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What Does the Bible Teach About Clean and Unclean Meats?
WORLDWIDE MAILING ADDRESSES
©2001, 2002 United Church of God,
an International Association
All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.Scriptures in this booklet are quoted from the New King James Version1988 Thomas Nelson, Inc., publishers) unless otherwise noted.
 Author:
David Treybig
Contributing writer:
Scott Ashley
Editorial reviewers:
John Bald, Robert Dick, Roger Foster, Bruce Gore, Roy Holladay,John Jewell, Paul Kieffer, Graemme Marshall, Burk McNair, John Ross Schroeder,Mario Seiglie, Richard Thompson, Leon Walker, Donald Ward, Lyle Welty, Dean WilsonCover: Photo illustration by Shaun Venish/Corel Professional Photos
THIS PUBLICATION IS NOT TO BE SOLD.
It is a free educational service in thepublic interest, published by the United Church of God,
an International Association.
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od gave all of His laws forgood reasons. They teachus His standards—howto distinguish right fromwrong,good from evil,beneficial from harmful. They teach us todistinguish the holy—that which God setsapart—from the common and ordinary.They define the way we,too,are to beholy,set apart for God’s purposes.As we apply the biblical laws in ourlives,they encourage us to think differ-ently,to think more like God. They alterour perceptions. For example,keepingGod’s Sabbaths changes the way we think about and use our time. His laws of tithingalter our perception and use of our physicalresources. In the same way,God’s lawsconcerning meats that are appropriate orinappropriate for human consumption—referred to as “clean”and “unclean”in theScriptures—change our perspectiveregarding many things we eat.God expects spiritual leaders to teachHis people to distinguish between bibli-cally right and wrong behavior. He says,through the prophet Ezekiel:“... Theyshall teach My people the differencebetween the
holy
and the
unholy,
andcause them to discern between the
unclean
and the
clean”
(Ezekiel 44:23,emphasis added throughout).Even though some of God’s laws mayappear unusual on the surface,and we maynot immediately grasp their full purpose,they help us to avoid physical troubles and,more important,moral and spiritual infec-tion. The Word of God provides a patternfor physically,spiritually and morallyhealthy living. God gives His principles of health and cleanliness for our lasting good,in this life as well as the one to come(1 Timothy 4:8).One reason for our existence is to learnto base our lives on the words of God(Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4; Deuteronomy8:3). God’s Word—the Bible—encom-passes all aspects of our lives,includingwhat we eat. Often people don’t realizethat God made distinctions that revealwhich meats are appropriate for humanbeings to eat. Some believe these distinc-tions no longer apply. But,rather than rely-ing on human opinion,let’s consider thesematters in the light of the Bible.
Popular ideas about distinctions
Since many people enjoy eating pork (ham,bacon,sausage,etc.) and experienceno immediate adverse effects,some havelooked for scientific reasons that God mayhave had in mind when He told the ancientIsraelites not to eat pork. One theory is thatGod forbade the eating of pork becausethe Israelites might catch diseases,suchas trichinosis,that pigs can carry. After all,the Israelites did not own refrigerators,andresearchers had not yet warned people tothoroughly cook pork to kill any potentialdisease-carrying organisms.Since modern research has apparentlysolved these problems,and we rarely hearof parasites passing to people throughundercooked meat,many people assumeeating pork is now acceptable to God(see “A Matter of Proper Cooking?,page14). Since many people eat pork all theirlives and live to a ripe old age,the averageperson—if he thinks about it at all—assumes eating pork has little or no effecton health or longevity.Research has convinced some doctorsand nutritionists,however,to recommendthat some of their patients avoid pork and shellfish (another category of bibli-cally unclean food) in their diets; theyunderstand that some people do not prop-erly digest these meats. So some willacknowledge that avoidance of certainmeats makes sense for people with par-ticular health problems,but not as a rulefor everyone.Most religious teachers have adopted aperspective that parallels this scientific rea-soning. Theologians have assumed that thelaws of clean and unclean meats originatedunder the Old Covenant with ancient Israeland came to an end with the establishmentof the New Covenant. Thus they believemany laws from the Old Testament are nolonger applicable to Christians.Many think Paul confirmed thisapproach when he said,“I know and amconvinced by the Lord Jesus that there isnothing unclean of itself; but to him whoconsiders anything to be unclean,to him itis unclean”(Romans 14:14). (See “Under-standing ‘Unclean’in Romans 14,page 6.)This reasoning places God in the roleof master physician in the Old Testamentand Jesus Christ in the role of liberatorfrom God’s law in the New Testament.If we assume that God was simply look-ing out for the health of the ancientIsraelites,the Bible’s lists of clean andunclean animals become only primitivehealth issues for which modern,enlight-ened,liberated mankind no longer hasneed. The popular reasoning is that Christunderstood this and gave His followers thefreedom to decide for themselves in suchmatters. Some believe God will honor anydecision we make for ourselves regardingsuch things.This popular view is taught by mostchurches. But the crucial question remains:Does it accurately reflect biblical teaching?
God’s view is different
God made mankind in His own image(Genesis 1:26-27). In doing so God gavemen and women the ability to reason.Though a wonderful gift,our thinkingability is not infallible. When ancientIsrael’s reasoning went awry,God said,“Come now,and let us reason together”(Isaiah 1:18).But Scripture also records God tellingus:“‘... My thoughts are not yourthoughts,nor are your ways My ways,says the L
ORD
. ‘For as the heavens are
Clean and Unclean Meats: What Does the Bible Teach?
3
Clean and Unclean Meats:What Does the Bible Teach?
Many people have misconceptions about the biblical teaching on cleanand unclean meats. What does Scripture really reveal on this subject? 
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shirley-jones-666left a comment

what the bible say

kayla82left a comment

I believe that God also says not to eat the blood or fat of the animal. Most meat today is full of blood and fat that it's cooked in. Beef may be clean, but its sopping with blood. Back in Bible times they hung the meat up to drain all the blood out. I believe the best diet is vegetarian or vegan because GODS ORIGINAL DIET for man was vegan. We never truely know how healthy an animal is.

rickmyredleft a comment

First of all, I understand the overall meaning of the vision in Acts 10 was about God telling Peter that the message should be preached to Gentiles as well as Jews. But is our God a God of confusion? If he was making a point to Peter and all other Christians, why would he use an example that could be so confusing and easily misconstrued? If Peter was initially confused, what might other Jews and Gentiles who later read this account in the Bible think? Why is it STILL not clear to all Christians that this passage is SOLELY talking about Gentiles? Couldn't God have used a less confusing example? If so, what was his reason for choosing the example he chose? Also, I don't think this article was completely honest with its readers. I could be wrong, but I think the author left out two of the most important passages dealing with clean/unclean meats and other aspects of the Law. If God is unchanging, what does the author make of Genesis 9, where God told Noah that as he had given him all of the green plants for good, he now gives him everything. And God says that everything that lives and moves will be food for Noah. How is that unclear? Noah knew about clean and unclean animals, but this is the first time in the Bible that man is instructed to eat meat. And Noah is told to eat anything that lives and moves. Prior to this, the recognition of clean and unclean animals was only for the purpose of sacrifices. So what is the reason then for the sudden "change" during the exodus, when God says that man must not eat certain animals? And the author also failed to mention Acts 15, where James wrote a letter to the church in Antioch, disputing the claims of the Pharasaical Christians who claimed that the Gentiles had to be circumcised in order to be saved. James says that not only do they not have to be circumcised, they also must only follow four rules which would have been required by the Law. To avoid unclean animals was not one of these rules. Finally, to those who claim that because certain people can't digest pork or shellfish, it must be a sign that we shouldn't eat them, what about milk or wheat or peanuts? Some people can't properly digest those either. Is it disobedience to God to eat/drink them? Just things to think about.

keoshaleft a comment

does king fish have fins or scales

daro2096left a comment

To: proverb31 If you keep reading Acts 10 you will find out tat the vision has nothing to do with animals but with Gentiles. The Jews believed Gentiles were common and unclean. If a Gentile drink out of a cup that cup was considered unclean by a Jew. God was telling him you could preach the gospel to Gentiles now. The Gentiles are not to be considered common or unclean.