites ?

    I came across a book once, written by a doctor, which had the premise that those animals were forbidden to the Israelites for dietary reasons. These animals could be lumped under the category of scavengers (eaters of dead things and trash) and because they had a simple alimentary system, anything they ate became part of them after digestion.

    Particularly pork.

    That same book pointed out that when we shave off the hair off of a slaughtered pig, the gray/black spots on some parts of its body are actually poison (I've seen pigs bit by Philippine king cobras [yes, we have them there. some grow to about 8 feet]who survived the bite after some fever. Some didn't even get feverish).

    Shrimp are scavengers of the sea.

    By contrast, those whom God declared clean and safe to eat for the Jews were equipped with a more complicated alimentary system. The chicken for instance, had something else where the indedible things that come with what it eats is stored.

    Now, some of the arguments in the other thread on pork mentioned Peter's dream, God saying that He has now cleaned all things, and Paul's letter about all things being clean, and so on.

    So, I have a second question:

    Did the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ also removes these animals from being scavengers and not good for human health, to non-scavengers and good for human consumption (not whether or not they are delicious) ?
     
    #1 pinoybaptist, Jun 6, 2008
  2. Allan

    Allan Active Member

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    Short answer:
    Because it was symbolic. The whole health issue is not found in scripture. Scripture states they that if they continue in Him and His commands/word He would maintain their health.

    They were not permitted to touch an unclean thing personally (ex. dead body) but that would not convey the true nature of sin. That being just because you didn't specifically do something does not mean it does not affect you when in the presense of or interacting with those who have. Sin is pervasive and invasive. Thus they had to abstain from those animals who ate of the dead and even keep their own animals seperated from them as well.

    The second question:
    All things are to be received with thanksgiving and prayer, so to answer the question - Yes all things changed under grace which came by the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
     
    #2 Allan, Jun 6, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 6, 2008
  3. LeBuick

    LeBuick New Member

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    So they would be kosher... :thumbs:
     
    #3 LeBuick, Jun 6, 2008
  4. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    Acts 10
    13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
    14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
    15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

    God, being the wise and practical Father that He is cleansed BOTH the Gentile and their food.

    Wise: in that He wanted to show the Gentile they are now accepted on a faith basis alone apart from the requirements of Mosaic Law (circumcision, diet, dress, etc, etc).

    Practical: No more kosher kitchen so that the apostles would be un-encumbered in the Great Commision (no need to bring kosher meats, koshering tools, koshered and separate containment and cooking vessels, etc, etc, etc) on their missionary trips to the "uttermost part of the earth".

    This would be necessary if there were no Jewish community where ever they went. Plus even if there were such a community they probably would be rejected anyway.


    HankD​
     
    #4 HankD, Jun 7, 2008
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