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This is a topic that I personally have wavered back and forth on for years. This is where I currently sit with the issue and I would appreciate your thoughts.
There are four different scripture passages in the new testament that persons will use to try to substantiate their belief that the unclean animals mentioned in Lev 11 were only unclean for a period of time and today we can eat anything we want.
The first would be Mark 7:18-19
"So He said to them, 'Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods."
Now on the surface, without considering any context, it sounds like Jesus is saying that all the unclean animals mentioned in God's instruction book are okay because they will not defile a man, but is this really what He is saying in context? To just read a verse or two without looking at context is the fastest way to erroneous doctrine and belief, so let's start back at the beginning of the chapter to see what Jesus is actually talking about.
Mark 7:2 - "Now when they (Pharisees) saw some of His disciples eat bread with DEFILED, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault." -
Elders taught - if you eat bread without a washing ceremony you were defiled. This is a practice which was not, nor never was a part of God's dietary instruction, but rather a rule that they made up themselves.
:3 - "For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the traditions of the elders."
The issue Jesus is addressing here is a tradition of man (elders) and NOT God, and therefore in context is not talking about God's dietary law at all, but rather man's traditions.
:4 - "When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they ghave received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches."
Here we learn that there are many traditions of MAN that these people established and believed that they would defile a man. Again, this is nothing to do with God's dietary laws, but here we clearly see, Jesus is pointing out their own traditions, not God's.
:5 - "Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, 'Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?"
Again we have confirmation that this set of scriptures is talking about traditions of man (elders) and NOT the law of God.
:6 - 8- "He answered and said unto them - 'Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrine the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men - the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such thing you do."
Here Jesus is laying into them because they are holding their own traditions above God's. Once again, we see that Jesus is referencing and attacking the traditions of the ELDERS - NOT God's dietary laws!!! Notice how Jesus mentions that they are 'laying aside the commandment of God' - He's actually upholding God's law here!!!
:9 - "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your traditions."
Again and again, Jesus is making reference to these people holding their own traditions above God's law thereby rejecting God's law. Jesus Christ is making a grand distinction between the law of God and the commandments of men - the two were contrary to one another and Jesus is attacking their traditions which they held in higher regard to God's law. He is in no way attacking the law of God here, if anything He is upholding it.
:10 - 13 - Here we have an example of how they have held their own tradition above God's law.
So in this passage of scripture Jesus is teaching that a bit of dirt on your hands that then ends up in your stomach is not what defiles a man. He's explaining that real defilement is what comes out of a man's heart. And what was the 'heart issue' that Jesus was attacking them with... Thinking that their traditions were superior to God's commandments.
At no time in this passage of scriptures is God's dietary laws mentioned. In context this is talking about eating food with unwashed hands which had nothing to do with God's dietary laws. Part II soon.
There are four different scripture passages in the new testament that persons will use to try to substantiate their belief that the unclean animals mentioned in Lev 11 were only unclean for a period of time and today we can eat anything we want.
The first would be Mark 7:18-19
"So He said to them, 'Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods."
Now on the surface, without considering any context, it sounds like Jesus is saying that all the unclean animals mentioned in God's instruction book are okay because they will not defile a man, but is this really what He is saying in context? To just read a verse or two without looking at context is the fastest way to erroneous doctrine and belief, so let's start back at the beginning of the chapter to see what Jesus is actually talking about.
Mark 7:2 - "Now when they (Pharisees) saw some of His disciples eat bread with DEFILED, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault." -
Elders taught - if you eat bread without a washing ceremony you were defiled. This is a practice which was not, nor never was a part of God's dietary instruction, but rather a rule that they made up themselves.
:3 - "For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the traditions of the elders."
The issue Jesus is addressing here is a tradition of man (elders) and NOT God, and therefore in context is not talking about God's dietary law at all, but rather man's traditions.
:4 - "When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they ghave received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches."
Here we learn that there are many traditions of MAN that these people established and believed that they would defile a man. Again, this is nothing to do with God's dietary laws, but here we clearly see, Jesus is pointing out their own traditions, not God's.
:5 - "Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, 'Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?"
Again we have confirmation that this set of scriptures is talking about traditions of man (elders) and NOT the law of God.
:6 - 8- "He answered and said unto them - 'Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrine the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men - the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such thing you do."
Here Jesus is laying into them because they are holding their own traditions above God's. Once again, we see that Jesus is referencing and attacking the traditions of the ELDERS - NOT God's dietary laws!!! Notice how Jesus mentions that they are 'laying aside the commandment of God' - He's actually upholding God's law here!!!
:9 - "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your traditions."
Again and again, Jesus is making reference to these people holding their own traditions above God's law thereby rejecting God's law. Jesus Christ is making a grand distinction between the law of God and the commandments of men - the two were contrary to one another and Jesus is attacking their traditions which they held in higher regard to God's law. He is in no way attacking the law of God here, if anything He is upholding it.
:10 - 13 - Here we have an example of how they have held their own tradition above God's law.
So in this passage of scripture Jesus is teaching that a bit of dirt on your hands that then ends up in your stomach is not what defiles a man. He's explaining that real defilement is what comes out of a man's heart. And what was the 'heart issue' that Jesus was attacking them with... Thinking that their traditions were superior to God's commandments.
At no time in this passage of scriptures is God's dietary laws mentioned. In context this is talking about eating food with unwashed hands which had nothing to do with God's dietary laws. Part II soon.
