Alleged Contradictions and Distortions in the Bible

Alleged Contradictions and Distortions in the Bible

Alleged Contradictions and Distortions in the Bible

Allegation Two: Forbidding Pork vs. Endorsing It Elsewhere

“And the pig, though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.”

This command was part of the Mosaic Law given to Israel to set them apart as God’s holy people (Leviticus 11:44). However, in the New Testament, dietary restrictions were lifted. Jesus declared all foods clean (Mark 7:18-19), and Peter’s vision in Acts 10:13-15 confirmed this change, emphasizing the inclusion of Gentiles into God’s covenant. The shift highlights the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant under Christ.

Reconciling Leviticus 11:7-8 (Forbidding Pork) and Jesus’ Words on the Law

The question of how to reconcile Leviticus 11:7-8, which forbids the consumption of pork, with the New Testament teachings – especially Jesus’ words that He did not come to destroy the law (Matthew 5:17) and the lifting of dietary restrictions – requires an understanding of the historical and theological shift from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant.

The Purpose of the Mosaic Law – Leviticus 11:7-8, which prohibits eating pork, is part of the Mosaic Law given to the people of Israel. This law, including dietary restrictions, was a key aspect of the covenant between God and the Israelites. The purpose of these laws was to set Israel apart as a holy people, distinct from the surrounding nations, as a symbol of purity and obedience to God.

The dietary laws were not inherently about the food itself but about obedience and sanctification – serving as a sign of Israel’s special relationship with God.

Jesus and the Fulfillment of the Law – Jesus’ statement in Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them,” underscores His role in fulfilling the law, not in destroying it. Jesus did not come to invalidate the Old Testament commandments but to bring them to their intended fulfillment in His person. His life, death, and resurrection completed the requirements of the law, ushering in a new covenant based on grace, faith, and the work of Christ.

Jesus also declared all foods clean in Mark 7:18-19: “Are you so dull?” He asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) This statement was a radical departure from the Old Covenant’s dietary laws, emphasizing that external purity was not the point – rather, true purity comes from the heart.

Peter’s Vision and the Inclusion of the Gentiles – In Acts 10:13-15, Peter receives a vision in which God tells him to eat animals that were previously considered unclean, symbolizing the breaking down of barriers between Jews and Gentiles. This vision confirms the shift from the Old Covenant’s specific dietary laws to the New Covenant, where the distinction between clean and unclean foods is no longer relevant. God’s acceptance of all people, regardless of their dietary practices, marks the inclusion of Gentiles in the covenant of grace through Jesus Christ.

Theological Implications: Transition from Old to New Covenant – The transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant is central to understanding this issue. Jesus’ fulfillment of the law means that the ceremonial and civil laws, including dietary restrictions, were no longer necessary for salvation or for maintaining a holy relationship with God. The New Covenant, inaugurated by Christ, is based on faith in Jesus, not adherence to specific dietary laws. This shift is not a contradiction but a fulfillment – Jesus removed the external ceremonial boundaries and established an internal, spiritual transformation.

The apparent contradiction between Leviticus 11:7-8 and the New Testament teachings on food is resolved by understanding the broader theological context of the New Covenant. Jesus’ words in Mark 7 and Peter’s vision in Acts 10 clarify that dietary laws, like other elements of the Old Covenant, were symbolic and temporary, pointing to the greater fulfillment in Christ. Jesus did not destroy the law but fulfilled it, bringing a new way of relating to God – one based on grace, internal purity, and faith in Him. The dietary restrictions of the Old Covenant no longer apply to believers under the New Covenant, as Christ has made all foods clean.