Many of the prohibitions and requirements in the old testament seem pointless to the modern western mind. There is an aspect of old testament law that still exists today, the moral law. The new testament repeals the old testament food laws. They dig up certain passages on restrictions on beard trimming, or keeping your hair at a certain. A common argument is that the clean and unclean laws were part of the old covenant, and that. The bible, homosexuality, and shellfish by matthew. Before the last election, when the legislature had already voted to make samesex marriage legal, a candidate running for state representative for this area he lost was asked at a public meeting how he would have voted had he been in the state house when it came up for. This morning we are going to look at one of the most surprisingly wellknown themes of the bible the prohibition against eating shellfish. This law is found in the book of leviticus and has become famous because of another law in leviticus relating to sexual practices. In some religions, an unclean animal is an animal whose consumption or handling is taboo.
Homosexuality and shellfish old testament studies blog. It includes idolatry, human sexuality, loving god, loving your neighbor, sexual sins, etc. The old testament states in leviticus that, everything in the waters that has fins. Many christians think that since yeshua came and fulfilled all the law in himself, there is no need any longer for the. The argument is so bad, and so easily refuted, that anyone with even a basic understanding of either the new testament, or christian theology, would not attempt to make such claims. It is meant to poke fun at people like fred phelps, and at people who protest against gay people and gay marriage the point were trying to make is that by using the old testament specifically the book of leviticus as a basis for protesting gay marriage, you run into a couple of problems. One area that the world has surely done away with gods law is that of clean and unclean meats. In the new testament nt, there are at least three passages that refer to homosexual activity. Posted on monday, october 4, 2010 tuesday, june 25. After all, to most people, a good pork loin served with apples and nuts makes for a very fine. What i hear most often is christians ignore lots of old testament textsabout not eating raw meat or pork or shellfish, not executing people for breaking the sabbath, not wearing garments woven with two kinds of material and so on. So how can christians then justify upholding laws on sexual morality. Jesus discusses marriage only in a heterosexual context when he cites the book of genesis during a discussion of marriage matthew 19. How can evangelicals eat shellfish when the bible prohibits it.
We do not follow all the levitical laws in the old testament because some of those laws were intended only for israel, while others were for everyone. On sex and shellfish sermon from vintage faith church. The moral law is based on gods holy nature, which does not change. Many people find parts of the old testament daunting and challenging to understand. Leviticus chapter 11 lists the dietary restrictions god gave to the nation of israel. Why christians may eat shellfish but may not have sex. A case in point is the ban on eating pork leviticus 11. The moral law has no expiration because it is based on gods holiness and character. Clean and unclean animals 11 they shall be an abomination to you. What does the bible say about what foods we should eat kosher. The makers diet goodreads meet your next favorite book. Yes, christians can eat shellfish, but there is some history.
The pig is considered an unclean animal as food in judaism and islam. Second, the new testament follows the old testament creation ordinance of marriage defining it as between a man and a woman. If the new covenant in yeshua replaced the old jewish covenant, why do we need to read the old testament at all. For example, atonement for unintentional sins was meant for israel lev. The name stands for the original promise with god to the descendants of abraham in particular prior to the coming of jesus christ in the new testament or the new promise. The logic of the old testament wiscasset newspaper. The shellfish argument has no validity since sexual identity male and female and the definition of marriage man and woman are creation ordinances. Temple purity laws this is the category for all the laws discussing cleanliness and uncleanliness. The argument is that the book of leviticus condemns homosexuality but also condemns eating shellfish and wearing certain types of clothing. Provided eating is not done in front of those whom it might damage the only exception to the general freedom above is where any food either a clean food offered to idols e. Why would christians pick and choose what parts of the bible to follow.
If that wasnt enough, the new testament reconfirms their continuing and unending applicability. According to these religions, persons who handle such animals may need to ritually purify themselves to get rid of their uncleanliness. The old testament also known as the jewish tanakh is the first 39 books in most christian bibles. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. Exodus chronicles, among other things, israels infidelity to their covenant with god. And the latter two come up in conversations about the first. This book is called leviticus, because it treats of the offices, ministries, rites and ceremonies of the priests and levites. However verse 9 of leviticus 11 states that the israelites were not to eat anything which was water born.
Though the bible isnt a book about diet, there is an entire chapter in the old testament that could be labeled the bibles version of eat this, not that. The old testaments teachings on homosexuality are clearly a part of the moral law. Health principles are contained in the book of numbers, leviticus and deuteronomy to. One such part is that portion in exodus, leviticus, numbers, and deuteronomy. Bible verses related to eating shellfish from the king james version kjv by relevance. Bible q is it okay for christians to eat pork and shellfish. In a nutshell, this way of eating is a combo of paleo, and whole foods. The dietary laws included prohibitions against eating pork, shrimp, shellfish and many types of seafood, most insects, scavenger birds, and various other animals. The charge is often that christians are being inconsistent we allow polyester and enjoy shellfish, but we still condemn homosexuality. This is why the new testament agrees with and reinforces the old testaments prohibitions of this practice romans 1. There is no prohibition in genesis regarding shellfish gen. Simply stated, the homosexuality and shellfish argument falls apart when read as the scriptures are meant to be readwith a redemptivehistorical approach in view. Jesus repealed the dietary laws, but not the moral law.
Those who believe this quote passages from the bible that seem to say that all food, even the unclean ones, have somehow been made fit for us to eat today. Why did the old testament law command against the eating. The old testament prohibits eating shellfish as well as homosexual acts. With this understanding, it is good logic to think that god would advise on nutritional practices that could be harmful to the tribal health. My parents raised me following many jewish traditions and so i personally do not eat shellfish. What does the bible say about what foods we should eat. The old testament may forbid homosexual acts leviticus 18. After all, to most people, a good pork loin served with apples and nuts makes for a very fine meal. The old testament did not get its taboos from surrounding cultures, but some other cultures in later times adopted by experience some of these taboosthe laws were wonderfully fashioned by god for the general health of the nation r. The point of the law had nothing to do with the inherent immorality of eating shellfish, but it had to do, instead, with the reminding of israel that they were not like the other nations. In the new testament, jesus says that a not a jot or tittle of the law would be changed until all has come to pass, despite that the fact that he personally goes on to violate a number of old testament laws.
Periodically at least three or four times a year someone feels compelled to demonstrate his or her lack of knowledge of the bible by writing a letter to the editor of the local newspaper railing against biblebelievers who oppose homosexuality. Jesus even made a point in his life about the the topic of food and what is really important in the big picture of the life of a christian. Books of the bible list order complete new and old testament. Why did the old testament law command against the eating of pork. Do samesex marriage advocates have an argument for hypocrisy here. If homosexuality is wrong because leviticus says so, then shouldnt we also obey the other laws about shellfish, seed, fabrics, and fields because that is in leviticus as well. Leviticus is the third book in the old testament, coming after genesis and exodus.
The old testament is a narrative of the hebrew people with the central theme as the survival of this culture in spite of a hostile world and their ability to thrive in the promised land of israel. The old testament says that eating shellfish is a sin. Bible verses about eating shellfish king james bible. But leviticus also forbids eating shellfish lev 11. This article appeared as a sidebar to wrights learning to love leviticus, part of cts julyaugust cover story on grappling with the god of two testaments. The book of revelation, meanwhile, is a hallucinogenic headtrip without parallel from start to finish. Some laws had underlying reasons that may have contained health or good practices, but in the end the jews were supposed to be gods chosen people and to be counter culture. Does god require us to follow the old testament laws about not eating pork and other kinds of meat today. There were abominations that applied only to the jews such as eating shellfish. The book of leviticus itself makes distinctions between laws that applied specifically to israel and laws that applied to all nations at all times. Shellfish logic and the defense of homosexual marriage. The book of leviticus itself makes distinctions between laws that. Jesus is the final redactor of the old testament law. All kjv books old testament only new testament only apocrypha only.
Well, they are all mentioned in the bible as forbidden by god. Usage notes edit the use of this term is considered offensive by most jews, as it expresses the ideology that the tanach has been superseded by christian scriptures. Homosexuality, polyester, and shellfish headhearthand blog. Because of this, god makes some changes to his plan for his chosen people, including the legal code given in leviticus. The makers diet is similar to some other eating plans that have been around and the author describes a bunch of those. But anything in the seas or the rivers that has not fins and scales, of the swarming creatures in the waters and of the living creatures that are in the waters, is. The authors top foods this is a fascinating story of a young man who was deathly ill and finds his way to healing by going back to eating biblical foods. The new testament does not speak specifically on the eating of pork but having regard to the fact that it was forbidden in the old testament, there are at least four passages that indirectly address the concern. Why do we follow some levitical laws and not others. Does god require us to follow the old testament laws about. Leviticus is the third book in the old testament, coming after genesis. The old testament states in leviticus that, everything in the waters that has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers, you may eat. In this series in how to understand the bible we are focussing on how to understand the old testament.
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