The Wayside Pulpit No.90
3rd August 2000
Food, glorious Food!
In the last number I wrote
in general about the moral law of the Old Testament. In this paper I should like
to address the subject of Food, simply because it was an important issue to the
Hebrews under Moses, and persists today in what the Jews call Kosher foods,
those allowed under Mosaic legislation, and checked by local Rabbis. In a word,
does any of this apply to Christians? Let's investigate.
Some years ago, when our
three girls were in their late teens/early twenties, our fellowship did some
intensive study of the O.T. laws. We found that there were 613 separate pieces
of legislation! By no means were all areas covered. The task was too
great. But we studied a number of issues, and decided to act in accordance with
the 4th commandment, namely a Saturday Sabbath. In the Youth Group, our girls
decided to be more sensitive to the opposite sex in their manner of dress,
which took on a more modest appearance. And as for the food laws, we found some
very interesting facts. As a result, some friends from another church dubbed us
with mocking alliteration, "the Eedle Church, with its Gospel of Sabbaths,
Sausages, and Skirts." We tried to take it all in good part! But our
motives were guided by a single desire, that of pleasing the Lord, NOT to come
under any bondage of legalism.
In the land of Israel in
O.T. times, quite the majority of people were ordinary artisan folk, with
little to spare. Their diet was largely vegetarian. Just occasionally they
would have a meat meal, but it would have to be a special occasion, and often
involved sharing an animal with neighbours.
In contrast, the typical
Englishman's dinner is "meat-and-two-veg," and if no meat is served
up, he is inclined to pull a face. But for breakfast he would have had bacon,
egg, and sausage. And for tea, he would quite likely have more protein, perhaps
ham and salad. In other words, in a typical day he might well have had portions
of meat three times over. Herein is the great contrast with the ancient
Israelites. The Mosaic code specified which species of protein-based
foodstuffs were allowed. Not all the creatures' names are meaningful to us
today, (When did you last see a pygarg?) and have to be conjectured, but even
so, we can obtain a fairly good idea of what was meant. It is therefore
possible to draw up a list of "clean foods" and "unclean
foods". It is worth while looking at the list, as follows.
CLEAN FOODS
UNCLEAN FOODS
Beef Horse, Camel
Lamb Dog, Cats of all kinds
Goat Weasel, Ferret, Rock Badger
Venison Mouse, Rat
Chicken Chameleon, Mole
Dove Lizards, Snails, Frogs, Snakes
Partridge
Eagle, Hawk, Falcon, Buzzard
Quail
Vulture, Owl, Crow
Fish with
scales Stork, Heron, Pelican
Locusts Seagull, Cormorant, Hoopoe, Bat
Pig, Rabbit, Hare, Turtle, Lobster, Prawn, Scampi
By certain ingenious
manipulation, some expositors have taken selected verses from the New Testament
to prove that the food laws no longer exist. But they fail to realise that (in
the Western World, at least) man has adhered to the Mosaic legislation
without even acknowledging it, often without even realising that it exists.
Look at the list of forbidden foods in the above table. It is not our practice
to eat any of them!
However, modern man has
made certain exceptions to the food laws, by eating Pig meat (as Bacon, Pork,
Ham, Gammon, Pork Sausages), and the other items in italics at the end of the
list. Why therefore boast that we are free from the restrictions of the Law,
when we create our own law, almost exactly the same as that of Moses' day?
It is said that Peter
received a vision of a sheet let down from heaven containing "all manner
of four-footed beasts, creeping things, and fowls of the air", thus to
indicate the abolition of the food laws. But the signification was made clear
to Peter, that it referred to the entrance of the Gentiles to the household of
faith, not to food at all. If the Lord had intended the vision to
apply to food, then why don't people eat the items that Peter saw, such as rats
and mice, dogs and cats, creepy-crawlies, and so on?
What was the purpose of the
food laws? Two aspects come to mind - (a) the health of the nation, and (b)
certain ceremonial functions connected with sacrifice. Of these, the
second has no modern significance. The first still applies. Our bodies are the
temple of the Holy Spirit, and to neglect the factors relating to healthy
living is to dishonour the Lord.
So what about all the
multifarious varieties of pork on the market? Can we eat them today? I think
the answer must be found within the conscience and intelligence of each
individual. The original food laws were set for the Middle East, and related to
the animals found there, and the climatic conditions obtaining. If we transfer
the whole concept to Britain and America, for example, and decide that pig
meat, and sea foods are now harmless to our constitution, then we shall find no
inner prohibition to their consumption. But some may still find that the
original legislation would be "safer" for the sake of our health, and
therefore wish to continue respecting the whole spectrum of the ancient Mosaic
law.
It must be emphasised yet
again, that this is not a matter of straitjacketing, but to be in tune with
common sense, and healthy living. There is so much to learn from all the sundry
laws of the O.T. They are full of wisdom, and hidden significances. But all the
ceremonial aspects of the Law have been fulfilled in Christ, and therefore have
no place in modern spiritual living.