In the first place, we need to recognize that, according to the Christian Gospels, there were pigs in Palestine at the time of Jesus (peace be upon him). In one of the Gospel accounts of Jesus healing a young man possessed with devils, Jesus commands the devils to leave the man and to go, instead, into a head of pigs.
In the story, the pigs then rush off a nearby cliff and are killed. In Saint Luke's story of the Prodigal Son, too, Jesus talks about a young man who goes off with his share of the inheritance and wastes it on wine, women and song, until he is so penniless that he has to take a job looking after pigs.
So clearly there were pigs around. What were they doing in Palestine, when Jews do not eat pork? Who were they for? In fact, both the Romans and the Greeks used to eat pork as a delicacy, so we must assume that the pigs were bred either for export or to feed the Romans who were occupying Palestine at the time.
In one of the first books of the Old Testament the Jews are told very clearly which animals they may eat and which animals they may not eat. We read:
"… and the pig, which does indeed have hoofs and is cloven-footed, but does not chew the cud and is therefore unclean for you. Their flesh you shall not eat, and their dead bodies you shall not touch; they are unclean for you." (Leviticus 11:7-8)
To this day, Jews do not eat pork.
From what we read in the Gospels, Jesus says nothing at all about eating or not eating pork, so where do his Christian followers get the idea from that it is permissible to eat pork?
As a prophet of Islam, Jesus would not have eaten pork, but it is highly unlikely, according even to the Gospel accounts themselves, that he would have done so as a Jew.
Why the change, then? Why do Christians eat pork, if they believe that their religion grew out of the Jewish one, which forbids it?
Jesus, in fact, is quoted as saying in Saint Matthew's Gospel,
"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I didn't come to destroy them, but to fulfill them."
In such a case, then, we can only presume that he left untouched the instruction about pork.
The answer, in fact, lies not with Jesus, but with the Church which grew up after him and claimed to speak in his name.
After Jesus died, according to a book called Acts of the Apostles written by St Luke, a dispute arose among his followers about those who converted to Christianity. In the earliest days, the followers of Jesus were known as "followers of the Way." They did not consider themselves as anything other than Jews, but they followed the teachings of the Jewish rabbi, Jesus. It was only later in Antioch that they first came to be called "Christians."
Some people said that if someone wanted to be a follower of Jesus, he clearly had to become a Jew first.
"But some from the party of the Pharisees who had become believers stood up and said, 'It is necessary to circumcise them and direct them to observe the Mosaic Law.' The apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter." (Acts 15:5)
A meeting was held in Jerusalem to discuss this. It was much more important than a debate about circumcision, since its results would determine the future of those who followed Jesus. There were basically two arguments.
The first was put forward by the Apostle James, heavily influenced by Peter. He upheld the traditional view about circumcision and observation of the Jewish Law. In other words, as Jews the followers of Jesus had to follow the Jewish laws.
Paul of Tarsus, on the other hand, said that there was no longer any need for those new to Christianity to observe the Mosaic Law and become Jews, since Christianity was something different to Judaism.
A compromise was reached. Those who were born as Jews but who had become followers of Jesus would continue to observe the laws of the Jews. Those who were converts did not have to. The prevailing idea was expressed by Peter,
"The truth I have come to realize is that God does not have favorites. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him." (Acts 10:34).
Laws particular to the Jews would no longer need to apply.
So, you see, it was not Jesus who changed the rule about eating pork. He was quite clear that the Law said you must not do so. As in so many other cases, it was his followers, who became known as the Church, who made this new rule.
If Christians did not have to become Jews, then Christians were no longer bound by the rules of circumcision or of dietary requirements. They could eat as much pork as they wanted.
That particular verse is showing you that the wickedness in ones heart comes out of their mouth and that is what really matters. Eating pork is not a sin that will send you to Hell; the reason we are commanded not to eat pork is because it will make you sick! Pigs are scavengers; they have no sweat glands; they were put here by God to clean the earth.....think about it, do you want to eat something like that./ I mean
Bible did allow Christians to eat pork in the New Testament (NT)?! Matthew 15:11 says it all!
Christians misinterpret the Bible and misquote the verses out of context simply to justify their foolish theories. Let us analyse what Matthew has to offer in defence of eating pork:
“What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him unclean, but what comes out of his mouth, this is what makes him ‘unclean’.”(Matt.15:11).
Based on the above verse, Christians argue that the NT allows them to eat and enjoy pork because what goes into anybodys mouth (preferably pork) does not make him unclean but what comes out of their mouth (filthy words) does.
If you read the scriptures, Matthew 15:1 all the way to Matthew 15:20 you will clearly understand that these verses do not specifically speak about eating pork. Let us analyse Matthew 15:1-20;
Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat." He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.' But you say, 'If anyone tells his father or his mother, "What you would have gained from me is given to God," he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" (Matthew 15:1-9, ESV)
And he called the people to him and said to them, "Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person." Then the disciples came and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" He answered, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit." But Peter said to him, "Explain the parable to us." And he said, "Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone." (Matthew 15:10-20, ESV)
Firstly, Nobody in the above verse spoke about pork or eating pork.
Secondly, it is very clear that Jesus was telling a parable (a short moral story) for which Peter wanted further description..
Thirdly, by saying "What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him unclean...." Jesus meant that the teaching of Moses that were spoon fed (into the mouth) to his disciples did not make them unclean rather they were enlightened by the words of God.
Jesus felt bad because the Pharisees & Scribes did not follow the God's commandments and he says "....So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites!..."
Later Jesus calls his people and says unto them, "Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person."
These words in its right context clearly means that Knowledge (from God through Moses to his people) had made his people NOT unclean but their hypocritical response to issue (as Jesus had said in the above verse ".....If anyone tells his father or his mother, "What you would have gained from me is given to God," he need not honor his father.'..." ) is of shame and filthy.
This is why Jesus says "....but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person....". He clearly meant Godly knowledge that is preached (by Moses) had made (the mind and soul of) his disciples clean but since they tampered scriptures and altered it to suite their routine they proved themselves unclean.
The above verses from Bible clearly mention that swine is uncean. Dont try to categorise significant unclean or whatever absurdity you are saying. Swine is unclean.
Eating pork was allowed so pagan converted Christians in the early church did not have to give up certain food in order to get more converts to their religion. They also abandoned circumsion in the early church becuase it would not attract more pagans to come to the christian religion. You can read all about it in Acts of the Apostles in New Testament.
Number four, the verses are clear forbidding the consumption of swine meat. It does not say ''only for jews'' or only for gentiles. If you think that bible allows consumption of swine meat for gentiles than bring a prove from the Bible rather than typing your beliefs.
God in bible tells that pig is unclean due to the reasons it mentions in the Deut. 14:8 found on OT which is a part of Bible (which christians are supposed to follow, but which is another topic). Its crystal clear that Bible prohibits the consumption of pork.
''Jews arent allowed because God told them in the Torah that they aren't allowed.
Muslims dont eat pork because its prohibited in Islam
Christians are allowed because they said Jesus fulfilled all the laws and that anything to eat is now ok for them. Funny thing there is that none of the laws in the Jewish Torah were ever given to Gentiles to follow and they were never bound by them in the first place. So how Jesus freed them from something they were never bound by is a mystery indeed. It's actually not a mystery, it's pure bull****!''
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Christians like to say "It no longer applies"
Nothing in the OT that they dont like no longer applies, but miraculously all the nice easy stuff still applies
Hypocritical!
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Peter himself gives the explanation of the vision:
Not so, Lord! For I have never
eaten anything common or unclean" Acts 10:14
"But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean." (Acts 10:28)
More than three years after Jesus ascended to heaven, Peter had not the slightest thought of eating pork. Pigs are still unclean
So this bogus roman idea , that pigs were purified after Jesus coming , is flushed down the toilet
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Jesus never at pork.
However, the followers of chrisitinaity are the follower of Paul....It was through his way of apeasing the Roman institution that he made these things permissable.
I would say Muslims are better followers of Jesus than todays christians..
Why -
- He prayed like other Muslims (prostrating on the ground)
- He commanded his peace to say "Peace Be upon you" - Muslims do this, christians dont (generally)
- He was circumcised
- he would fast (Muslims Do)
You should first make yourself clear about who you really are before indulging in debates. Now you have invented a new terminology ''Christian Gentiles''. The Torah is for Jews and Jesus was a Messiah. Either you are supposed to follow OT completely or you are not. You cant cherry pick what you like and leave to Jews what you dont like.
We dont need your definition of uncleans , no matter how you try to twist it, It is clear for everyone that pork meat is considered as unclean either hygenically or spiritual and it is prohibited. The question is not the definition of clean but its prohibition in the Bible.
When were ''gentile christians'' were bound by Torah ? hah! Matthew or Mark or paul may confirm that but Jesus confirmed the law of OT so whoever said anything against Jesus teachings has disobeyed him. Now I know that you will be tempted to bring in your Holy Spirit here and try to prove that these other guys i.e. paul etc are indeed holy!
"Are you so dull?" he (Jesus) asked, "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him unclean? For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean.") He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' For from within, out of men's hearts come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean'."
Mark 7:18-23
However, not everyone believed that this is what Jesus meant. Because the apostles still believed in the prohibition of certain food.
In the Book of Acts the Apostles wrote a letter to the gentiles to abstain from certain foods.
Acts 15:29
29You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
There are also Christians that don't believe that Mark 7 shows that Jesus declared all food clean.
Yes, pork is not considered as clean and hence is unclean. God mandated in the Torah but he didnt say anywhere ''Go Gentile Christians! And eat as much pork as you want!''
Jesus came to keep up the law of Moses, That's it. Dont play here and there.
From where did this verse mean "... that were involved in pagan rituals" ? You simply added it!
Act 15.29 makes clear that Disciples did observe prohibition on unclean good. Since , according to YOU, eating pork is a pagan ritual and God wanted jews to be differentiated from them in order to prepare them for the great coming of Christ, It is clear that God wanted believers not to eat pork as only pagans eat pork. So God manted that His People i.e. Jews stay away from Pork ! So Believers of God dont consume pork while the so called gentile Christians today consume pork happily , so they are following the footsteps of pagans rather than of People of God.
. It clearly says that God made no distinction between Jews and Gentile Christians that means that whatever he chose for Jews he chose for Gentiles, Whatever He wished for Jews he wished for Gentile, Whatever he legislated for Jews, was unconditionally legislated for the Gentiles. He categorically mentioned pork meat as unclean for Jews and so he did for Gentiles. And on the face of these words of Peter, it will be lie to say that God considered Gentile to be unclean since Peter says clearly that He makes no distinction between them and Jews.
Act 15:29 talks about not eating food sacrificed for idols , so this is where we can see that we should not be eating meat sacrificed for idols.
This proves that Jesus , The God ACCORDING TO CHRISITANS , considered pigs as unclean as the God in OT considered them as unclean , which is why he allowed demon to enter in pigs.. The God , The Creator of All will never allow demon to enter in HIS OWN CREATION. But Jesus did, proving that he considered it to be unclean. That is why even Demons asked permission to enter into pig but not into camel or goat becaust pig is unclean so are demons.
So gentile dont have to follow any rule regarding unclean or clean , eh?
here is the answer:
Acts 15:29
29You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
Gentiles dont even have to follow any of OT or NT. Gentiles were never bound by the LAW.
Is there a prohibition on consumption of pork meat in Bible ?
Yes there is. Bible consists of OT and NT. In OT the prohibition is found in Leviticus 11:7-8.
Did Jesus outlaw this ruling ?
No he didnt. No where did Jesus go against this law. He infact was a good Jew and followed the Jewish law in His life and never ate pork meat.
Jesus allowing Demons into pigs.
If Jesus is God according to Bible, than how can a God permit a demon to go and reside in a pig? It is clear that Jesus considered them evil and that they are not permitted for consumption that is why they allowed the devil to go in them.
Jesus about Pigs
I will repeat it here since it as usual went unanswered and ignored
The Gospels imply that eating pork is forbidden, since Jesus murdered over 2,000 pigs by drowning them in the sea, and he will destroy the pigs on his Second Coming.
And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. (Matthew 8:32, Mark 5:13)
As per the below Hadith , he will kill the pigs for good in his 2nd coming
Volume 3, Book 34, Number 425:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, son of Mary (Jesus) will shortly descend amongst you people (Muslims) as a just ruler and will break the Cross and
kill the pig and abolish the Jizya (a tax taken from the non-Muslims, who are in the protection, of the Muslim government). Then there will be abundance of money and no-body will accept charitable gifts. (Sahih Bukhari)
The reason Jews were prohibited swine meat in OT:
Jews were prohibited eating of swine meat because its unclean spiritually and hygenically. It is not that God wanted Jews to stay away from pagan SYMBOLOGY. If God wanted that so he would have told Jews however the restriction is specifically for the consumption of meat.
Did Disciples after Jesus observe commandments related to unclean and clean food?
Yes, refer to Act 15:29. It points out that disciples still obsereved prohibition and hence the argument that GOD MADE ALL FOOD CLEAN is invalid.
And also Peter in Acts 10:14
"Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean"
Thus the statment that anything that goes into the stomach doesnt make unclean is ridiculous That means that Pope , being the highest figure in Christiandom today , can eat raw snakes and still there will be no effect on his spirit and body. Ah, I'm luvin it.
If locked in a room for 2 whole weeks with the only food available being pork I’m certain that Gossamer Sky and the majority here would jump on and gorge on the meat (salvation be ****ed). Its hypocrisy to think otherwise, such is our human condition.
You are a like a slave of desires and whims . The pig was only sent to clean the earth and its flesh is clearly not meant for consumption
And now Christians themselves are starting to realise that pork is bad such as in below link
http://www.gnmagazine.org/video/03192009-bible-says-dont-eat-pork.htm
