Kosher

Fallen Seraph

Why do christians not observe kosher? It's laid down as law in the old testament (as is my understanding) so it must surely be said as not necessary in the new testament, would someone point me in the direction of the passage?

BrianCalgary

Just a quick reference.

Romans 14:13-15

13Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. 14As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food[a] is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. 15If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died.

Fallen Seraph

Thank you, and what of the laws regarding sacrifices? And of sacrifices in general?

BrianCalgary

The Book of Hebrews was written to explain Christ in terms that the Jew would understand. A read of it would explain sacrifices.

Hebrews 9:15
For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

Hebrews cahpter 10 also talks about the subject quite well. A little too big to post here.

Link:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=65&chapter=10&version=31

Fallen Seraph

Thank you.

Lunoma

Also, Jews are much more picky with their food!!!

I observe most Kosher but not all as it's too hard today. I won't eat pork or shellfish for example. Muslims also observe Kosher but they call it Hallal or something, I think.

But why in the tale of the Prodigal Son,does he sleep in a pig farm? Why would they have pig farms back then if they didn't eat pig? If one goes to Israel-Palestine, one will find very few pig farms.

BrianCalgary

Lunoma wrote:

Also, Jews are much more picky with their food!!!

I observe most Kosher but not all as it's too hard today. I won't eat pork or shellfish for example. Muslims also observe Kosher but they call it Hallal or something, I think.

But why in the tale of the Prodigal Son,does he sleep in a pig farm? Why would they have pig farms back then if they didn't eat pig? If one goes to Israel-Palestine, one will find very few pig farms.

Probably the farm wasn't owned by Jews.

Lunoma

BrianCalgary wrote:

Probably the farm wasn't owned by Jews.

Yes. You're probably right.

UU

I tried Kosher meat once. It actuallty tastes so remarkably nice. The secret ingredient is faith!!!

hairyheretic

Lunoma wrote:

But why in the tale of the Prodigal Son,does he sleep in a pig farm? Why would they have pig farms back then if they didn't eat pig? If one goes to Israel-Palestine, one will find very few pig farms.

Given the relationship between jews and pork, perhaps the pig farm was to show he'd fallen about as low as he could. I would imagine that the idea of living with pigs would be pretty repulsive to the initial audience of the story.

athena 2000

Fallen Seraph wrote:

Why do christians not observe kosher? It's laid down as law in the old testament (as is my understanding) so it must surely be said as not necessary in the new testament, would someone point me in the direction of the passage?

Good question. Some rare Christians do keep kosher, but most do not. Brian Calgary’s reference in the letter to the Romans is mainly why. To fill in the picture a little more, as more people became Christians in the early church, there was a decision made among the church leaders and apostles that to require gentile believers to keep the kosher food laws along with other specific Mosaic laws was not practical and added a religious burden that wasn't required for salvation. There was a lot of discussion and argument about it. James decided that the necessary things for gentile Christians to observe concerning food was to not to eat things that had been strangled (killed inhumanely) or things that had not had the blood drained from it. There is also direction to stay away from things sacrificed to idols (this seems to be food offerings - others may know better).

The background and decision is found in Acts 15: 1-31.

(I can hardly imagine keeping Jewish orthodox style kosher as it is interpreted today. Two sets of everything, including sinks, stovetops, cookware, dishwashers, refrigerators, dishes, utensils and cabinetry for storage could make you lose your mind.)

athena 2000

Lunoma wrote:

But why in the tale of the Prodigal Son,does he sleep in a pig farm? Why would they have pig farms back then if they didn't eat pig? If one goes to Israel-Palestine, one will find very few pig farms.

In the parable of the prodigal son, as it is told, the younger son has journeyed to a distant country where he squanders his inheritance. He ends up as a servant slopping pigs that eat better than he does! A really colorful illustration for a Hebrew audience about bottoming out, like Hairyheretic points out. Parable location at Luke 16:11-32. I knew my religious instruction might come in handy!

Worztron

Both kosher and halal slaughter involve extreme cruelty. It cannot be justified to treat animals with such disregard. :mad:

Fanny Cradock

This thread is 5 years old! What's the deal with dragging it up?