More and more people are switching to a vegetarian or completely plant-based diet. Others like their meat very much.
What does the Bible teach us about eating meat? Are all types of meat good to eat? Or are we only allowed to eat the flesh of clean animals? As a Christian, why would you choose not to eat meat anymore?
When it comes to eating meat and the Bible, the distinction between clean and unclean animals quickly comes to mind. Many Christians are convinced that the ban on eating unclean animals is no longer in effect. I will discuss the Bible passages quoted by these people in this first part of this series.
Peter's vision
In Acts 10 we read about the vision Peter had on the roof of Simon the tanner. A sheet filled with all kinds of animals descended from heaven. A voice orders Peter to slaughter and eat. Peter refuses. “And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” Acts 10:15. What does this vision mean? Even Peter did not immediately understand. It was clear to him that eating unclean meat is not an option. Not much later he understands when he visits Cornelius. “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 shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” Acts 10:28. So all this is not about eating meat, but preaching the gospel to people who belong to another nation. They have been cleansed by God by repenting of their former beliefs and surrendering to God.
Also in the next chapter, Peter confirms this: “Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance which unto life.” Acts 11:17-18.
The meeting in Jeruzalem
Acts 15 gives an account of the meeting in Jerusalem. Here too Peter clearly points out that no distinction should be made according to the origin of people. “And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.” Acts 15:9.
During that meeting, the rules of life to which believing Gentiles must adhere are also discussed. “Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled and from blood.” Acts 15:19-20. What is striking here is that the first two lines deal with the first and second table of the ten commandments; that is, how you treat God and how you treat your neighbor. The last two lines are about food laws, or health laws: abstain from the blood and flesh of animals that were not slaughtered, but, as the King James translation at Deuteronomy 14:21 says, died of their own accord.
Before you eat meat, you need to know that the animal was healthy. Compare this also with Leviticus 17:15. You should not eat an animal that has died of disease or has been attacked, as it poses a risk of disease.
Mark 7
Mark 7 is also quoted to indicate that all kinds of meat may be eaten. The NIV translation says, "(In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)" Mark 7:19. This seems like a text that says very clearly that you can eat anything, but is this really the case? If we study it more closely, the situation is different.
This scripture is a lesson about what makes not food, but a person clean and pure before God. The Pharisees adhered to traditional rituals, such as the special way to wash their hands before a meal, which was passed down from generation to generation. This is not about food laws. Both the Pharisees and Jesus and His disciples were Jews. None of them thought of eating the flesh of unclean animals.
According to the Pharisees, without ritual hand washing, the bread the disciples ate would become unclean and make them sinful. Jesus disputed this. He taught that you defile yourself by choosing in your heart to think, say or do things that go against God's laws.
The situation from Mark 7 is also described in Matthew 15. This makes it clearer that Jesus is not stating that it is permissible to eat the flesh of unclean animals.
“Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto is this parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entirety in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, aldulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man." Matthew 15:15-20.
The phrase from Mark 7:19 is not repeated in this chapter. Jesus emphasizes in Matthew 15 that sinful words that come out of the mouth and evil thoughts defile a person and not eating bread without washing hands.
Spiritual and physical food
There are five other Bible passages in the New Testament, in which nutrition and (im)purity are mentioned:
Romans 14:14-21
Hebrews 13:9-11
John 6:27
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
1 Timothy 4:1-5.
1 Corinthians 8 doesn't say that the meat offered to an idol comes from an unclean animal. It is said that the food is not changed by a ritual for a non-existent idol. If you have trouble with that, don't eat it. But you could eat it, if you want to. It doesn't matter to God. “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.” 1 Corinthians 8:8.
What God does find important is that you take each other into account and show respect. Your words and actions should be so that it never causes someone to loose his or her faith, even if what you say or do is not against God's law.
The core of the first three Bible texts from the list is actually the same as 1 Corinthians 8. Namely that the spiritual life, a living relationship with God and spreading Jesus' light and love has priority over commandments of people and nourishment. This does not indicate that it is okay to eat the flesh of unclean animals.
1 Timothy 4 clearly indicates what food is involved. It says: “... meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. ... For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” 1 Timothy 4:3 and 5. From this we can conclude that these are foods of which the Bible says that God created as food for His children.
Concluding
After studying all these scriptures, we can conclude that the New Testament states that the prohibition against eating unclean animals still applies today.
In the next part of this series on meat, you can read what the Bible teaches us about clean animal foods. The third and last part will deal with the arguments for not eating meat or animal based foods as a Christian.
Among the free downloads, you will find an overview of clean and unclean animals. This document is based on Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.
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