According to Leviticus, the Israelites could not eat the flesh of certain animals, both domestic and wild. These prohibitions served two purposes. On the one hand, they forbade various kinds of flesh, among which were those most likely to be infected by harmful organisms. And on the other hand, these prohibitions helped to strengthen the barrier between the Israelites and the surrounding nations. The Mosaic Law was to be a temporary arrangement. Writing to fellow Christians, the apostle Paul described it as a “tutor leading to Christ.” (Galatians 3:24) A tutor of ancient times accompanied children to and from school. He was generally not the teacher; he merely led the children to the teacher. Similarly, the Mosaic Law was designed to lead God-fearing Jews to Christ. Jesus promised that he would be with his followers “all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.” (Matthew 28:20) Once the Christian congregation was formed, therefore, the “tutor”—the Law—served no further purpose. (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:25) The dietary restrictions concerning clean and unclean animals are no longer incumbent on Christians. Thus each Christian is free to choose what will be included in his or her diet.
