The Bible initially forbids eating pork in the Old Testament, considering pigs unclean animals for the Israelites, but the New Testament introduces a more flexible perspective, allowing Christians to eat pork under the new covenant.
Old Testament Instructions
- Leviticus 11:7-8 and Deuteronomy 14:8 specifically declare, “Do not eat any of their meat or touch their carcasses—they are unclean for you” regarding pigs.
- These dietary laws were part of the Mosaic Law given to the Israelites for health reasons and to distinguish them as God’s chosen people.
- Eating pork was seen as rebellion against God in passages like Isaiah 65:3-4.
New Testament Perspective
- In Acts 10:9–16, Peter receives a vision in which God says, “What God has made clean, do not call common,” interpreted by many Christians as ending dietary restrictions, including those on pork.
- Acts 15:29 sets basic guidelines for Gentile Christians, but does not explicitly mention pork—focusing instead on “pollutions of idols, fornication, things strangled, and blood”.
- Most Christian theologians agree that the Old Testament restrictions do not apply under the new covenant, making pork permissible for Christians.
Summary Table
Testament| Rule on Pork| Main Reason| Key Verses
---|---|---|---
Old Testament| Forbidden| Ritual/Health| Leviticus 11:7-89, Deuteronomy 14:89,
Isaiah 65:3-43
New Testament| Permitted| Faith over Law| Acts 10:1536, Acts 15:291
Modern Practice
- Christians generally do not adhere to Old Testament dietary restrictions and eat pork freely.
- Some groups, like Seventh-day Adventists and Messianic Jews, choose to continue avoiding pork for religious or health reasons.
In summary, the Bible forbids pork for Israelites in the Old Testament, but allows it for Christians in the New Testament under a new covenant focused on faith.
