Where does the Bible say that it is a sin for anyone to eat unclean animals? Do you know how and why the Bible draws a distinction between clean and unclean animals?
The Word of God says that certain animals, aka common animals, are unclean. It says in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronmy 14:
Leviticus 11:2-3, 7
2Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These [are] the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that [are] on the earth. 3Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, [and] cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. 7...And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he [is] unclean to you.
Deuteronomy 14:3, 8
3Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing. 8...And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it [is] unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.
That's the where and here's the why: YHWH teaches separation, separation between things that are holy, and things that are profane. YHWH made a distinction between animals so that we understand that YHWH has standards and he has drawn a line. Part of that line is clean and unclean meats.
It says so in Leviticus 11.
In case anyone still thinks it's wrong to eat pork, read Mark 7:14-23.
You have taken that verse out of context. It does not mean anything close to what you are trying to make it say. When we read this, we need to consider the whole chapter. I'll do so now:
Mark 7:1-
4
1Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. 2And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. 3For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash [their] hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. 4And [when they come] from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, [as] the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.
Okay, now, from reading this, what do we find the problem to be? Answer: Pharisees had come to condemn Yeshua and the disciples because they did not follow a Talmud custom of washing the hands, or mikva. What this is, is before eating or worshiping, Jews would dip their hands into a thing of water and if at least one drop of water came down off their elbow, they were ritually clean and could commence their part in the meal or service. If the drop didn't come off, they were unclean and would go through the detailed cleansing process.
This and only this is the problem so far. There is nothing, not even a hint of clean or unclean animals.
Mark 7:5-8
5Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? 6He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me. 7Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men. 8For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as] the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
Okay, now here we see Yeshua's response to the Pharisees's accusation. He says, "You say you honor Me, but your heart is elsewhere". He is saying to them that they are the ones that are wrong (The Pharesees are wrong and Jesus is right, who'd a thought). But notice certain phrases He uses. He says that they teach the commandments of men and make them doctrines. And when they do that, they put aside the commandment of God. Jesus has the commandment of God, and from up above what have we established as the commandment of God? Certain meats are unclean. The washing of the hands the Pharisees are preaching has nothing to do with Torah or God, but Talmud, Jewish traditions (hence the phrase, traditions of men).
Mark 7:9-13
7And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. 10For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: 11But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban"--' (that is, a gift to God), 12And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 13Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
Now we get to the real issue of which Jesus was talking about later.Jesus says "you reject me, God, when you don't honor your parents". Now wait a minute!! When did paretns get involved! Most people don't realize what this verse is about because they just don't want to be accountable to God and keep Torah. This is talking about Corban, the giving of possessions (in this case property) to the synagouges as a gift to God. At some later time they could redeem their property (I don't know how it works but something like this). When their property was Corbaned (I don't know if that's a word) then they could not shelter their parents when they were sick, or couldn't pay for their house, or whatever other problem that could have been. When they heard the news of their parents misfortune, then they would Corban their property so they could live on it but be able to say to thier parents "sorry, I have given it to God for the time". This is what Jesus was condeming.
Now, we have gone through everything we could have up untill this verse in question. So... I pose the question:
HAS THERE BEEN ANY ISSUE BETWEEN EITHER THE PHARISEES OR YESHUA CONCERING CLEAN AND UNCLEAN MEATS????
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(just want to stress this point)
Mark 7:14-17
14And when he had called all the people [unto him], he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one [of you], and understand: 15There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. 16If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 17And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. 18And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, [it] cannot defile him; 19Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? 20And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
So here is what Jesus said: "Listen to Me, things from the outside of man can't defile him, only the things on the inside can". Yeshua was talking about the washing of hands, was there anything about meats in this chapter up untill now? No! So why do we all of a sudden say that Jesus declared everything clean? We can't say that, it is unmerited.
However, some will say that "Jesus said word for word that he purged all meats!". Well... yes He did, but it was a parable. Look in verse 17, notice that Mark uses the term parable and why? Do you think it was because it was one? Parable means "don't take me literally!". Yeah Jesus said that word for word, but when he gave his other parables those things didn't actually happen! However we don't say that Jesus lied because they didn't happen, we understand that they were parables, just like this is a parable.
Originally, pork was not eaten because it carried diseases.
Even though this was probably the case, we don't know. Back then there wasn't refrigeration (surprise surprise) and the animals that YHWH declared unclean were ones that could go bad
really easily. Think about shrimp that isn't refrigerated... how would you keep it good?
I was hoping OObi would respond, but Lev 11 is directed toward the Israelites (note verse 11. In the Hebrew, the word lachem signals that the command is to a specific group). In other words, the eating of unclean animals is phrased as being detestable to the Israelites; it is not phrased as being an abomination to God.
We are all Israelites. It's a long story and I'll have to post again to explain it, but yeah...
Even if you weren't an Israelite (as in Jew, by race I mean, not religion) the it is still in effect for you.
Numbers 15:29
Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, [both for] him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them.
Shalom (Peace)