Biblical Dietary Laws

There seems to be some major confusion concerning the Fathers dietary laws. Most Christian preacher’s today claim that all animals are now considered clean and therefore we are free to eat anything we choose. Some of the go to verses to support this claim are 1. 1 Timothy 4, 2. Acts 10, and 3. Mark 7. Matthew 15 also is a parallel to Mark 7, but is rarely used as a defense for eating unclean animals.

I say we look into what the scriptures have to say about all of this and decide on it after the evidence is presented. We will start with the book of Acts, chapter 10. This chapter depicts the vision Peter has of the sheet with all the unclean animals that comes down from heaven. This used to be the number one go to verse for everyone that claimed the dietary law was now changed.

Acts 10: 10-13

Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”

The first thing we can notice is that before Peter fell into the trance, he was very hungry. In my mind this makes sense as to why he would have had a dream centering on food. We also must point out that even though he was very hungry, he still later refuses to eat the unclean animals.

This is the passage that was quoted as the “nail in the coffin” for being allowed to eat unclean animals. Granted, upon first look without any further study, I can see why this was the conclusion. However, if we continue reading, this does not seem to be the case.

Acts 10: 14-16

But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”

And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

“What God has cleansed you must not call common”, here we go, the sheet had nothing but unclean animals, and now God is calling them clean, because he cleansed all things. Right? And He showed this vision three times. There can be no other explanation. Well, let’s continue reading.

Acts 10: 17

Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant…

Even after this dream, we can see that Peter still did not understand what it meant. That leads me to believe he did not understand it as God telling him, “Peter, go eat some pork, it’s cool now”.

Acts 10: 19

While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”

Peter is still thinking about the vision and then finds out that three men are coming to see him. Three, which is the same amount of time he saw the sheet with the unclean animals. We also must think about the fact that maybe there was something wrong with these men, why else would Peter need a warning about going with them?

Acts 10: 28-29

Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”

Here we have our answer! It was unlawful for a Jewish man to keep company with a gentile. The word gentile literally means out of covenant and from another nation. I would like to point out that nowhere in God’s Law is this a commandment from God. This is a law made up by the Pharisees. We later have Peter explaining his vision to the men, giving us the exact interpretation of the vision, that being God has made all men clean, including gentiles. There is no reason to think any man is less than another, especially concerning believers. After having read all that, one would think it would be quite understood that the vision was pertaining to men, and not animals. Even still, Peter goes on to explain the vision again in the next chapter.

Acts 11: 4-17

But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven.  At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’ And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”

Next I would like to discuss Mark chapter 7. This was the second argument I heard after going through the chapters in the book of Acts. I keep hearing people quote verse 15, so here is the verse. I will also give the parallel verse from Matthew 15.

Mark 7: 15

There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man

Matthew 15: 11

Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

Reading these it is seemingly stating that we are good to eat any meats, as in, there are no foods that can cause us defilement. However, if we take the context into consideration, I think it paints a different picture.

Mark 7: 2-3, 5

Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.

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?”

As shown here verse 15 is in reference to the eating with unwashed hands. This is yet another Pharisee custom that is not found in the Bible, as in having unclean hands while eating defiles a man. If we jump over to the book of Matthew in the parallel verses we can see exactly what is being explained here. This must be why the verse in Matthew is rarely mentioned.

Matthew 15: 19-20

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

Now this one isn’t brought up nearly as much the ones we just covered, but it is still used often enough that I though it be a good idea to address it here.

1 Corinthians 8:8

But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

Basically the argument here is that food has no bearing on our salvation, so who cares what we eat. Unfortunately, this is not the case and again we can read how badly this is being taken out of context simply by reading what was written a few verses before. By simply taking the time to go through and read the entire context of a verse, we avoid cherry picking things and can ultimately discover what was actually being said. This is a huge advantage for us in our quest to become closer to the Father.

1 Corinthians 8: 4

Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.

Quite clearly the issue being discussed in this chapter is the eating of meat that has been sacrificed to an idol. There is nothing here that indicates unclean animals are now clean to eat. 

Finally, I would like to get to 1 Timothy chapter 4. There that people use to validate eating their bacon, but as of yet, I haven’t found any that definitively support the eating of unclean animals. Let’s just jump right into the passage. 

1 Timothy 4: 1-5

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 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. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; 5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

Verse 1 – people will depart from the FAITH (meaning they had to once be part of the faith)

Verse 1 – these people will draw near to deceiving spirits and DOCTRINES of demons

Verse 2 – These people will be liars, hypocrites, their moral conscience will no longer be aligned with Gods morals

Verse 3 - The will forbid marriage,

Verse 3 - command people to abstain from foods which God called good in the Torah

Verse 4 – All creatures of God are good to eat and should not be refused

Verse 5 – according to Torah, there are certain animals that have been sanctified (set apart) by the word of God and prayer.

We must take verse 4 and 5 together, especially considering that they are one sentence. Also, the word sanctified literally means to be set apart and not common. If every creature is sanctified then they would all be the same, also known as common, and therefore would not be sanctified at all. They would all be the same. Verse 4 is specifically talking about the creatures that have been established as food and clean to eat according to the word of God, aka Torah.

“giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” – If we are to say that this passage is later stating that all animals are now clean to eat, and use it in defense against those preaching that there are still unclean animals, than that can only mean that Leviticus 11, and 20 is considered a doctrine of demons.

Leviticus 11: 41-43

‘And every creeping thing that creeps on the earth shall be an abomination. It shall not be eaten. Whatever crawls on its belly, whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet among all creeping things that creep on the earth—these you shall not eat, for they are an abomination. You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps; nor shall you make yourselves unclean with them, lest you be defiled by them.

Leviticus 20: 25

You shall therefore distinguish between clean animals and unclean, between unclean birds and clean, and you shall not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird, or by any kind of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean

I do not believe that these passages are no longer in place. That makes no sense in terms of at least two other very important scriptures that are seemingly looked over.

2 Timothy 3: 16-17

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work

Acts 17: 11

These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

If all scripture is profitable for doctrine, reproof, and correction, then how can we say these passages from Leviticus.

Doctrine: a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a church, political party, or other group.

Reproof: an expression of blame or disapproval

Correction: the action or process of correcting something

The Bereans were constantly checking everything Paul said and ensuring that it aligned with Scripture. There is no way they would have allowed him to get away with preaching anything that did not match up. They would have called him out on it. After going through these passages, I hope at minimum you will at least consider reevaluating the dietary law that our Heavenly Father commanded us to follow.