Christians and Food Laws discussion notes

 For video click here:

Why did God classify some foods as “unclean”?

• The simple answer, because God said so!
• The Bible focuses on the purpose which explains the rationale;
• Primarily for religious reasons, to distinguish one nation from the others: 

Lev 11.8 "they are unclean to you."

Lev. 11.28 "they are unclean to you."

Meier, A Marginal Jew Rethinking the Historical Jesus, Volume 5, 1991:

"The most frequent use of “clean” and “unclean” in the Jewish Scriptures is in the context of cult." 

• As a sign to the nations:

Leviticus 20:24b I am the LORD your God, who has set you apart from the peoples.

25 You are therefore to distinguish between clean and unclean animals and birds. 

26 You are to be holy to Me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be My own.

Are food laws for health issues?

• It was not always so; In the beginning, all foods are clean; God’s Covenant with Noah declared all foods clean: Genesis 9

2 "Every bird of the air, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are delivered into your hand. 

3 Everything that lives and moves will be food for you."

• NOTE: “unclean” does not equal bad, cp. Gen 1.25

God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.

Jer. 27.5

With my great strength and powerful arm I made the earth and all its people and every animal. I can give these things of mine to anyone I choose.

• Unclean does not equal unhealthy: ESV Study Bible, Lev. 11.1-8

The diet of these animals is apparently not the basis of their cleanness or uncleanness. The passage itself says nothing about what the animals eat, and the camel, rock badger (hyrax), and hare are exclusively vegetarian but unclean. 

• Improper cooking/serving of any meat can be unhealthy!
• For Christians, the NT removes all distinctions: Jesus, Mar 7:14-20; God, Acts 10-11; Jerusalem church, Acts 14; James, 21; Paul, Rom 14.14, 20, etc.

Tyndale, Acts by I.H. Marshall.

Christians realized that the cancellation of this law was part of the new order brought by Jesus, and that some of the things said by Jesus implied the abolition of the Jewish distinction between things clean and unclean (Mk. 7:19). 

Similarly, Paul ((Rom. 14:14).... 

For the NT the words common = unclean are synonymous!

• Unclean animals came to be called "common" during the Maccabean period, BC times.
• Hence, in the NT Greek koinos common is synonymous with akarthatos unclean used in LXX of Leviticus:

Mark 7.2, 5 "common hands";

Mark 7:15 "Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile make them unclean, koinos."

Mark 7:19b, most translations.

“In saying this Jesus declared all foods clean [katharizon].”

Cp. parallel account in Luke 11.41 GNT

“But give what is in your cups and plates to the poor, and everything will be ritually clean [kathara] for you.”

• The Dr. Historian Luke:

Acts 10.14b NASB 1995

But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy [koinos] and unclean[akathartos].”

Acts 11.8b NIV

“Nothing impure [koinos] or unclean [akathartos] has ever entered my mouth.”

• The Apostle Paul

Romans 14.14 

“I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean [koinos] in itself.”

Romans 14.20b

“All food is clean [katharos]."

NOTE: Jew-Gentile Table-fellowship established by Jesus.

• Jesus ate with “sinners," i.e., Jews or Gentiles who did not meet the demands of the purityregulations of the Torah.  

Matt 9:10-17; Mark 2:15-22; Luke 5:29-39.

• Jewish ID markers removed by Jesus meaning non-Torah keeper and Gentile inclusion in the Messianic banquet: Luke 13:

28“There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 

29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 

BOTTOM LINE: Apostolic council verdict

• Gentiles should not be circumcicsed, i.e., not keep the Law of Moses!

Acts 15.19

“And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.”

Acts 21:25a, almost 10 years later!

“With regard to the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter containing our decision and concluded that they observe no such thing.”

Summary:

• In Rom 14.14, 20 Paul was convinced, by the teaching of the lord Jesus himself back in Mar 7, that everything is clean!
• As a result, the HS directs the Jewish Jerusalem Council "concluded that they observe no such thing.”
• NT warnings! Col 2.16a

"So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink" 

Heb 13.9, etc. 

“Don’t be swept off your course by all sorts of outlandish teachings. 

It is good that we should gain inner strength from the grace of God and not from rules about food, which have never benefited those who observed them.”

When did God cancel the food laws?

“Evidently in the moment at which this was stated [in Acts 10:9-16]. But later Christians realized that the cancellation of this law was part of the new order brought by Jesus, and that some of the things said by Jesus implied the abolition of the Jewish distinction between things clean and unclean; this was the implication of what Jesus taught when he said that it was unnecessary to wash one's hand for ritual reasons (as distinct from hygienic reasons) before a meal, and Mark commented, 'Thus he declared all foods clean (Mk. 7:19). 

Similarly, Paul said, 'I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself((Rom. 14:14), and we can take it that this i principle was accepted in Corinth by the Jewish Christians who probably took their inspiration from Peter; what Paul was trying to teach them was not that ordinary food was 'clean' but that even food offered to idols and sold in the market place was 'clean', since idols were non-existent (1 Cor. 10:19). 

There need be no doubt, therefore, that at some early point, Peter and other Jewish Christians came to see that they could eat any kind of food and ignore the Old Testament ruling on the matter which was no longer valid.”

(Tyndale commentary on Acts by I.H. Marshall)

Matthew 28:19 by "Church Fathers" and Eusebius BEFORE Nicaea, 325 AD.

 Go and baptize in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit

1. Didache 7;cp. 9:5 "in the name of the Lord" (c. 50-90 A.D.)
2. Justin Martyr, First Apology (c. 155 A.D.) For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water...
3. Tatian, Diatessaron (c. 170-175 A.D.)
4. Irenaus, Against Heresies (c. 190 A.D.)
5. Tertullian, On Baptism (c. 200 A.D.)
6. Hipollytus, Against the Heresy of One Noetus (c. 230 A.D.)
7. Origen, Commentary on Romans (c. 244 A.D.)
8. Xanthippe and Polyxena, Acts of Xanthippe and Polyxena (c. 250 A.D.)
9. Gregory Thaumaturgus, Sectional Confession of Faith (c. 250 A.D.)
10. Cyprian, Epistle to Jubaianus (c. 256 A.D.)
11. Dionysius of Alexandria, letter to Xystus of Rome (c. 257 A.D.)
12. Victorinus, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John (c. 300 A.D.)

Eusebius of Caesarea, who was "Arian," i.e., unitarian! 

1. Theophania, book 4 (date unknown)
2. Letter on the Council of Nicaea to Caesarea (c. 325 A.D.)
3. Against Marcellus  book 1 (c. 335 A.D.)
4. Ecclesiastical Theology, book 3 (c. 335 A.D.)

2nd Human Jesus Conference Schedule + Speakers

This year's theme: “What is man, that you make so much of him or pay him any mind?"

This year's focus will be on why it's important to believe Jesus is the uniquely procreated, human Son of God (John 20:31) and what titles like “son of man,” “lord” mean (Ps 110.1).

Friday, Dec. 3, 2021.

(All times Eastern Standard Time, i.e., EST)

8 pm EST: Sir Anthony F. Buzzard

Title: Why Preexistence Does Matter!

Synopsis: Why a literal Preexistence view undermines the human Son of God.

Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021.

10 am EST: Nigel Page-Jones

Bio: Nigel is married to Tanya and they live in Liverpool, UK. Having been members of the Charismatic Church for many years, they started to question certain aspects of its teaching such as the gifts of the spirit. This started a long journey for them of unravelling other various deceptions. Following 25 years in the Charismatic Church they spent a further 2 years in a Reformed Baptist Church before leaving church all together. Nigel is currently writing a book about his experiences in church and the doctrinal errors that it teaches such as eternal torment and the trinity.

Title: The Pagan Trinity  

Synopsis: A look at some of the pagan origins of the Trinity and how it has been used as a means to introduce further pagan culture into the church today such as Christmas. The winter solstice has always been a significant date in the pagan calendar as a time to celebrate the rebirth of its false gods. Today, the entire world unknowingly still celebrates this same festival of so-called divine birth due to the false doctrine that Jesus is God.

11 am EST: Laureen

Bio: Laureen, aka Lori, is a former Jehovah's Witness who "woke up" after 30 years as a planner to pioneer. She currently hosts the website SimplyChristian.Faith and the YouTube Channel Finding Lori Jane. She is married with 4 children and lives in central Florida.

Title: The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived

Synopsis: How a former Jehovah's Witness went from believing Christ was the archangel Michael to the fully human, uniquely procreated Messiah.

2 pm EST: Matt Sacra

Bio: Matt Sacra holds a bachelors and masters degree in history, and recently taught strategy, innovation, and history at West Point, and is in the process of retiring from a 20-year career in the Army with his wife and five daughters in South-Central Pennsylvania.  He's written many articles on sin, salvation, Christology, other biblical topics in the last decade, including one recent publication (Nov 2020) on sin in Focus on the Kingdom Magazine.  He is also in the process of publishing his first book "The Armor of God" which highlights God's protection and Matt's growth and faith changes from his first deployment to Iraq in 2004-2005.  Passionate for Judeo-Christian history and biblical truths, Matt has helped lead and teach since 2016 both in person and online as one of the elders of All For Christ Fellowship, which includes members of the body of Christ from around the US and the world.  Their fellowship focuses especially on the topics of who God and Jesus are, what sin and righteousness are, the difference between the old and new covenants, and the kingdom of God and judgment to come.  They can be reached at allforchristfellowship@gmail.com.

Title: The Virgin Birth: Answering Some Common Objections

Synopsis: This presentation will address some common objections to the Virgin Birth such as:

• "It is too similar to the Angelic-Watcher's Genesis 6 sin"
• "It makes Jesus a 'Demi-God'"
• "It has too many Pagan Similarities"
• "It isn't a necessary or required doctrine"
• "It comes from corrupted scripture"

3 pm EST: Tracy Z

Bio: Tracy has been a missionary for most of her life, spending nearly 20 years in Russia. She currently works with many brethren all over the world and lives in Minnesota with her lovely family and farm. You can find her Kingdom ministry and missions outreach at: kogmissions.com and YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/c/KingdomofGodMinistryMissions

Title: The Importance of the Human Race

Synopsis: As David questioned long ago upon gazing into the heavens, we too ask the same question and explore the importance God gave to humanity, and to the Son of Man.

8 pm EST: Ken LaPrade

Bio:  Ken graduated from SMU with a B.A. in Religions in 1975. He began Bible studies in 1972 and continued missionary work in several U.S. locations, Spain, and Mexico. He and his wife Luz del Carmen have both worked as school teachers and have raised three sons. They are currently involved in presenting bilingual meetings with a biblical, Kingdom focus in El Paso, Texas; Ciudad Juarez, Mexico; Chihuahua, Mexico; and Santa Rosa, Texas.

Title: The Son of Man and Daniel's Prophecy.

Synopsis: According to a Hebrew way of thinking, what is meant by Jesus' declaration in John 6:62: What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?

9 pm EST: Carlos Xavier

Bio:  Carlos grew up agnostic before converting to the non-trinitarian view in 2006. He lives with his wife in Fayetteville, Georgia and currently works for Restoration Fellowship managing thehumanjesus.org christenemylove.com  jesuskingdomgospel.com  He also hosts a monthly Q&A with Sir Anthony Buzzard and has hosted noted Evangelical scholars like J.R. Daniel Kirk, Larry Hurtado and historian Richard E. Rubenstein. Carlos has also debated Apologists like Jonathan McLatchie, Michael Burgos and Matt Slick. 

Title: Biblical Agency: “Of the greatest importance to NT Christology.”

Synopsis: What does the Bible mean by the principle of agency? Where is it found in scripture? And why this principle is "of the greatest importance to NT Christology"?