"Save me, God!". Thank you for visiting our website, before you start studying the information, please subscribe to our Orthodox community on Instagram, Lord, Save and Preserve † - https://www.instagram.com/spasi.gospodi/. The community has more than 60,000 subscribers.
There are many of us like-minded people and we are growing quickly, we post prayers, sayings of saints, prayer requests, and timely post useful information about holidays and Orthodox events... Subscribe. Guardian Angel to you!
Most Orthodox Christians are sure that meat, as well as fast food, should not be eaten exclusively on days of fasting. However, in reality everything looks more complicated, because in the Old Testament you can find a fairly large list of those foods that are forbidden to be consumed not only during fasting, which also includes pork. But you will learn from our article why Orthodox Christians can eat pork or why it is forbidden.
Why Orthodox Christians Shouldn't Eat Pork
According to the scriptures presented in the Old Testament, eating animals that died a natural death (that is, which were not bled), as well as the meat of God’s creatures that were strangled, is prohibited. In addition, eating blood sausage and similar products that use animal blood are prohibited.
A prohibition of this kind is connected with the Holy Scripture, which says that animals have a soul - the soul of God’s creature is in its blood. Under no circumstances should you eat the soul of an animal along with its flesh. If a believer eats the blood of God’s creatures along with his food, he will acquire the image of the animal whose blood he consumed.
It should be noted that according to the Old Testament, unclean animal flesh mainly refers to:
- crabs, crayfish, and fish that lack scales;
- hares and rabbits;
- a dead animal (that is, without bleeding);
- fried blood of birds and animals;
- horsemeat.
But with all this, unclean meat, such as, for example, pork, is allowed to be consumed in times of hunger or need.
What Scripture Says
However, why do Orthodox Christians eat pork almost as an everyday dish, without any special need? As for this type of meat, it’s also not so simple, because the following words are given in the Holy Scripture about this:
“But a pig, although it has two hooves, does not chew the cud, is unclean to you; You shall not eat their meat and do not touch their corpses” (Bible. Deuteronomy 14:8).
It is important that all existing prohibitions on eating pork are indicated only in the Old Testament, because the main purpose of such a law was considered to be that it was to prepare Orthodox people for the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Here's what the biblical apostle Paul said about this:
“Therefore the law was our guide to Christ, that we might be justified by faith; But when faith comes, we are no longer under a teacher” (Gal. 3:24,25).
Therefore, with the coming of the Savior, according to the New Testament, the need to adhere to the ritual law simply disappeared, and even more so, if convincing believers to follow it would mean erecting a wall between the pagan peoples and the Holy Scriptures.
Therefore, the Lord sent down a special Revelation explaining this:
“The next day, as they walked and approached the city, Peter, about the sixth hour, went up to the top of the house to pray. And he felt hungry and wanted to eat. While they were preparing, he went into a frenzy and sees the open sky and a certain vessel descending towards it, like a large canvas, tied at the four corners and lowered to the ground; in it were all four-legged creatures of the earth, animals, reptiles and birds of the air. And a voice came to him: Arise, Peter, kill and eat. But Peter said: No, Lord, I have never eaten anything bad or unclean. Then another time a voice came to him: What God has cleansed, do not consider unclean” (Acts 10:9-15).
It follows from this that any person is free to eat or not eat pork, and this will not in any way affect his relationship with the Almighty.
The Lord is always with you!
What animals were considered unclean?
Photo: Flickr.com
According to the Old Testament law, the Almighty allowed people to eat the meat of all animals that meet two requirements. Firstly, they chew cud, and secondly, they have cloven hooves. A direct ban was imposed, for example, on the meat of camels and hares.
Pigs are mentioned separately. The Holy Scriptures say that they are also unclean animals, despite the fact that they have pronounced cloven hooves. However, they do not have the habit of chewing cud, so they cannot be considered clean.
Are Christians allowed to eat pork according to the Bible?
Published 11/14/2017
A lot of people are interested in whether Christians can eat pork. What does the Bible say about this? In fact, the answer is very simple, let's figure it out. We will first look at the practice of the Old Testament for the people of Israel, and then look at the teaching of the New Testament. Thus, we will look at all the teachings of the Bible regarding whether modern Christians can eat pork.
Pork in the Old Testament
The Old Testament contained instructions for the people of Israel regarding what foods they could and could not eat. The book of Deuteronomy talks about this, for example:
“You can eat any animal that has cloven hooves and chews the cud, but do not eat camels, hares and jerboas, because although they chew the cud, their hooves are not cloven, and therefore this food is unclean for you. And don’t eat pigs either: although their hooves are cloven, they don’t chew the cud, pigs are unclean food for you; Do not eat swine’s flesh or even touch the carcass of a swine” (Deuteronomy 14:6-8).
In fact, there are not many passages in the Old Testament that talk about eating pork. However, they all prohibit its use. In the book of the prophet Isaiah there is a speech of God, where God speaks in a negative way about those people who eat pork:
“They always provoke Me to anger, offer sacrifices and burn incense in their gardens. They sit among the graves and wait for news from the dead, they live among the dead, they eat pork, their knives are dirty with rotten meat" (Isaiah 65:3-4).
Thus, according to the Old Testament, pork meat could not be eaten by the Jewish people. Pork could not be sacrificed to God. You couldn't even touch the pork. This food was considered unclean.
Why couldn’t the people of Israel eat all these types of food (for more details, see the passage from Leviticus chapter 11, verses 1 to 47)? Israel was to obey God's absolute standards. The second reason for this diet was to make it difficult for the people of Israel to eat food near or in the presence of nations that worshiped idols. The food laws served as a barrier to the mingling of the Israelite people with idolatrous nations. Proper nutrition and health benefits were obvious, but this was only a secondary concern of God after obedience and separation.
Eating pork is prohibited in the Bible:
In the Bible, pork is forbidden, as is alcohol. The vast majority of Christians are convinced of the Bible as Divine revelation, but few Christians know that eating pork is also prohibited in the Bible:
“... and a pig, because its hooves are cloven and there is a deep cut in its hooves, but it does not chew the cud, it is unclean for you; Do not eat their meat and do not touch their corpses; they are unclean to you” (Book of Leviticus, Chapter 11, verse 7-8)
“... and a pig, because its hooves are cloven, but it does not chew the cud: it is unclean to you; do not eat their meat, and do not touch their carcasses” (Deuteronomy, Chapter 14, verse.
A similar prohibition is repeated in the book of Isaiah chapter 65 verse 2-5:
“Every day I stretched out My hands to a disobedient people, who walked in evil ways, according to their own thoughts, to a people who constantly insult Me to my face, who offer sacrifices in groves and burn incense on shards, who sit in tombs and spend the night in caves; eats swine's meat, and vile brew in his vessels; who says: 'Stop, don't come near me, because I am holy to you.' They are smoke for My smell, a fire that burns every day.”
Consumption of pork causes a number of diseases:
Science says that eating pork can lead to at least seventy different types of diseases.
Eating pork is like eating a human. Its hormones (regulators) act on a person randomly, causing an increase or decrease in pressure, heart rate, internal organs are rebuilt, and all this leads to diseases. Why don't hormones from other animals affect humans? Because their formula is far from human and is considered by the human body only as a building material.
It’s funny to hear people who talk about the dangers of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organism), but at the same time eat pork, because pork acts on humans as a GMO due to genetic proximity.
What is kosher food? Orthodox Jews must eat kosher food. Kosher is food that is correct, prepared in a special way, in accordance with Jewish laws. All types of edible plants are considered kosher, but not all types of fish, birds, and animals are considered kosher. Animals, birds and fish that are slaughtered in a special way are considered kosher. The blood must be completely removed from them. Among Jewish believers, a pig is considered an unclean animal. Therefore, neither lard, nor fat, nor the meat of a pig, under any circumstances, will be kosher.
What you can and cannot eat The meat of artiodactyls (cloven hooves) of ruminant animals can be eaten. A pig, a hare, a camel are unsuitable animals for food, although they are artiodactyls, but they do not chew the cud. Also, an animal killed during a hunt or a diseased animal is not suitable for food. In memory of Jacob, who was wounded in the thigh by an angel, the thigh of an animal with the sciatic nerve not removed, as well as lard near the intestines and stomach, cannot be eaten. Meat is considered kosher if the animal is properly slaughtered and the meat is properly processed. The butcher and mashgiach monitor the kosher and quality of the meat. The butcher cuts the meat correctly, and the mashgiach checks the meat, removes non-kosher parts and puts a stamp confirming kosher.
It is believed that God provides cows, chickens, etc. for food, but not pigs. This prohibition also applies to Christians. The Hebrew word “kasher,” which we are accustomed to pronounce as “kosher,” means “suitable.” Muslims have similar rules, but halal (the Muslim equivalent of kosher) is observed here.
Pork in the New Testament
The word Covenant means “agreement” or “contract.” When you have one agreement and then you are about to enter into a new one, then the new agreement becomes the basis of the current relationship. This is how the New Testament (new agreement) replaced the Old Testament (old agreement). This is how the writer of Hebrews describes the need for a new agreement:
“If that first agreement had been flawless, then there would have been no need for another agreement. But God found them guilty and said: “The days are coming,” says the Lord, “when I will enter into a new agreement with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. And this agreement will not be the same as the one I made with my ancestors on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, for they did not remain faithful to My agreement, and I turned away from them, says the Lord. This is the agreement I will make with the people of Israel after these days, says the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds, write them in their hearts, and I will become their God, and they will become My people. And there will be no need for anyone to teach his fellow tribesmen or fellow citizens, saying, “Know the Lord,” for they will all know Me, from the least to the greatest. I will be merciful to their misdeeds and forget their sins.” By calling this agreement “new,” He made the first one obsolete, and whatever becomes obsolete and useless soon disappears” (Hebrews 8:7-13).
Thus, we now understand why that agreement became outdated and “useless”, and was replaced by a new agreement - the New Testament.
The concept of a Christian first appears on the pages of the book of Acts, and at that time the New Testament had already come into force. Therefore, Christians are under the New Covenant, not the Old Covenant, and are not required to submit to the requirements of the Old Covenant. It is worth mentioning that the New Testament largely repeats the commandments of the Old Testament, but more on that another time. We are now interested in whether Christians can eat pork? Let's look now at a passage from the New Testament:
“Eat any meat sold at the meat market without asking questions caused by reproaches of conscience, for “the earth and everything on it belongs to the Lord.” If a non-believer invites you and you decide to go, eat whatever is put in front of you without asking questions out of remorse. But if someone says to you, “Here is the meat that was offered as an offering,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the person who told you about it and for the sake of your own conscience” (1 Corinthians 10:25-28).
The New Testament nowhere prohibits Christians from eating pork. Moreover, the New Testament does not set forth any laws regarding the consumption of any food. If we talk about the passage above, it is clear that it is permissible to eat any meat. Not only is it permissible to eat meat (this is if someone asks whether, according to the Bible, it is possible to eat meat at all or whether one must be a vegetarian), but it is permissible to eat any meat. Including all those types of meat that were prohibited in the Old Testament, including pork.
Why in some cases you shouldn’t eat pork, for example? The Bible explains this by the conscience of other people nearby. Can a Christian drink alcohol? The Bible nowhere forbids drinking alcohol (there are instructions against drunkenness, but not against drinking alcohol as such), but in some cases it is better not to drink it at all. For example, when there are people nearby who are struggling with alcohol addiction, children, etc. In the case described above, pork should not have been eaten because of the other person's conscience.
So, is it permissible for a Christian to eat pork according to the Bible? Yes, you can. But in some cases this should not be done because of the other person's conscience.
Why do Christians eat pork?
Akhmed, Moscow
- Ahmed wrote to us the following: “Hello, I am a Muslim, I respect Christians, like all Muslims. My question is this: why do Christians eat pork when you are forbidden to eat it too. After all, in the Bible in the Old Testament it is forbidden to eat pork. But in the new testament, which was copied from Aramaic into Greek, nothing is said about this. Explain to me why Christians eat pork? Sincerely. I hope to get at least the slightest answer.”
Before answering this question, we want to note that the New Testament was not copied from Aramaic, but was written in Greek with the exception of the Gospel of Matthew.
Now let's turn to the question asked of us: Why do Christians eat pork?
I. OLD TESTAMENT
1. Before the flood, people ate plant foods.
Genesis 1:29-30
“
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed that is on all the earth, and every tree that has fruit yielding seed;
- This will be food for you; And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to every thing that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food. And so it became .”
2. After the flood, God allowed them to eat meat.
Genesis 9:3
“
Every moving thing that lives will be food for you;
I give you everything like green herbs .”
3. The Old Testament Law prohibited eating unclean animals:
Leviticus 11:2-8
“
Say to the children of Israel, These are the animals that you may eat of all the livestock on the earth: every animal that has cloven hooves and a deep cut in the hoof, and chews gum, eat;
Only these you shall not eat from those that chew the cud and have cloven hooves: a camel, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, it is unclean to you; and a jerboa, because it chews the cud, but its hooves are not cloven, it is unclean for you, and a hare, because it chews the cud, but its hooves are not cloven, it is unclean for you; and a pig, because its hooves are cloven and there is a deep cut in its hooves, but it does not chew the cud, it is unclean for you; Do not eat their meat and do not touch their corpses; they are unclean to you ."
Deuteronomy 14:3-8
“
You shall not eat any abomination.
These are the livestock that you may eat: oxen, sheep, goats, deer and chamois, and buffalo, and fallow deer, and bison, and oryx, and camelopard. Any cattle that has cloven hooves and a deep cut in both hooves, and that chews the cud, you shall eat; Just do not eat these from those that chew the cud and have cloven hooves with a deep cut: camel, hare and jerboa, because although they chew the cud, their hooves are not cloven: they are unclean for you; and a pig, because its hoofs are cloven, but does not chew the cud: it is unclean to you; do not eat their meat, and do not touch their corpses .”
II. NEW TESTAMENT
1. The Old Testament Law is for those under the Law.
First
, you need to understand that the Old Testament Law applies only to those who are under the law, that is, to the Jews:
Romans 3:19
“
But we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law
.”
Secondly
, the Old Testament Law was not given for justification, but to make people aware of their sinfulness:
Romans 3:20
“
...By the works of the law will no flesh be justified in His sight;
for by the law is the knowledge of sin .”
2. The law, being a teacher (nurse) to Christ, was a shadow of the future:
Galatians 3:13, 23-25
“
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us - for it is written: Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree, so that he may bless The things of Abraham through Christ Jesus were spread to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith... And before the coming of faith, we were imprisoned under the guard of the law, until the time when it was necessary to open ourselves to faith.
So the law was a guide for us to Christ, so that we might be justified by faith; after the coming of faith, we are no longer under the guidance of a teacher .”
Hebrews 10:1
“
The Law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very appearance of things, by the same sacrifices continually offered every year, can never perfect those who come with them
.”
Colossians 2:16-17
“
Let no one therefore judge you for food or drink, or for any festival, or for the new moon, or for the Sabbath: these are a shadow of things to come, but the body is in Christ
.”
3. Jesus fulfilled the Law (He alone was able to fulfill it)
Many believe that since Jesus fulfilled the Law, then we, Christians, must fulfill it.
But, dear friends, Jesus could not break the Law. Jesus came not to break the Law, but to fulfill it! Matthew 5:17
“
Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill
.”
Romans 10:4
“
…For the end of the law is Christ for righteousness to everyone who believes
.”
4. Christians are not under Law, but under Grace:
The God we worship does not change.
But His approach to man consistently changes. God first made a covenant with Israel by giving them the Old Testament Law. Centuries later, the Lord made a New Covenant with all mankind through the blood of Jesus Christ. The New Covenant does not imply the fulfillment of the old Law. Otherwise, why would there be a New Testament? The First Covenant was based on God's Law, while the New Covenant is based on God's grace. Christians are not under the Law, but under God's grace. That is why we do not fulfill the rituals, commands and holidays of the Old Testament Law. Do not be confused, the conversation is not about the fact that Christians are above the moral Law of God. The moral code of God's Law remains in force, but only the MORAL one! And the ceremonial, dietary and ritual code does not apply to Christians. On the contrary, the New Testament repeatedly reminds Christians that they are NOT under Law, but UNDER Grace: Romans 6:14
“
Sin must not have dominion over you, for you are not under Law, but under Grace
.”
5. Vision to the Apostle Peter:
Reading the Acts of the Holy Apostles, we see that the Lord God himself made it clear to his disciples that with the beginning of the New Testament era, there were neither unclean people and nations, nor unclean animals and birds.
Let us turn to the vision that the Lord gave to Peter before sending him to testify about Christ to the Gentiles: Acts 10:9-20
“
Peter about the sixth hour went up to the top of the house to pray.
And he felt hungry and wanted to eat. While they were preparing, he went into a frenzy and sees the open sky and a certain vessel descending towards it, like a large canvas, tied at the four corners and lowered to the ground; in it were all four-legged creatures of the earth, animals, reptiles and birds of the air. And a voice came to him: Arise, Peter, kill and eat. But Peter said: No, Lord, I have never eaten anything bad or unclean. Then another time a voice came to him: what God has cleansed, do not consider unclean. This happened three times; and the vessel rose again to heaven. When Peter wondered within himself what the vision that he saw meant, behold, the men sent by Cornelius, having inquired about the house of Simon, stopped at the gate, and, shouting, asked: Is Simon, who is called Peter, here? While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him: Behold, three men are looking for you; get up, get down and go with them, without any doubt; for I have sent them .”
According to the Bible, God does not tempt anyone with evil or cause anyone to sin: James 1:13
“
God is not tempted by evil and He Himself does not tempt anyone
.” However, we see in this passage that God commands Peter to do two things that are considered sins under the Old Testament Law: eating “unclean” things and going among “unclean” people. Both were prohibited by the Law of Moses. However, God insists that Peter do this. What does it mean? But only in such a way that these things are no longer considered a sin: neither communication with “unclean” pagans, nor eating “unclean” animals.
For the Apostle Paul this was not difficult, but for Peter it was a big problem: he did not want to testify about Christ to the pagans, fearing to break the Mosaic Law: Acts 10:28
“
And he said to them: You know that it is forbidden for a Jew to communicate or become close to a foreigner;
but God revealed to me that I should not consider any person base or unclean .” Through very strange knowledge the Lord showed Peter two things: First, that the Gentiles were no longer an unclean people. Secondly, no animals are anymore considered unclean: “what God has cleansed, you do not consider unclean.”
6. Commandment of Jewish Christians to Gentile Christians:
At the Jerusalem Conference, the apostles and other Jewish Christians discussed the issue of joining the Gentiles to the Church of Jesus Christ and decided not to impose on them the burden of the Old Testament Law, limiting themselves to only the following commands:
Acts 15:19-20
“
Therefore I do not intend to make it difficult for those who are among the Gentiles to turn to God, and write to them that they should abstain from what is defiled by idols, from fornication, strangulation and blood, and that they do not do to others what they do not want for themselves
.”
Acts 15:28-29
“
For it pleases the Holy Spirit and us not to place any more burden on you than these necessary things: to abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and blood, and things strangled, and fornication, and not to do to others what you do not want to do to yourself.
By observing this, you will do well. Be healthy .'"
7. Christians should not fulfill the Law of Moses.
- According to the teaching of the New Testament, Christians must not fulfill the Old Testament Law: Colossians 2:20-23
“
If you therefore died with Christ to the elements of the world, why do you, as those who live in the world, keep the ordinances: ‘thou shalt not touch’, ‘do not eat”, “do not touch” - that everything decays from consumption - according to the commandments and teachings of man?
This has only the appearance of wisdom in self-willed service, humility and exhaustion of the body, in some neglect of the saturation of the flesh .” - No one can judge us for what we eat or drink: neither man nor God himself: Colossians 2:16
“
no one
therefore judge you for what you eat or drink...
” - According to Jesus, food cannot defile a person: Mark 7:18
“
He said to them, “Are you also so slow-witted?”
Don't you understand that nothing that enters a person from outside can defile him? »
8. Consecration of food:
The New Testament teaches that the consecration of food occurs when we pray over it and give praise to our Creator for it:
1 Timothy 4:1-5
“
But the Spirit speaks clearly, that in the last times some will depart from the faith, listening to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of false talkers, seared in their consciences, forbidding marriage and eating what God created for the faithful and those who know the truth to eat with thanksgiving.
For every creation of God is good, and nothing is reprehensible if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer .”
To eat
= Hebrew
“broma”
– food; usually used to describe ceremonial foods permitted or prohibited by the Law of Moses.
9. New Testament teaching on clean and unclean foods:
Romans 14:14
“
I know and am confident in the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean in itself;
Only to him who considers anything unclean, it is unclean for him .”
1 Corinthians 8:8
“
Food does not bring us closer to God: for if we eat, we gain nothing;
If we don’t eat, we don’t lose anything .”
Titus 1:15
“
To the pure all things are pure;
but for the defiled and unbelieving there is nothing pure, but their mind and conscience are defiled .”
10. Can Christians eat pork?
1 Corinthians 10:25-27
“
Eat
whatever is sold in a market without any examination, for peace of conscience;
For the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness of it. If one of the infidels calls you and you want to go, then eat everything that is offered to you without any investigation, for peace of conscience .” 1 Corinthians 6:13
“
Food is for the belly, and the belly is for food;
but God will destroy both .”
Romans 14:1-4
“
Accept him who is weak in the faith without arguing about opinions.
For some are confident that they can eat everything, but the weak eat vegetables. He who eats, do not disparage the one who does not eat; and whoever does not eat, do not condemn the one who eats, because God has accepted him. Who are you, judging another man's slave? Before his Lord he stands, or he falls. And he will be raised up, for God is able to raise him up .”
All of the above indicates that the Lord does not forbid Christians from eating pork
.
- Ahmed asked an additional question: “And I want to ask this question, did your Lord himself eat pork?”
The Lord Jesus Christ himself did not eat pork because he lived in an Orthodox Jewish environment. According to the Law, pork was classified as unclean animals, prohibited for consumption. Jesus could not eat pork because it was forbidden by the Law. Jesus Himself said of Himself that He did not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it: Matthew 5:17
“
Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets: I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill
.”
Jesus fulfilled the Law perfectly and also died for the sins of the world that had broken the Law of God, so that by His death He could redeem us from the “curse of the Law” (Galatians 3:13). After the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, everything was cleansed by His holy blood. That is why the Lord himself commanded the Apostle Peter (a Jew from among the Jews) not to consider unclean what the Lord had cleansed: Acts 10:15
“
Then another time a voice came to him, “Whatever God has cleansed, you must not consider unclean
.”
Also, the Apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Romans (that is, to Christians who believed from the Gentiles): Romans 14:14
“
I know and am confident in the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean in itself;
Only to him who considers anything unclean, it is unclean for him .” This is why the disciples of Jesus Christ can eat pork, although the Lord himself did not eat it.
We recommend that you read the following articles:
- "Ten Commandments"
- "The most important question"
.
Download the answer in word
Ask your question
Send your question by mail
Back
Deanery
Hello! Please explain why Christians were first forbidden to eat pork, and then allowed in the New Testament. Nothing has changed for Muslims. Who made these changes and why? I read the New Testament and still did not find any specific permission to eat pork. I want to be a real Christian, and I would like to understand this issue. If it’s forbidden, then so be it, but I don’t want to sin. Thank you.
Leonid
Answered by Priest Grigory Barashko
Let us immediately remember that the ban on eating unclean animals (including pork) was given by God to the people of Israel in the Old Testament through the prophet Moses. But what happened before that?
Before the fall of Adam and Eve, of course, there was no meat food at all.
“And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed that is on all the earth, and every tree that has fruit yielding seed; - This will be food for you; And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to every thing that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food. And it was so” (Genesis 1:29-30).
After the Fall, although nothing is specifically said about this, apparently, meat could already be eaten, as can be seen from the fact that the son of Adam and Eve Abel was a shepherd of sheep.
But it was only after the flood that the Lord pointed out to Noah directly: “Every moving thing that lives will be food for you; I give you everything like the green grass” (Genesis 9:3). It is important to note here that it was still possible to eat everything, that is, all animals.
Further in the chronology, you remember that from Noah the human race began to spread across the face of the earth and soon many of his descendants (mainly from the sons of Ham and Japheth) began to forget the True God and became pagans. Forgetting God, these peoples led a sinful lifestyle and all their deeds, at all times, were evil.
It was then that the Lord wanted to separate His chosen people (those who maintained the true faith) from the pagans by commanding them through Moses to strictly observe certain laws (one of which forbade the Jews from eating unclean animals).
Let us look at the text of the Holy Scripture: “You are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be His own people from among all the nations that are on earth. Don't eat any nasty stuff. Here are the livestock that you can eat: oxen, sheep, goats...” (Deut. 14: 2-4), then the animals that you cannot eat are listed. This relationship is clearly visible here - selection from other peoples and a selective approach to food.
This law, like many others, was supposed to protect Jews from close communication with pagans, which always led to the corruption of morals and, as a result, a distortion of faith.
It must be pointed out that the symbolic side of the issue is also of great importance. The Old Testament is full of symbols: the Burning Bush represented the Mother of God, the son of Abraham Isaac represented Christ Himself, the passage of the Jews through the Red Sea represented the sacrament of baptism, etc., etc.
Unclean animals were prototypes of pagan peoples.
Let us remember the vision of St. Peter, who saw “the sky being opened and a certain vessel descending towards it, like a large sheet, tied at the four corners and lowered to the ground; in it were all four-legged creatures of the earth, animals, reptiles and birds of the air. And a voice came to him: Arise, Peter, kill and eat. But Peter said: No, Lord, I have never eaten anything bad or unclean. Then another time a voice came to him: what God has cleansed, do not consider unclean. This happened three times; and the vessel ascended again into heaven” (Acts 10:11-16). This vision showed the ap. Peter that the faith of Christ should henceforth spread among other pagan peoples. Which is what subsequently happened.
Impure peoples, through the adoption of the true faith, were purified, and the ban on eating “unclean” animals was abolished, like many other laws and rituals of the Jewish people.
At the Apostolic Council (see Acts, Chapter 15) it was specifically determined that newly converted Christians, from pagan believers, would not observe any rituals or laws of the Jews, but only “that they should abstain from what was defiled by idols, from fornication, strangulation and blood.” , and so that they don’t do to others what they don’t want for themselves.”
The following scripture may also be interesting:
“The Spirit clearly says that in the last times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars, having their consciences seared, forbidding marriage and eating what God created so that those who are faithful and know the truth ate with thanksgiving. For every creation of God is good, and nothing is blameworthy if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer” (1 Tim. 4:1-5).
Now, according to your question, we can conclude: the ban on eating pork was canceled by God Himself through St. apostles, canceled because it has lost its meaning and relevance.
The history of the ban
Man in the Garden of Eden did not need animal food. Adam and Eve ate plants and practically did not need food, since they were ideal and their bodies were significantly different from the body of modern man.
After the Fall, the need for food increased. The body became weak, illness and death appeared. Now the forefathers could not do without animals. They were sacrificed to God, because this was the only way after being expelled from Paradise that people could communicate with God.
Jews received a ban on pork in order to separate themselves from the pagans
After the great flood, the Lord allowed Noah to eat everything except humans.
Important! And only Jews, the chosen people, were forbidden to eat pork, in order to thereby distinguish themselves from the pagans.
Leviticus and Deuteronomy say that Jews were forbidden to eat the meat of camel, pig, jerboa and hare. Meat from ruminants with cloven hooves was allowed. The Jews had to fulfill such a decree in order to cleanse themselves, understand their sinfulness and worthily accept the Savior into the world.
Read about nutrition:
- Lenten baking recipes
- Traditional dishes for the Easter table
- Russian Orthodox cuisine
Very soon the Jews began to carry out such prohibitions and instructions fanatically and without thinking about God. Their entire faith came down to strict adherence to certain rules, but not to love for God and neighbor. That is why Jesus Christ denounced the scribes and Pharisees, who in public did everything according to the law, but in their souls were vile and evil. The benefit of such following the letter of the law can be judged by the example of the Jews, who never accepted the Savior, thereby sending Him to death on the cross.
In the New Testament, the Savior emphasizes that it is not food that defiles a person, but what comes from the human heart. The Lord revealed to the Apostle Paul that even the pagans and every animal had ceased to be unclean. And what God has sanctified and purified cannot be considered unclean. Therefore, Orthodox Christians can eat pork.
Interesting! The Apostle James in the book of Acts, in a letter to the pagans, mainly advised that they should not eat the blood of animals. To this day, Orthodox Christians do not consume animal blood.
Why don't Buddhists eat pork?
There are many indications about the manifestation of compassion in the Sutras. I won't list them. But in the legend given below all the caring of the Blessed One towards his neighbor is expressed.
“Chunda, the blacksmith, hearing that the Blessed One had come to Pav and stopped in the grove, went to him and, having shown respect, asked the Blessed One to attend his meal the next day. Having received consent, Chunda left and by the next morning prepared all kinds of dishes, as well as a large piece of juicy pork. The Blessed One, accompanied by his disciples, arrived at the blacksmith’s house. Sitting down on the prepared seat, he turned to the blacksmith Chunda: “Chunda, bring me the pork you have stored, and give the students the other dishes you have prepared.” “Yes, sir,” answered the blacksmith and did as instructed. Then the Blessed One said: “Chunda, bury whatever pork you have left in the ground, for I do not know a being other than the Tathagata who could appropriate it.” “Yes, sir,” replied Chunda and buried the rest of the pork in the ground. Having eaten food in the house of the blacksmith Chunda, the Blessed One fell ill with a severe stomach illness, and, experiencing severe pain, said to the disciple Ananda: “Get up, Ananda, we will go to Kushinagara.” On the way, the Blessed One often stopped, experiencing severe pain, thirst and languor. So they reached the Kakutha River; here, having taken a bath, the Blessed One stopped at the edge of the forest, lay down on the spread out clothes and turned to Ananda: “Ananda, it is possible that someone will upset the heart of the blacksmith Chunda with the following speeches: “Chunda, this is a big nuisance for you, and you should feel very unhappy , that the Tathagata left the transitory after he took a meal in your house.” Ananda, drive away Chunda’s heavy thoughts with the words: “Friend, you should rejoice, for this is your happiness that this happened. From the mouth of the Tathagata himself I heard and understood that gifts of food receive equal appreciation and reward. Indeed, they receive greater reward and blessing than others. Which two? The one after which the Tathagata achieves the highest, complete illumination, and the one after which he enters into the liberation of Nirvana.” With such speeches, Ananda, you should dispel the heavy thoughts of the blacksmith Chunda.” Mahaparinirvana Sutra Thus, the Blessed One not only debunked future myths about the Buddha-god, but also very clearly showed the harm and consequences of eating meat.
