In the story of Noah and the Ark, God gave Noah specific
instructions about the animals he was to bring into the Ark.
Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by
sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by
two, the male and his female. [Genesis 7:2]
Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and
of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, There
went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as
God had commanded Noah. [Genesis 7:9]
God made a distinction between the animals and divided them into two
categories: clean and not clean. Noah understood this
distinction and followed God's instructions. A further
explaination of which animals fell into the clean category and which
fell into the unclean category can be found in Leviticus.
And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying
unto them, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are
the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the
earth. Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and
cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. Nevertheless
these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide
the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the
hoof; he is unclean unto you. And the coney, because he cheweth
the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. And
the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is
unclean unto you. And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be
clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. Of
their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they
are unclean to you. These shall ye eat of all that are in the
waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and
in the rivers, them shall ye eat. And all that have not fins and
scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters,
and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an
abomination unto you: They shall be even an abomination unto you;
ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in
abomination. Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters,
that shall be an abomination unto you. And these are they which ye
shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they
are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the osprey,
And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; Every raven after
his kind; And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckoo, and the
hawk after his kind, And the little owl, and the cormorant, and
the great owl, And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier
eagle, And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing,
and the bat. All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be
an abomination unto you. Yet these may ye eat of every flying
creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their
feet, to leap withal upon the earth; Even these of them ye may
eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and
the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind. But
all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an
abomination unto you. And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever
toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even. And
whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes,
and be unclean until the even. The carcases of every beast which
divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are
unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.
And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go
on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase
shall be unclean until the even. And he that beareth the carcase
of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are
unclean unto you. These also shall be unclean unto you among the
creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse,
and the tortoise after his kind, And the ferret, and the
chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole. These are
unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when
they be dead, shall be unclean until the even. [Leviticus 11:1-31]
This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of
every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature
that creepeth upon the earth: To make a difference between the
unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the
beast that may not be eaten. [Leviticus 11:46-47]
The clean animals were given to man for food, while the unclean animals
are not to be eaten.
The profit Isaiah reinforces the need to abstain from eating unclean
meats in the prophesy given to him concerning the return of the Lord.
For, behold, the LORD 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 the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD
shall be many. They 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,
saith the LORD. [Isaiah 66:15-17]
These verses state very plainly that the Lord will destroy those that
purify themselves by eating swine's flesh. Clearly, the Lord wants
us to abstain from eating these meats.
To answer this question we need to study the Priesthood under which we live. When
Jesus died for our sins on the cross, he did away with the "law
contained in ordinances" or the "book of the law" and was established as
a high priest after the order of Melchisedec. The law that Jesus
did away with was the added law that was given to the children of
Israel under the Levitical priesthood because of transgression.
However, the laws that were established under the Melchisedec priesthood
before the Levitical laws were given still remain in effect
today. It is true that the explaination of the clean and unclean
animals was only fully laid out within the Levitical law. However,
the reference to the clean and not clean animals in the story of Noah
clearly indicates that this law was understood and in effect under the
Melchisedec priesthood in the time of Noah. Therefore, this law
remains in effect for us today.
Much of the confusion concerning the law of the clean and the unclean
arises from letters Paul wrote to the Roman and Corinthian
brethren. Paul writes:
Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for
some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing
offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the
better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed
lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them
that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at
meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak
be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And
through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ
died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their
weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my
brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I
make my brother to offend. [1 Corinthians 8:7-13]
Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but
judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to
fall in his brother's way. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord
Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that
esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if
thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably.
Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not then
your good be evil spoken of: For the kingdom of God is not meat
and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy
Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to
God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things
which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it
is evil for that man who eateth with offence. [Romans 14:13-20]
These verses seem to indicate that nothing is unclean unless man makes
it unclean. However, these verses must be taken in context.
During this time there was a great debate within the church as to
whether the meat from offerings to idols could be eaten (this was
prohibited under the Levitical law). This debate is referenced in
the 15th chapter of Acts.
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to
lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That
ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things
strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye
shall do well. Fare ye well. [Acts 15:28-29]
The law of the clean and the unclean was never being brought into
question here. These verses are references to this debate
concerning the meats offered to idols.
Another source of confusion towards this issue can be found in the
gospel of Mark. In speaking with the Pharisees and scribes, Jesus
speaks the following words.
And he saith unto them, Are ye so without
understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from
without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it
entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the
draught, purging all meats? And he said, That which cometh out of
the man, that defileth the man. [Mark 7:18-20]
These verses seem to indicate that a man can eat anything he wants and
it will not defile him. Again these verses must be taken in
context regarding the question at hand.
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not
thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread
with unwashen hands? [Mark 7:5]
Howbeit in vain do they worship
me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the
commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots
and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them,
Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own
tradition. [Mark 7:7-9]
The discussion Jesus had with the Pharisees and scribes at this time
was concerning the washing of hands (and other traditional washings) and
not the law of the clean and the unclean. Within these discussions
Jesus admonishes the Pharisees for putting aside the commandments of
God. Why then would Jesus put aside a commandment of God at this
point in time when he had just finished criticizing the Pharisees for
doing the very same thing? Jesus's remarks on this occasion only
demonstrate that the Jewish traditions dealing with diverse washings
need not be followed.
A third source of confusion on this subject can be found in Paul's
letter to the Colossians.
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was
against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way,
nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and
powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an
holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: [Colossians
2:14-16]
The key to understanding this set of verses is the first clause,
"Blotting out the handwritting of ordinances that were against
us". These verses are a reference (with respect to meats) to the
Levitical laws dealing with the handling and washing of meats, not the
Melchisedec law that sets the commandments for what meats can and cannot
be eaten.
A final source of confusion deals with the vision Peter had while
staying with Simon the tanner in Joppa.
On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew
nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the
sixth hour: And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but
while they made ready, he fell into a trance, And saw heaven
opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great
sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: Wherein
were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and
creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to
him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for
I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the
voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed,
that call not thou common. This was done thrice: and the vessel
was received up again into heaven. [Acts 10:9-16]
We know the interpretation of this vision as Peter himself stated it in
verse 28:
And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an
unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one
of another nation; but God hath showed me that I should not call any man
common or unclean. [Acts 10:28]
The dream was a message to Peter that he should preach unto the
Gentiles as well as the Jews, not a message that he should eat unclean
meats. In fact Peter's very words from this passage attest to the
fact he had never eaten any unclean meat. Peter kept the law of
the clean and the unclean throughout his life.
Jesus did not cleanse all meats and do away with the law of the clean
and the unclean. If we take in context each of these previous
verses, their meanings become clear and fit well with our understanding
that Jesus did away with the Levitical law and only the Levitical
law. The Melchisedec law of clean and unclean meats is still in
effect today.
Click on the following link for a more detailed discussion of The
Law of the Clean and the Unclean.