Leviticus 17 · a question people ask
Do Christians still have to avoid eating blood?
Leviticus 17 gives the rule to Israel and to "any stranger who lives as a foreigner among you" (17:12). At the meeting in Jerusalem in Acts 15, James gave his judgment: "that we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God, but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood" (Acts 15:19-20). The letter that was sent said, "it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality" (Acts 15:28-29). Christians read that letter in two main ways. Both agree that the letter asked Gentile believers to abstain "from blood" (Acts 15:29), and that it laid on them "no greater burden" than those things (Acts 15:28).
How Christians read it
Where Christians differ, Favor sets out the main views side by side and doesn't pick one.
A rule still kept
Those who hold this view note that the rule was given before Israel, to Noah: "But flesh with its life, that is, its blood, you shall not eat" (Genesis 9:4). Leviticus 17 applies it to the stranger as well as to Israel (17:10, 17:12). The letter called it one of "these necessary things" (Acts 15:28), and later James and the elders told Paul: "concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written our decision that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from strangled things, and from sexual immorality" (Acts 21:25). They read the ban on blood as still binding on Christians.
Genesis 9:3-4 · Leviticus 17:10-12 · Acts 15:28-29 · Acts 21:25
A rule for living together then
Those who hold this view note the reason given right after the list: "For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath" (Acts 15:21). They read the letter as guidance for Gentile believers living alongside Jewish believers in that time. They point to Jesus' words, "whatever goes into the man from outside can’t defile him" (Mark 7:18), to Paul, "I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean of itself" (Romans 14:14), and to "Let no one therefore judge you in eating or drinking" (Colossians 2:16). They read the ban on blood as no longer binding on Christians as a food law.
Acts 15:19-21 · Mark 7:18 · Romans 14:14 · Colossians 2:16-17
The verses
““‘Any man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who eats any kind of blood, I will set my face against that soul who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood. I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life. Therefore I have said to the children of Israel, “No person among you may eat blood, nor may any stranger who lives as a foreigner among you eat blood.””
“Therefore my judgment is that we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God, but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood. For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.””
“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell.””