Dietary Restrictions
#RAD #ATEND G-d (Christ) #IIC714
Dietary Restrictions
Beginning with Acts 10:13 – 16, we see that G-d says
to Peter, EAT (clearly about food) three times… because three times Peter said
to G-d “NEVER HAVE I EATEN ANYTHING THAT WAS…” – “…Common and Unclean.” DRA (the message renders it as “…Not
Kosher.” The TLV says “… Unholy or Unclean.” The AMP says “…Common and
Unhallowed or [Ceremonially] Unclean” and finally even the CJB says “never have
I eaten anything that was…” – “…Unclean or Treif.” Treif is a Yiddish word for
any forms of non-kosher foods)
Yes, later in verse 28 we read the “death blow” to the food point (but do we?) as we read Peter saying – “G-D HAS SHOWN ME THAT I SHOULD NOT CALL…” – “…[any] Man Common or Unclean” DRA (the message renders it as “…[any] Race is Better Than any Other” The TLV says “…[anyone] Unholy or Unclean.” The AMP says “…any Human Being Common or Unhallowed or [Ceremonially] Unclean.” and finally, even the CJB says “G-d has shown me that I should not call…” – “…Any Person Common or Unclean.”
So, I can see the conclusion, sure… “Petie sees food, but G-d says people”. The conclusion drawn, G-d nowhere told Peter that eating, pretty much, anything is Okay. But is that a fair conclusion? This vision given to Peter A)- Uses Food, and B) – follows Peter acting on (thinking on) the view of the Pious Pharisees (Judaizers) of the day (as depicted in the first part of verse 28… “…it is Against Our Law for a Jew to Associate With or Visit a Gentile.” – NIV
Yes, later in verse 28 we read the “death blow” to the food point (but do we?) as we read Peter saying – “G-D HAS SHOWN ME THAT I SHOULD NOT CALL…” – “…[any] Man Common or Unclean” DRA (the message renders it as “…[any] Race is Better Than any Other” The TLV says “…[anyone] Unholy or Unclean.” The AMP says “…any Human Being Common or Unhallowed or [Ceremonially] Unclean.” and finally, even the CJB says “G-d has shown me that I should not call…” – “…Any Person Common or Unclean.”
So, I can see the conclusion, sure… “Petie sees food, but G-d says people”. The conclusion drawn, G-d nowhere told Peter that eating, pretty much, anything is Okay. But is that a fair conclusion? This vision given to Peter A)- Uses Food, and B) – follows Peter acting on (thinking on) the view of the Pious Pharisees (Judaizers) of the day (as depicted in the first part of verse 28… “…it is Against Our Law for a Jew to Associate With or Visit a Gentile.” – NIV
So, ultimately, we see Peter willingly BREAKING the Law
(being willing to go and associate with & visit a Gentile) with respect to
him going to visit Cornelius, a Roman Centurion (a Gentile /
Goy), or, do we? But not BREAKING the
law by eating forbidden food, because it is concluded that Pete somehow did NOT
eat the forbidden food while hanging with the Gentile Cornelius? This is expanded on, or repeated in Acts 11:4
- 14, where, in verses 8 & 9, we read of peter reiterating the experience.
* G-d says: “go hang with the gentile…”
* Peter says: “uh-uh, NO Way!”
* G-d says: “Pete, check out this vision.”
* Peter sees a vision of: “A host of animals, clean and unclean”
* Peter sees a vision of: “A host of animals, clean and unclean”
* G-d says: “kill, eat, enjoy!”
* Peter says: “uh-uh-uh, NO Way! I’m a good Jew, and have NEVER eaten anything
unclean or unholy”
* G-d says: “how dare you? Don’t you dare call what I made clean,
unclean! (basically, Peter and G-d had a
argument, as this back N’ forth, “no I won’t”
/ “yes, you will” went on three
times.
* Finally, Peter concedes that he – “should not call
what G-d has made clean, ‘unclean’.” And
that he should just “go ahead, BREAK THE LAW against even associating with and
/ or visiting a Gentile!” Yet, according
to the legalistic Judaizing Pharisees, Peter somehow still Did Not BREAK THE LAW against Dietary Restrictions?
The argument has been raised that, because – “G-d (Christ),
in the beginning, made clean and unclean animals, therefore, when G-d says
specifically that Peter ‘should not call any person common or unclean’, G-d
must be referring to people (Gentile v Jew) not animals for consumption.” Either way, in both Acts 10 and 11, the point
that a ‘good Jewish boy’ should not ever even be seen associating with, let alone
visiting, dining ‘hanging out’ with ‘unclean, common Goy’ appears to be front N’
centre on Peter’s heart. Yet G-d says, “don’t call unclean, what I call clean”. Thus, I maintain that between the vision
using “FOOD” for context, plus the content of texts such as:
* Matthew 15:11 – “it is not what goes into the mouth
that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
– ESV For context, see Matthew 15 in it’s
entirety… keep Matthew 15:12 in mind…
* Mark 7:18 & 19 – “Do you not see that whatever
goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his
heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” – ESV For context, see Mark 7 in it’s entirety… again, keeping in mind Matthew 15:12…
* Romans 14:14 – “I know and am persuaded in the Lord
Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks
it unclean.” – ESV and once more, for context see Romans 14:13 – 23, keeping in
mind that our liberty should not be used recklessly where a brother may be
distressed. (don’t drink alcohol in the
presence of those who find offensive, or don’t eat bacon in the presence of those
who find pork offensive. Yet in all things,
outside of those situations, do as G-d says is clean.
* I Corinthians 10:25 – “Eat whatever is sold in the
meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience.” – ESV See I Corinthians 10:23 – 33 for context
* Titus 1:15 – “To the pure, all things are pure, but
to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their
consciences are defiled.” – ESV Once more, see Titus 1:10 – 16 for context
The idea that G-d has said – “Go ahead, BREAK THE LAW,
against even associating with and / or visiting a Gentile!” Yet, Don’t
You dare BREAK THE LAW against Dietary Restrictions!” – seems beyond
ridiculous. It borders on incredulous,
or even dubious.
Next, let us consider Acts 15:9 – “and he made no
distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.” – ESV,
and yes here too consider context of course – Acts 15:6 – 11
From here, please bring your attention to Galatians
2:14 wherein we read – “But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with
the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a
Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to
live like Jews?” – ESV, and here also, please, consider context – Galatians 2:11
- 14
And finally, let’s reflect on Matthew 15:12, where
Jesus’ Disciples say to Him – “Are You aware that the Pharisees were offended
when they heard this?”
Thus, in view of the context of Acts 10 & 11, the
subject content of Matthew 15, Mark 7, Romans 14, I Corinthians 10, Titus 1, Acts
15, Galatians 2 and capping it all off with Matthew 15:12, notwithstanding the
implications of Romans 14:14 & 15, I Corinthians 8, specifically verse 7,
wherein one should consider abstinence, in the situation, for the sake of not
offending a weaker brother; eat, drink (in moderation) what you will. Literally, go and enjoy a big juicy
Bacon-Cheeseburger Jesus said in Matthew 15:14 – “Disregard them {Pious,
do-gooding, Pharisaical Judaizers}! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads
a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” - Berean Study Bible
Final thoughts on the expressed view, by some, that “Christians,
being followers of Christ, the Jewish Messiah, ‘Must Keep the Dietary Laws’ of
the Jews.” – TaNakH (the Christian Old Testament) says more far more, in my understanding,
about honouring Shabbat (Sabbath, the Seventh Day) than does it about dietary restrictions. If one cannot eat pork because TaNaKh forbids
it, then reasonably the pious Pharisee should be gathering his / her team of
vigilantes to enforce… Exodus 35:2, Exodus 31:14, Exodus 31:15, Numbers 15:35
and Leviticus 20:2. Au contraire! G-d forbid that we would set aside the cross,
virtually crucifying the Son of G-d All Over Again, subjecting Him to public
disgrace, because if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died
for nothing!” Hebrews 6:6 and Galatians 2:21.
Shalom!
“No Jesus, NO peace” and yet, “Know Jesus, KNOW peace”
How does one get to “know” Jesus? Simple, invite Him into your heart, as Jesus
says: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and
opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” [Revelation 3:20 NIV]
How can be assured that this Jesus stuff means anything? Well because the Bible tells us so, as the
Apostle Paul wrote:
“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is
Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be
saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it
is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” [Romans 10:9-10 NIV]
And for those of you who say to me, I
can’t be bothered reading the Bible, “it’s confusing” or “it’s a waste of my
time”, may I draw your attention to what the Bible says about wisdom: “The fear
of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is
understanding.” [Proverbs 9:10 NIV]
If nothing else, PLEASE read two chapters
from the Bible – (don’t own one, sorry NO excuse, if you’re reading this, you
can access this: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203:16&version=NIV) John 3 and John
14!
John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the
world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life.”
And John 14:6 says: “Jesus answered, “I am
the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through
me.”
Well that’s it, that’s Da Bauz’s Take on, “Dietary
Restrictions” – this 25th day of January 2018 © 2018, All Rights
Reserved. wr (Da Bauz, Christian Zionist “creationist” too!)
Just sayin’...
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem...
What is #RAD? #RAD is:
R epent of rejecting Christ
A ccept Christ as your Lord
D evelop your relationship with G-d
#RAD your relationship with the Living Almighty God
Himself as your personal Lord and Saviour depends on it!
What is #ATEND G-d (Christ)? Ask me!
What is #IIC714?
II 2nd
C hronicles
7:14
John 3:16, Revelation 3:20, Romans 10:9 -10,
Revelation 21:27, II Corinthians 5:21 and I John 5:13 / John 20:31!
Shalom
Cited
or consulted sources and resources
[1]
“TaNaKh” - http://bit.ly/2DwLTLt
- Judaism 101, TaNaKh FAQ
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