Leviticus 11 · a question people ask
Do Christians still keep these food laws?
Leviticus gave these laws to "the children of Israel" (11:2). The New Testament speaks about food more than once, and Christians read it in two main ways. Both agree on what Jesus said about the heart: "All these evil things come from within and defile the man" (Mark 7:23). And both agree that the call to be holy still stands, since Peter quotes it to his readers: "You shall be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16).
How Christians read it
Where Christians differ, Favor sets out the main views side by side and doesn't pick one.
No longer required
Jesus said, "Don’t you perceive that whatever goes into the man from outside can’t defile him" (Mark 7:18). In Peter's vision a voice said, "What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean" (Acts 10:15). Paul writes, "I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean of itself" (Romans 14:14), and "All things indeed are clean" (Romans 14:20). "Let no one therefore judge you in eating or drinking" (Colossians 2:16), for these "are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ’s" (Colossians 2:17). "For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving" (1 Timothy 4:4). On this reading, Christians may eat any food, and one who chooses not to, "to the Lord he doesn’t eat" (Romans 14:6).
Mark 7:18 · Acts 10:15 · Romans 14:14 · Romans 14:20 · Colossians 2:16-17 · 1 Timothy 4:3-5 · Romans 14:6
Still to be kept
On this reading, the New Testament passages about food answer other questions. Mark 7 begins with the disciples eating "with unwashed hands" (Mark 7:5), and Matthew's account ends, "but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man" (Matthew 15:20). In Acts, Peter still said, "I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean" (Acts 10:14), and he explained his vision as being about people: "God has shown me that I shouldn’t call any man unholy or unclean" (Acts 10:28). Jesus said, "Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17).
Mark 7:1-5 · Matthew 15:20 · Acts 10:14 · Acts 10:28 · Matthew 5:17
The verses
““Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘These are the living things which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth.”
“He said, “That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man. For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts, covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile the man.””
“but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior, because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.””