www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Why do Christians eat pork even though it’s forbidden in the Old

I’ve read that the Old Testament, particularly in Leviticus, forbids eating pork [dawudacademy.com]. While Jews and Muslims still avoid it, most Christians eat pork without issue. Can anyone explain why Christians no longer follow this rule? Did Jesus or the Apostles teach something different, or has the interpretation of Old Testament laws changed over time? I'd love to understand the reason behind this difference in practice.

The Bible presents two reasons without trying to reconcile or harmonize them together. The reasons are "Cosmic atonement" and "a literal reading of Leviticus".

1) Cosmic atonement
The Bible notes that sin and death can contaminate and leave residual taint. Animals were seen as unclean either because they were carrion eaters or were widely used in pagan/demonic sacrifice and so seems to be contaminated.
1John 2:2 notes that Christ consummated a cosmic atonement and cleansed the whole world.
Acts 9-16 Notes the same. The RSV provides a good translation.

"The next day, as they were on their journey and coming near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. And he became hungry and desired something to eat; but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heaven opened, and something descending, like a great sheet, let down by 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, “No, 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 cleansed, you must not call common.” This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

Note that the text said that God has cleansed all of these animals. So they were once unclean, but now have been made clean.

See a discussion of atonement here
https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/lordofspirits/the_priest_shall_make_atonement/

2) Acts 15 - The Council of Jerusalem
The Council of Jerusalem read Leviticus and noted that some rules applied to the Children of Abraham (either via lineage or those who converted by participating in circumcision and the Passover) and some commandments applied not only to Israelities but to the foreigners/gentiles dwelling in Israel. So, they requested that the Gentile converts follow the rules which applied to everyone. For a more in-depth discussion see.

https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/wholecounsel/2018/03/05/acts-15-law-church/

Peter had left the vision wondering what it was all about. It wasn't until he was met by the 3 men (represented by the 3 times of the lowering of the sheet?) sent by Cornelius that he understood its meaning - that he should not call any man common or unclean. Never did Peter ever say anything to anyone that unclean animals were now ok to eat. I mean, it would significantly have increased their protein sources.

my understanding (and I'm still learning a lot about christianity) is that the gentiles were never expected to keep torah in the sense of those things clearly bound only to the Jewish people by GOD. keeping kosher being one of them. In the OT, Gentiles were only expected to observe the 10 commandments and abstain from any food being sacrificed to idols or that has blood. These are repeated as valid commandments at the counsil of Jerusalem (for Gentiles). I have heard others say that if there were a large conversion of orthodox Jews to Christianity they may be something like Torah Observant (keep kosher, their feasts, sabat, etc.). I think the distinction lies in who is and isn't culturally jewish, which is still relevant even though we're all 'Jews' (People of GOD) in Christ.

"Get up Peter, kill and eat"

Christ is in our midst!!

Matt,

Welcome to the forum. Christmas blessings to your family and you.

Bob
Moderator

Acts 10:9-16
The next day as the three travelers were approaching the town, Peter went out on the balcony to pray. It was about noon. Peter got hungry and started thinking about lunch. While lunch was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw the skies open up. Something that looked like a huge blanket lowered by ropes at its four corners settled on the ground. Every kind of animal and reptile and bird you could think of was on it. Then a voice came: “Go to it, Peter—kill and eat.” Peter said, “Oh, no, Lord. I’ve never so much as tasted food that was not kosher.” The voice came a second time: “If God says it’s okay, it’s okay.” This happened three times, and then the blanket was pulled back up into the skies.

By that logic, the old testament imposes 613 commandments, sabbath rules, sacrifices etc. Christ gives one rule, to love your neighbor like yourself, which is, in and of itself, to love God (who is, ontologically, Love, and who resides within the "hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick and imprisoned", as per Matthew 25:37-40) and his one commandment of Love, removing the previous self-serving rules of slavish individualistic self glorification, putting mankind at the center of one's actions.