In 2007 I responded to an question on Biblical food. The reply and question can beviewed on Christian Gathering

or Conservative Christian Forums

. There have been afew “doctrinal” arguments on the topic, but oddly enough the answer and best defenseto the question came on the 17

of Feb of '08.We were “drashing” around the table and the topic of “Jesus” made all food clean.And of course you add one Rabbi, a Homeschool mom, a college student and a Dad that isa good teacher in his own right and you have a Midrash.So a little history on the topic.Adonai gave us specific guidelines for what was good for us to eat. I know there is theageless argument that we are under grace and not under the law. Look that is an oldtired argument and I am not going to get into it here. What I do want to do is lookquickly at what G-d said was GOOD for us to eat.Lev 11:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,Lev 11:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying,

These are the beasts which ye shalleat among all the beasts that are on the earth.

Lev 11:3

Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud,among the beasts, that shall ye eat.

.........................................Lev 11:46 This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature thatmoveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:Lev 11:47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between thebeast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.AndDeu 14:3 Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.Deu 14:4 These are the beasts which ye shall eat:

the ox, the sheep, and the goat,Deu 14:5 The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, andthe pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois.Deu 14:6 And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into twoclaws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall eat.

Deu 14:7 Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of themthat divide the cloven hoof; as the camel, and the hare, and the coney: for they chewthe cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore they are unclean unto you.Deu 14:8 And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it isunclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.Deu 14:9

These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins andscales shall ye eat

Deu 14:10 And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you.Deu 14:11 Of all clean birds ye shall eat.Deu 14:12 But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, andthe ospray,Deu 14:13 And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind,Deu 14:14 And every raven after his kind,Deu 14:15 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,Deu 14:16 The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan,Deu 14:17 And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant,Deu 14:18 And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.Deu 14:19 And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not beeaten.Deu 14:20 But of all clean fowls ye may eat.Now as we see here scripture is very clear on this. I know in one place it says Tell thechildren of Yisra'el, and the other does not. And of course it IS Old Testament. . . .In the Apostolic Writings there really no mention of what is acceptable for us to eat ornot. Do we have to be told? Is not John 1:1 clear enough? But we are told not to be astumbling block on many occasions including regarding food.Now one thing that needs to be brought to the front of this discussion is that theMessiah, Yeshua/Jesus was an observant Jew, this meant that HE kept, Torah, as didHis Disciples. Which meant that Jesus did not eat pork, or any animal that G-d haddeemed unclean. The Second Covenant makes this issue very clear. That Yeshua was theperfect example of how our walk should be with G-d.But this specific Act of the Apostles/Talmidim clarifies the example that the Messiahwould want us to follow. Yet it has been used out of context for centuries to “justify”breaking of G-d's law.This is used as one of the primary 'proof' text's by Christians for eating uncleananimals, I want us to read the entire chapter first:Act 10:1-48There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of theband called the Italian

band

,(2)

devout

man

, and one that feared God with all hishouse, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.(3)He saw in avision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, andsaying unto him, Cornelius.(4)And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said,

What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for amemorial before God.(5)And now send men to Joppa, and call for

one

Simon, whosesurname is Peter:(6)He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.(7)And when the angel which spakeunto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devoutsoldier of them that waited on him continually;(8)And when he had declared all

these

things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.(9)On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about thesixth hour:(10)And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they madeready, he fell into a trance,(11)And saw heaven opened, and a certain vesseldescending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let downto the earth:(12)Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wildbeasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.(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 anything that is common or unclean.(15)And the voice

spake

unto him again the secondtime,

What God hath cleansed,

that

call not thou common.

(16)This was done thrice:and the vessel was received up again into heaven.(17)Now while Peter doubted inhimself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sentfrom Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate,(18)And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.(19)While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seekthee.(20)Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: forI have sent them.(21)Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto himfrom Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what

the cause wherefore yeare come?(22)And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that fearethGod, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by anholy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.(23)Then calledhe them in, and lodged

them

. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certainbrethren from Joppa accompanied him.(24)And the morrow after they entered intoCaesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and nearfriends.(25)And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet,and worshipped

him

.(26)But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am aman.(27)And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were cometogether.(28)And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for aman that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hathshewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.(29)Therefore came I

unto you

without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?(30)And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until thishour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me inbright clothing,(31)And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in