Doesn’t The New Testament Allow Believers To Eat Pork?
There are many of the instructions given to man in the Old Testament to which Christianity dismisses under the heading of “nailed to the cross” theology. The consumption of unclean meats are no exception and I will go so far as to say, it is the most damning of all the misgivings of Christianity’s false teachings, for it makes light of the concept YHWH, The Almighty, has established throughout scripture which is the designation between the clean and unclean, between holy and profane. The Prophet Daniel explains it this way:
“Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.” Daniel 12:10
Notice, The Angel speaking to Daniel did not say, “Many shall be purified by Christ’ blood, they shall be made white by Christ sacrifice….” No, The Angel makes it clear, they will make themselves pure and will refine themselves apart from the wicked. The implication is, these righteous accomplish this by adhering to YHWH’s Covenant Law, as those who abolish His Law are that which is labeled ‘wicked”
The Apostle John says it this way:
“And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” Revelation 22:10–11
There is nothing that distinguished between the holy (set apart) and filthy, between the righteous and the evildoers, any more than this subject of whether or not The Bible teaches us to eat unclean meats or not.
Before we get into the controversial passages in the New Testament, which seem to allow the eating of pork and shell fish, I would like to establish the command within Covenant Law.
“You shall not eat any abomination. These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. Every animal that parts the hoof and has the hoof cloven in two and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat. Yet of those that chew the cud or have the hoof cloven you shall not eat these: the camel, the hare, and the rock badger, because they chew the cud but do not part the hoof, are unclean for you. And the pig, because it parts the hoof but does not chew the cud, is unclean for you. Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch. Deuteronomy 14:3–8
And
“Of all that are in the waters you may eat these: whatever has fins and scales you may eat. And whatever does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you. Deuteronomy 14:9–10
And
“You may eat all clean birds. But these are the ones that you shall not eat: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture, the kite, the falcon of any kind; every raven of any kind; the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any kind; the little owl and the short-eared owl, the barn owl and the tawny owl, the carrion vulture and the cormorant, the stork, the heron of any kind; the hoopoe and the bat. And all winged insects are unclean for you; they shall not be eaten. All clean winged things you may eat. Deuteronomy 14:11–20
This list is repeated in Leviticus chapter 11. Animals, fish and birds are distinguished apart from one another via their ability to digest their foods properly, which lends to the well being or to the destruction of man who consumes them. YHWH is no idiot. He is The Creator. He is the all knowing inventor and designer of all things, the perfect scientist and doctor. He placed these things into motion, long before man even existed and none of what He established changed when Christ hung on the crucifixion stake or even at His resurrection. The pig didn’t suddenly become a clean animal at Calvary. The shrimp didn’t stop bottom eating the unclean bacteria from the ocean floor when Mary asked Christ, “Where have you taken My Lord.”
Increasingly, unlearned Christians will rise up in their stubborn pride and make the case Peter was given the command to go consume unclean foods, or these same so called Believers will state, “Do not call anything unclean that God has made pure.” All of which are statements taken out of their context, of which I will address, but first, please allow this passage to sink in, once again directly from Covenant Law.
“However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your towns, as much as you desire, according to the blessing of YHWH, Your Mighty One that he has given you. The unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and as of the deer. Deuteronomy 12:15
You can not get around it…. The words, “The unclean and the clean may eat of it…”, makes the case, there are clean people and there are unclean people and it is all according to race. The clean were of the house of Israel and the unclean were all the other nations on the face of the earth. YHWH is very clearly inviting all who would come to enjoy His Feast, no matter their race. The point being, YHWH’s way was to cause Israel to be a light for all nations, all races of people, and through His Feast days, His Sabbaths, and His Appointed Times, He would exclude no one who desired to learn of His ways…. Clean or unclean.
Now let’s take a look at Peter’s vision to see if YHWH’s command to not eat unclean meats still hold water to this day.
“The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.”
“Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood at the gate and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” So he invited them in to be his guests.”
“The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”
And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
“So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Yeshua The Christ (he is Lord of all), you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how The Almighty anointed Yeshua of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for YHWH was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but YHWH raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by YHWH as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by YHWH to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling YHWH. Then Peter declared, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Yeshua The Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. Acts 10:9–48.
The above story of Peter’s vision and the events that followed showed Peter the principle quoted from Deuteronomy chapter 12 earlier, where YHWH has an open invitation to all, the clean and unclean to meet together and to hear His word preached, where ever it is preached. Until this time, Peter has simply not learned this lesson, nor had many, if not all of Israel who had not by this time lost their identity, nor their commanded custom of circumcision. Notice the words of the next chapter as Peter tries to convey what he had experienced to his brothers in the faith.
“Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of YHWH. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” But Peter began and explained it to them in order: “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What YHWH has made clean, do not call common.’ This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If then YHWH gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Yeshua The Christ, who was I that I could stand in YHWH’s way?” When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified YHWH, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also YHWH has granted repentance that leads to life.” Acts 11:1–18
In al of Peter’s explanation to his brothers in the faith, not one word about how it is now permissible to consume unclean animals. No, rather the vision Peter saw was YHWH’s way of conveying the message that has always been a part of Covenant Law, which says, all races of men, whether considered to be clean or unclean, may come and hear the word of YHWH, for their own improvement, fulfilling the words of Daniel, quoted earlier.
Peter and the rest of circumcised Believers thought “The Way” of Christ was an exclusive club to which only Israel held membership. The vision set them straight on that subject, not the subject of eating unclean meats, at all.
So, what about the passage written by Paul stating:
“I know and am persuaded in the Lord Yeshua that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.” Romans 14:14
The entire Christian world uses this verse, totally out of its context, with a healthy dose of uneducated spiritual gymnastics to make their case that its OK to have roasted pig with their Pagan observance at Christmas diner. Tongue in cheek, but the front door chastisement is well deserved. I mean really….
The context of Romans 14 is not a debate about what meats can be eaten, but rather Paul is addressing whether or not meat can be eaten at all, as opposed to those who believe it is righteous to be a vegetarian, only. The subject of clean meats versus unclean is not even in the ballpark of discussion.
That said, Christianity really misses the mark when they fail to acknowledge the translators of The Bible are well down to the road to being deceived themselves in all manner of church doctrine, not knowing the scriptures at all. The above passage is a classic example of what I’m talking about.
Three times in this passage, the word translated ‘unclean’ is used, and in all three cases, the tranSLAYers missed the mark. The word is not unclean, but rather is should be translated ‘common’. The Greek word used by Paul is defined as follows:
Strong’s Concordance
Greek — 2839
koinos: common
Original Word: κοινός, ή, όν
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: koinos
Phonetic Spelling: (koy-nos’)
Definition: common
Usage: (a) common, shared, (b) Hebraistic use: profane; dirty, unclean, unwashed.
We know the word should not be translated ‘unclean’ by Peter’s words in his vision on the housetop. Notice his words and pay careful attention to the Greek Strong’s words used.
“But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common (G2839) or unclean (G169).” Acts 10:14
By this verse and many others like it, we can see there is a difference between something that is common and something that is unclean. Unclean is defined this way:
Strong’s Concordance
akathartos: (G169) unclean, impure
Original Word: ἀκάθαρτος, ον
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: akathartos
Phonetic Spelling: (ak-ath’-ar-tos)
Definition: unclean, impure
Usage: unclean, impure.
Thus Paul, in Romans 14:14, is speaking to what people think in their own minds is common, which is to say, not right. Some might say, dancing or telling a joke or watching a movie is a common thing, which is to say, wrong for a Believer to do, none of which is founded within scripture but rather reside in some people’s minds being uneducated as to what is truly right and wrong to do.
In the same way, Paul is making the case, we should all be tolerant of one another’s views, as we are not all in the same place spiritually, nor in our knowledge of the truth. Paul is not setting the whole Christian world straight on eating pork or shell fish. If he is, then he, being an expert in Old Testament theology and scripture, really did not know that subject very well at all, for the old testament is chalked full of judgment against mankind who partake in unclean meats such at pig and shell fish and even rodents.
“I (YHWH) have spread out my hands all the day unto a REBELLEOUS people, which walk in a way that was NOT GOOD, after their own thoughts. A people that provoke me to anger continually to my face; that sacrifice in gardens, and burn incense upon altars of brick. Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which EAT SWINE’S FLESH, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels. Isaiah 65:2–4
And
“For, behold, YHWH 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 YHWH plead with all flesh: and the slain of YHWH shall be many. Them 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, thus says YHWH.” Isaiah 66:15–17
And
“And the word of YHWH came to me, saying, “Son of man, say to her, ‘You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.’ There is a conspiracy of her prophets (Christianity, today) in her midst like a roaring lion tearing the prey. They have devoured lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in the midst of her. Her priests have done VIOLENCE TO MY COVENANT LAW and have profaned My holy things; they have made no distinction between THE HOLY and THE PROFANE, and they have not taught the difference between THE UNCLEAN and THE CLEAN; and they hide their eyes from My sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Ezekiel 22:23–26
When the instructions of The Most High (Covenant Law) are pushed aside to such an extent, and the anger of YHWH is kindled to wrath, then judgment is certainly the result. Does Christianity care? No, Christendom cares not because they believe they have a much better standing in the eyes of God than what they really do. They believe they will be raptured away before such judgment befalls any of them. The problem of course, as we have seen already in this work, is that Christendom’s self righteousness within lawlessness has effected all of us, Christian or not. The judgment coming will not just fall on Christians, but rather all of Modernity….. All because no one took up the mantle of teaching the difference between the clean and unclean.
What a shame.
Joey Thompson
joeythompson777@aol.com