The Bible FORBIDS Pork; Why Christians IGNORE This Command

In this video, I’m going to try and clear up some confusion I often see regarding whether or not the bible says eating pork is forbidden, and the context behind these passages.

I’ll say off the top, it does say in the bible that eating pork is forbidden, specifically in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy which are in the Old Testament.

However, these books, which are part of the Torah, lay down various laws and principles guiding the Israelites under Mosaic law.

Today, Christians do not follow the Mosaic Law because they believe that Jesus' death and resurrection initiated a New Covenant, fulfilling the laws' ceremonial and judicial mandates.

Instead, Christians adhere to Jesus' teachings and the New Testament, emphasizing faith and the internal transformation that it brings, and the moral principles underlying the Mosaic Law.

Where in the Bible Does It Say Not to Eat Pork?

There are two passages that are commonly cited when pointing out where the bible says not to eat pork, these are:

Leviticus 11:7-8 (NIV):

"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 passage from Leviticus is part of a broader section where various dietary laws are outlined.

The text categorizes animals that are "clean" and "unclean," detailing which animals can and cannot be eaten.

The criteria for land animals (mammals) to be considered "clean" and fit for consumption include chewing the cud and having a divided hoof.

Pigs do not meet both criteria as they do not chew the cud, so they are considered unclean.

Deuteronomy 14:8 (NIV):

"The pig is also unclean; although it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses."

In Deuteronomy, Moses reiterates the laws of the covenant, including the dietary restrictions, to the new generation of Israelites before they enter the Promised Land.

Similar to the passage in Leviticus, this verse explicitly labels pigs as unclean due to their lack of one of the criteria required for land animals to be eaten according to these laws.

These laws, including the prohibition of eating pork, were particularly significant for the Israelites as they distinguished their cultural and religious identity from surrounding nations at the time.

They also had to follow these regulations to maintain ritual purity.

So, Why Is It Ok for Christians to Eat Pork Today?

Christians generally believe they can eat pork because New Testament teachings emphasize spiritual purity over dietary laws.

This belief stems from three main points:

1 - Jesus declared all foods clean, teaching that moral conduct matters more than what one eats (Mark 7:18-19).

2 - Peter's vision, where he was instructed to not consider impure what God has made clean, indicated a shift from Jewish dietary laws (Acts 10:13-15).

3 - Paul emphasized that faith, not adherence to dietary rules, is the core of Christian practice, and believers shouldn't judge each other based on diet (Romans 14:17).

These teachings drove Christians to move away from Old Testament dietary laws, focusing instead on faith and internal purity.

However, I have encountered some Christian denominations and groups that choose to follow dietary guidelines similar to the dietary laws in the Old Testament, and that’s fine.
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I hope this video answered all the questions you had around where and why the bible says not to eat pork, and why those laws are not followed today for the most part.

Before you go, please do take the time to press the like button, subscribe to the channel, and join as a member if you’d like to support the channel and my work spreading God’s word.

God bless, and have a great day.

Also answered:
Did jesus eat pork
What does the new testament say about eating pork
Eating swine in revelation

Chapters
00:00 - Intro
00:58 - Where in the Bible Does It Say Not to Eat Pork?
01:16 - Leviticus 11:7-8 (NIV)
02:05 - Deuteronomy 14:8 (NIV)
02:57 - So, Why Is It Ok for Christians to Eat Pork Today?
04:15 - Conclusion

Video editing including stock footage and audio was done with VEED under their licensing terms.

#jesus #biblestudy #pork