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Clean  and  Unclean  

Many  consider  the  writings  in  the  Bible  to  be  outdated.  However,  Scripture  has  
much  to  say  about  what  God  intended  us  to  eat.  God  has  a  perfect  plan  for  humans,  
and  it  started  at  the  very  beginning  of  time.  
Jesus  Himself  created  this  planet  to  be  inhabited  and  enjoyed  by  humankind.  He  
wants  us  be  happy  and  healthy.    

The  Original  Human  Diet  

In  the  beginning,  God  created  everything  perfect.  There  were  no  weeds  and  no  
blights.    
Then  God  said,  ”Let  the  land  produce  vegetation:  seed-­bearing  plants  and  trees  on  the  
land  that  bear  fruit  with  seed  in  it,  according  to  their  various  kinds.”  And  it  was  so  
(Genesis  1:11  NIV).  
And  God  said,  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after  our  likeness:  and  let  them  have  
dominion  over  the  fish  of  the  sea,  and  over  the  fowl  of  the  air,  and  over  the  cattle,  and  
over  all  the  earth,  and  over  every  creeping  thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth  (Genesis  
1:26).  
After  God  created  the  perfect  world,  he  gave  Adam  and  Eve  instructions  about  their  
diet.  He  said,  "I  give  you  every  seed-­‐bearing  plant  on  the  face  of  the  whole  earth  and  
every  tree  that  has  fruit  with  seed  in  it"  (Genesis  1:29).  This  includes  nuts,  grains,  
legumes,  and  seeds.  
Our  human  digestive  system  is  geared  toward  the  diet  God  set  out  for  us  in  Genesis  
1.  The  length  of  the  digestive  tract  is  a  strong  indicator  of  what  type  of  food  is  
normally  eaten,  and  our  digestive  tract  is  12-­‐14  times  our  shoulder-­‐to-­‐hip  trunk  
length,  the  same  as  fruit-­‐eating  animals.  
Herbivores,  such  as  cattle,  have  a  gut-­‐length  20  times  their  body  length,  since  it  
takes  longer  to  digest  the  fiber  content  in  their  diet.  The  shortest  tracts  are  found  in  
meat-­‐eaters.  It  does  not  take  many  thousands  of  years  for  a  change  to  take  place  in  
gut  lengths  due  to  changes  of  diet.  Recent  studies  have  shown  that  this  can  take  
place  over  a  short  period  of  time.  

Vegetables  Enter  The  Human  Diet  

After  the  Fall,  humans  were  also  permitted  to  eat  vegetables.  This  may  have  been  
because  the  original  foods  were  not  as  available  as  they  were  before.  Satan's  work  is  
to  destroy  or  deface  God's  creation  whenever  he  can.  When  Adam  and  Eve  
disobeyed  God,  Satan  stole  their  dominion  of  the  planet,  and  the  whole  of  creation  
has  been  groaning  ever  since.  God  told  Adam  that  the  earth  would  be  cursed—that  it  
would  produce  thorns  and  thistles—and  that  he  "will  eat  the  plants  of  the  field"  
(Genesis  3:18  NIV).  

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Vegetables  are  very  rich  in  elemental  sulfur  and  are  good  cleansers  of  the  digestive  
tract.  Vegetables  also  take  longer  to  digest  than  the  fruits,  grains,  and  seeds  that  God  
originally  gave  humans  to  eat.  It  has  been  proven  that  if  one  eats  vegetables  with  
any  of  the  original  foods  at  the  same  meal,  fermentation  takes  place  in  the  gut.  This  
is  not  a  healthy  practice  (See  Food  Combining).  This  fermentation  consists  largely  of  
fatty  acids  that  have  a  detrimental  effect  on  the  body's  immune  system.  Try  to  avoid  
eating  vegetables  and  fruits  at  the  same  meal.    
Fruits  can  be  eaten  with  grains,  seeds,  and  nuts;  and  vegetables  can  be  eaten  with  
grains,  seeds,  and  nuts.  Fruit  is  digested  quickest,  followed  by  grains,  then  seeds  and  
then  nuts.  Vegetables  take  longer  to  digest  than  all  these  (See  Food  Combining  
Chart).  
Even  today,  everything  our  body  requires  is  found  in  a  grain  kernel.  It  has  the  
carbohydrate,  the  protein,  and  the  essential  lipids  we  need  in  all  the  correct  
proportions.  However,  we  separate  these  good  foods—and  sell  each  portion  at  a  
much  higher  cost!  Most  bread  these  days  lacks  the  basic  natural  ingredients.  Much  
of  the  whole  food  that  is  still  available  is  chemically  treated.  Nevertheless,  if  we  all  
ate  more  whole  grains  we  would  have  far  fewer  diseases.    

Meat  Enters  The  Human  Diet  

Meat  entered  our  diet  after  the  Flood.  After  the  floodwaters  had  receded,  the  earth  
had  little  vegetation.  Perhaps  Noah  had  seeds  with  him  and  planted  these  for  this  
first  food.  However,  there  would  have  been  no  fruit  or  nuts  for  a  number  of  years.  
So,  the  Lord  said,  "Everything  that  lives  and  moves  will  be  food  for  you.  Just  as  I  gave  
you  the  green  plants,  I  now  give  you  everything"  (Genesis  9:3  NIV).  
In  Genesis  7:2  there  is  reference  to  clean  and  unclean  animals  going  into  the  ark.  
Thus,  the  concept  of  clean  and  unclean  is  not  a  Jewish  concept  and  has  no  
ceremonial  connotations,  but  came  from  the  time  before  the  Flood.  
If  you  listen  carefully  to  the  voice  of  the  LORD  your  God,  and  do  what  is  right  in  his  
eyes,  if  you  pay  attention  to  his  commands  and  keep  all  his  decrees,  I  will  not  bring  on  
you  any  of  the  diseases  I  brought  on  the  Egyptians,  for  I  am  the  LORD  who  heals  you  
(Exodus  15:26  NIV).  

God  Defines  Clean  and  Unclean  

God  gave  the  Israelites  guidelines  for  what  they  should  eat.  Here  is  an  overview  of  
the  clean  and  unclean  animals  that  are  discussed  in  the  book  of  Leviticus.  

Clean  Animals    
God  specified  that  His  people  were  to  eat  only  clean  animals.  There  were  two  main  
types  of  clean  animals,  as  follows:  

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Hooved  Animals  
And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses  and  Aaron,  saying  unto  them,  Speak  unto  the  children  
of  Israel,  saying,  These  are  the  beasts  which  ye  shall  eat  among  all  the  beasts  that  are  
on  the  earth.  Whatsoever  parteth  the  hoof  and  is  clovenfooted,  and  cheweth  the  cud  
among  the  beasts,  that  shall  ye  eat  (Leviticus  11:1-­3).  
According  to  Leviticus  11,  all  clean  animals  are  cud-­‐chewers—cows,  goats,  deer,  and  
other  game.  They  all  have  a  pre-­‐stomach,  or  rumen,  in  which  the  food  is  pre-­‐
digested.  The  bacteria  in  the  rumen  are  able  to  convert  all  the  material  into  
digestible  matter.  Only  after  this  food  has  been  thoroughly  digested  does  it  enter  the  
real  stomach.    
Also,  clean  animals  are  all  herbivores.  They  are,  therefore,  eaters  of  "primary"  
material.    

Fowl  
Birds  that  have  a  crop  are  also  clean,  since  their  food  is  well  digested  and  does  not  
ferment.  
The  chicken  is  listed  as  clean  since  it  originally  ate  only  seeds.  Today,  however,  the  
average  commercially  reared  chicken  is  fed  on  fishmeal  or  carcass  meal  (reject  
material  from  the  abattoir),  and  can  no  longer  be  regarded  as  acceptable.  

Marine  Animals  
These  shall  ye  eat  of  all  that  are  in  the  waters:  whatsoever  hath  fins  and  scales  in  the  
waters,  in  the  seas,  and  in  the  rivers,  them  shall  ye  eat  (Leviticus  11:9).  
Only  fish  with  fins  and  scales  are  edible.  These  fish  are  generally  found  in  deep  or  
fast-­‐running  waters,  and  are  mainly  algal  eaters.  They  also  have  an  excellent  
detoxifying  enzyme  system.    
Insects  
Leviticus  11  makes  it  clear  that  of  all  insects,  only  the  locust  and  flying  grasshopper  
are  for  eating.    

Unclean  Animals  
God  told  the  Israelites  which  animals  they  were  not  to  eat.  Without  exception,  all  
animals  that  consume  “secondary  material”—in  other  words,  animals  that  eat  
animals—are  unclean.  These  include  the  following:  

Carnivorous  Birds  
All  birds  that  eat  other  animals  and  do  not  have  a  crop  are  considered  unclean.  
Camels  
The  camel  has  no  split  or  cloven  hoof,  making  it  unclean.  However,  this  animal  has  a  
similar  digestive  system  to  the  clean  animals;  so  what  is  the  problem?  The  camel  

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had  to  adapt  to  a  desert  environment  in  order  to  survive.  It  underwent  a  
physiological  adaptation  where  instead  of  sweating  and  losing  its  body  water,  the  
camel’s  body  temperature  rises  to  higher  levels  than  before.  This,  unfortunately,  
allows  the  level  of  toxins  in  its  body  to  rise  to  very  high  levels  as  well.  This  coping  
mechanism  makes  the  camel  unfit  for  human  consumption.  

Coneys    
The  coney,  or  dassie,  is  unclean.  It  is  herbivorous,  but  has  a  poor  thermo-­‐regulator.  
Its  body  temperature  does  not  remain  constant  throughout  the  changes  in  the  
weather  during  the  year,  and  this  causes  its  enzymes  to  be  unstable,  resulting  in  
intestinal  fermentation.  This  means  that  the  coney’s  meat  is  very  acidic.  
Rabbits  
Even  though  the  rabbit  is  herbivorous,  Leviticus  11:6  states  that  it  is  unclean.  The  
rabbit  has  a  very  enlarged  caecum.  In  order  for  the  rabbit  to  obtain  sufficient  
nutrients  from  the  plants  it  eats,  it  has  to  ferment  the  material.  This  requires  a  
fermentation  chamber  with  an  alkaline  environment.  Since  the  rabbit  does  not  have  
a  pre-­‐stomach,  like  the  cow  does,  it  has  to  use  its  enlarged  caecum.  
However,  its  caecum  is  sandwiched  between  its  gut  and  rectum  and  most  of  the  
absorption  of  the  nutrients  takes  place  there.  When  the  rabbit  redigests  this  
material,  it  becomes  coprophagous.  In  other  words,  it  eats  its  own  excrement.  
Consequently,  the  level  of  toxins  in  its  tissues  is  far  higher  than  in  other  herbivores.  
Bile  salts,  fatty  acids,  gases,  and  ammonia  levels  are  all  at  unacceptable  levels  for  
human  consumption.  All  rodents,  and  even  the  horse,  fall  into  the  same  category.    

Swine  
In  most  modern  farms,  pigs  are  fed  the  worst  of  foods.  On  the  biggest  farms,  the  
largest  pigs  are  fed  rotten  eggs  and  chickens  that  died  from  disease.  
Sometimes,  pigs  are  kept  in  batteries  where  only  a  few  pigs  get  the  food.  The  rest  of  
the  pigs  get  only  the  droppings,  which  are  extremely  toxic.  Any  tissue  from  these  
animals  makes  them  very  unclean  indeed.  
Pigs  have  very  high  histamine  levels.  The  connective  tissue  is  very  rich  in  sulfur,  
leading  to  acidosis  and  osteoporosis  because  of  the  loss  of  calcium  along  with  the  
sulfates.  Research  indicates  that  high  sulfate  levels,  especially  in  meat-­‐rich  diets,  are  
responsible  for  osteoporosis.  
Research  has  found  that  at  the  time  when  pigs  leave  the  farms,  56%  of  all  pork  
samples  are  contaminated  with  salmonella.  When  "clean"  animals  leave  the  farms,  
only  15%  of  the  meat  is  contaminated.  When  the  pig  meat  leaves  the  abattoir,  80%  
is  contaminated,  and  when  it  reaches  the  butcher,  the  level  of  contamination  is  
virtually  100%.  The  "clean"  animals  have  only  a  40%  contamination  level  by  this  
stage.  

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The  pig  is  certainly  responsible  for  much  disease.  Many  people  are  allergic  to  pork  
because  of  the  high  histamine  levels,  and  pork  also  encourages  the  formation  of  
excessive  amounts  of  mucous  in  our  bodies.    
God  warns  us  in  Leviticus  11:26  to  not  even  touch  the  carcass  of  a  pig.  It  has  high  
levels  of  contamination  of  bacteria  such  as  campylobacta  and  salmonella.  

Fish  
And  all  that  have  not  fins  and  scales  in  the  seas,  and  in  the  rivers,  of  all  that  move  in  
the  waters,  and  of  any  living  thing  which  is  in  the  waters,  they  shall  be  an  abomination  
unto  you  (Leviticus  11:10).  
Those  fish  that  do  not  have  fins  and  scales  are  either  scavengers  or  pure  carnivores,  
and  are  unclean.    
The  common  snoek  has  scales,  but  as  it  is  taken  out  of  the  water  the  scales  fall  off,  so  
they  cannot  be  classified  as  clean.  Each  snoek  is  also  home  to  thousands  of  bladder  
worms,  which  are  full  of  urea.  This  urea  is  what  gives  that  the  snoek  its  distinctive  
tangy  flavor  that  many  people  enjoy.    
Insects  
Insects  that  do  not  fly,  or  are  further  down  on  the  food  chain  than  the  locust  or  
grasshopper,  are  not  for  eating.  
Mammals  and  Reptiles  
According  to  Leviticus  11:27,  "Whatsoever  goes  upon  his  paws,"  such  as  cats,  dogs,  
rats,  mice,  and  weasels,  are  unclean.  All  reptiles  are  also  unclean.    
God  is  concerned  with  the  health  of  all  His  creatures:  human  and  animal.  In  the  next  
article,  we  will  discuss  the  importance  of  these  Old  Testament  teachings  in  our  lives  
today.  We  will  also  discover  what  the  New  Testament  says  about  how  we  should  eat.  

Do  The  Old  Testament  Dietary  Laws  Still  Apply?  

We  have  examined  the  original  diet  God  intended  for  humankind,  and  the  animals  
that  God  defined  as  clean  and  unclean  after  sin  entered  the  world.  Now  we  ask,  why  
should  we  follow  the  Old  Testament  dietary  laws  in  this  day  and  age?  
We  will  work  through  several  reasons  people  object,  and  various  Bible  verses  that  
seem  to  say  we  don’t  have  to  observe  the  dietary  laws:  We  must  learn  to  rightly  
divide  the  word  of  truth  (2  Timothy  2:15).  

Question  1:  Aren’t  these  lists  of  clean  and  unclean  animals  just  for  the  Jews?    
Answer:  Although  the  lists  are  recorded  in  Leviticus  11  and  Deuteronomy  14,  the  
first  mention  is  in  the  time  of  the  Flood  (Genesis  7:1-­‐3).  There  were  no  Jews  were  on  
Noah’s  Ark.  Only  later,  the  descendents  of  Abraham  become  known  as  “Jews.”i  So  in  
the  early  days,  God  instructed  them  in  the  concept  of  “clean”  and  “unclean”  animals.  

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The  list  predates  the  laws  of  Moses,  therefore  applying  to  all  humanity,  not  just  one  
particular  group.  

Question  2:  Didn’t  Peter  have  a  vision  that  told  him  to  eat  unclean  animals?  
Wouldn’t  this  mean  that  the  dietary  laws  were  no  longer  in  effect?  
Answer:  Note  the  following  facts  about  the  Acts  10  story:  
A)  Cornelius,  a  Gentile,  received  a  vision  instructing  him  to  send  for  Peter.  
B)  Peter  also  received  a  vision  before  Cornelius’s  men  came  to  his  home.  He  “saw  
heaven  opened”  and  a  sheet  descending  “down  to  the  earth.”ii  It  was  filled  with  
unclean  animals,  creeping  things,  and  fowls  (Acts  10:11-­‐12).  
C)  When  Peter  is  told  to  “kill,  and  eat”  he  says,  “Not  so,  Lord;  for  I  have  never  eaten  
any  thing  that  is  common  or  unclean”  (Acts  10:14).  Peter  was  never  taught  by  Jesus  
to  eat  anything  “common  or  unclean.”  He  can’t  believe  the  Lord  would  tell  him  to  do  
this.  
D)  “Peter  doubted  in  himself  what  this  vision  which  he  had  seen  should  mean”  (Acts  
10:17).  If  the  Lord  literally  told  him  to  eat  unclean  animals,  why  would  he  doubt?  
Wouldn’t  the  change  in  dietary  laws  be  obvious?  Peter  doubted  because  he  realized  
the  vision  was  symbolic—not  referring  to  literal  unclean  animals.  
E)  When  Peter  came  to  Cornelius’  home,  he  realized,  “God  hath  shewed  me  that  I  
should  not  call  any  man  common  or  unclean”  (Acts  10:28,  emphasis  added).  The  
Holy  Spirit  was  given  to  Gentiles  just  as  He  had  been  given  to  the  Jews  on  Pentecost.  
Peter  learned  that  the  Gospel  message  was  meant  for  all  the  world,  not  just  the  Jews.  
The  vision  was  not  about  dietary  laws,  but  about  giving  the  message  to  all—because  
no  one  to  be  considered  “unclean,”  or  unreachable  by  Christ’s  redemption.  The  
vision  used  unclean  creatures  as  symbols  of  Gentile  nations  now  called  to  come  to  
God  through  the  Gospel.iii  

Question  3:  Haven’t  we  been  called  to  liberty  in  Christ,  no  longer  under  the  
slavery  of  the  Law?  
Answer:  Since  the  dietary  laws  existed  before  Noah’s  time,  is  obedience  to  them  
really  enslavement?  
Jesus  told  us  that  He  came  not  to  destroy  the  Law,  but  to  fulfil  it  (Matthew  5:17).  
Good  health  and  long  life  is  anything  but  slavery.  
Think  of  the  history  of  these  dietary  laws:  First,  they  are  given  to  humankind  before  
the  days  of  Noah.  Then,  the  Lord  tells  His  people  in  the  Exodus  they  will  be  disease-­‐
free  if  they  follow  His  laws  (Exodus  15:26).  The  clean  and  unclean  foods  are  clearly  
defined  in  Leviticus  11  and  Deuteronomy  14.  Peter’s  vision  shows  Jesus  did  not  
abolish  “clean  and  unclean”  (Acts  10).  
Paul  tells  believers  to  “touch  not  the  unclean  thing”  and  the  Lord  will  receive  them  
(2  Corinthians  6:17).  John  speaks  of  Spiritual  Babylon  as  a  “cage  of  every  unclean  
and  hateful  bird”  (Revelation  18:2).  In  Isaiah’s  prophesy  of  the  new  earth  after  the  

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return  of  Christ,  those  who  eat  “swine’s  flesh,  and  the  abomination,  and  the  mouse,  
shall  be  consumed  together”  (Isaiah  66:17).  From  one  end  of  the  Bible  to  the  other,  
the  concept  of  “clean  and  unclean”  is  upheld.  It  is  a  matter  of  health  and  well-­‐being,  
not  slavery.  
Our  modern  world  equates  “freedom”  with  doing  whatever  we  wish,  but  God  calls  
us  to  a  higher  standard.  Paul  tells  us  to  “use  not  liberty  for  an  occasion  to  the  flesh,  
but  by  love  serve  one  another”  (Galatians  5:13).  Jesus  tells  us  “If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  
commandments”  (John  14:15).  Peter  tells  us  “the  Spirit  of  Christ”  was  in  the  
prophets  of  old  (1  Peter  1:10-­‐11),  meaning  that  the  dietary  laws  are  the  words  of  
Christ.  

Question  4:  Romans  14:14  says,  “there  is  nothing  unclean  of  itself:  but  to  him  
that  esteemeth  any  thing  to  be  unclean,  to  him  it  is  unclean.”  Was  Paul  saying  
that  nothing  is  unclean?  
Answer:  Compare  Romans  14  with  1  Corinthians  8-­‐10.  You  will  see  that  the  same  
problem  is  being  addressed—friction  between  two  parties  in  the  early  Church.iv    
Jewish  converts  (aware  of  dietary  laws)  didn’t  mind  eating  clean  animals  sold  in  the  
heathen  markets.  The  Gentile  converts  thought  heathen  idols  made  sacrificed  meat  
unclean:    
As  concerning  therefore  the  eating  of  those  things  that  are  offered  in  sacrifice  unto  
idols,  we  know  that  an  idol  is  nothing  in  the  world,  and  that  there  is  none  other  God  
but  one  (1  Corinthians  8:4).    
The  argument  wasn’t  about  dietary  laws,  but  meat  sacrificed  to  heathen  idols.  Paul  
urged  Jewish  and  Gentile  believers  not  to  condemn  each  other  based  on  sacrificed  
meat.  Paul  says  this  in  1  Corinthians  8:10-­‐11:  
For  if  any  man  see  thee  which  hast  knowledge  sit  at  meat  in  the  idol’s  temple,  shall  not  
the  conscience  of  him  which  is  weak  be  emboldened  to  eat  those  things  which  are  
offered  to  idols;  And  through  thy  knowledge  shall  the  weak  brother  perish,  for  which  
Christ  died?  
In  other  words,  don’t  make  a  brother  feel  he  should  ignore  his  uneasiness  and  try  to  
eat  sacrificed  meat  anyway.  He  would  feel  he  is  lost  because  his  conscience  wouldn’t  
let  him  rest.    
But  if  thy  brother  be  grieved  with  thy  meat,  now  walkest  thou  not  charitably.  Destroy  
not  him  with  thy  meat,  for  whom  Christ  died.  Let  not  then  your  good  be  evil  spoken  of:  
for  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and  drink;  but  righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in  
the  Holy  Ghost  (Romans  14:15-­17).  
Paul  is  not  dealing  with  a  moral  law  here.  He  is  calling  for  understanding  of  the  
tender  consciences  of  weaker  brothers.v  He  advises,  “Let  us  not  therefore  judge  one  
another  any  more:  but  judge  this  rather,  that  no  man  put  a  stumblingblock  or  an  
occasion  to  fall  in  his  brother’s  way”  (Romans  14:13).    
 

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Question  5:  In  Matthew  15:11  Jesus  says,  “Not  that  which  goeth  into  the  mouth  
defileth  a  man;  but  that  which  cometh  out  of  the  mouth,  this  defileth  a  man.”  
Does  this  mean  we  can  eat  whatever  we  want  and  nothing  bad  will  happen?    
Answer:  There  are  consequences  to  everything  we  eat—good  and  bad.  Eating  poorly  
will  of  course  harm  our  bodies,  just  as  eating  well  will  help  our  bodies  maintain  
health.    
This  verse  needs  to  be  understood  in  its  proper  context.  Certainly  it  doesn’t  mean  
that  anything  we  eat  is  now  good  for  us  regardless  of  what  it  is,  for  we  all  know  that  
there  are  many  things  that  can  go  “into  the  mouth”  and  produce  dire  consequences.  
Many  foods  and  drugs  available  today  are  harmful  to  our  health.  They  are  not  made  
safe  to  eat  because  of  this  verse.  In  Matthew  15:2,  the  Pharisees  criticize  Jesus,  
saying,  “Why  do  thy  disciples  transgress  the  tradition  of  the  elders?  for  they  wash  
not  their  hands  when  they  eat  bread.”  The  Pharisees  were  not  really  concerned  with  
physical  cleanliness.  The  Pharisees  wanted  Jesus  to  obey  their  washing  ritual  so  any  
heathen  “defilement”  would  be  magically  removed.  
In  verse  15,  Peter  asks  Jesus  to  explain  the  parable.  He  realized  there  was  deeper  
meaning  than  just  ritual  washing.  Jesus  explains  it  this  way:  
Do  not  ye  yet  understand,  that  whatsoever  entereth  in  at  the  mouth  goeth  into  the  
belly,  and  is  cast  out  into  the  draught?  But  those  things  which  proceed  out  of  the  
mouth  come  forth  from  the  heart;  and  they  defile  the  man.  For  out  of  the  heart  proceed  
evil  thoughts,  murders,  adulteries,  fornications,  thefts,  false  witness,  blasphemies:  
These  are  the  things  which  defile  a  man:  but  to  eat  with  unwashen  hands  defileth  not  a  
man  (Matthew  15:17-­20).    
This  passage  is  not  concerned  with  dietary  laws,  but  rather  the  fruitlessness  of  ritual  
washing  while  the  dark  heart  remains  untouched.  

Question  6:  Doesn’t  1  Timothy  4:3-­‐4  tell  us  that  we  can  eat  anything  if  we  pray  
over  it  first?  
Answer:  Let’s  observe  what  the  verses  actually  say:  
A)  Paul  is  telling  Timothy  about  false  believers  who  will  “depart  from  the  faith,  
giving  heed  to  seducing  spirits,  and  doctrines  of  devils”  (1  Timothy  4:1).  They  are  in  
error—no  longer  following  the  Scriptures.  
B)  Paul  tells  Timothy  these  false  teachers  will  command  people  to  “abstain  from  
meats.”  But  what  kind    of  meats?  1  Timothy  4:3  tells  us  these  are  not  unclean  meats  
but  meats  that  “God  hath  created  to  be  received  with  thanksgiving.”  This  cannot  
mean  unclean  animals,  because  they  were  never  intended  to  be  eaten!    
C)  These  clean  meats  are  to  be  “received  with  thanksgiving  of  them  that  believe  and  
know  the  truth”  (1  Timothy  4:3).  Believe  and  know  the  truth  about  what?  Obviously,  
the  truth  about  clean  and  unclean  animals.  
D)  1  Timothy  4:4  says,  “For  every  creature  of  God  is  good,  and  nothing  to  be  refused,  
if  it  be  received  with  thanksgiving.”  This  does  not  mean  that  every  created  being  is  

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permitted  to  be  eaten.  If  this  were  the  meaning,  cannibalism  would  justified.  Rather,  
this  verse  refers  to  the  previous  verse’s  clean  animals.  Those  who  “believe  and  know  
the  truth”  will  receive  “with  thanksgiving.”  
E)  1  Timothy  5:5  describes  the  meat  further:  “For  it  is  sanctified  by  the  word  of  God  
and  prayer.”  Two  things  sanctify  this  food—“the  word  of  God”  and  “prayer.”  
Remember  this  is  the  meat  that  false  teachers  said  could  not  be  eaten.  This  is  in  
contradiction  to  God’s  Word  which  listed  the  meat  as  “clean”  (1  Timothy  5:1).  By  
knowing  the  truth  in  the  Word  of  God,  and  receiving  these  clean  animals  in  a  
thankful  manner  with  prayer,  the  true  believers  would  obey  God  and  not  the  
“doctrines  of  devils.”  
What  would  this  passage  be  saying  if  it  referred  to  unclean  instead  of  clean  food?  
Would  it  really  mean  that  we  could  eat  anything  if  we  pray  over  it?  Would  we  allow  
our  children  to  eat  anything,  as  long  as  they  prayed  over  it?  Not  likely!  We  can  
expect  God,  our  Father,  to  give  guidance  of  what  is  good  for  us.  

Conclusion  
For  the  sake  of  showing  our  love  to  the  Lord  by  obeying  Him,  as  well  as  escaping  
disease  by  observing  His  dietary  laws—let  us  honor  God  by  following  His  rules  for  
health  and  happiness.vi  Do  we  really  want  to  ignore  these  health  laws?  If  we  do,  we  
do  so  to  our  own  peril.  
 

Notes:  
i  The  term  “Jews”  is  used  for  the  first  time  in  the  Bible  in  2  Kings  16:  6.  Abraham  was  known  
as  “the  Hebrew”  (Genesis  14:13)      
ii  The  vision  comes  from  heaven  one  would  expect  such  creatures  to  rise  out  of  the  earth,  
not  descend  from  heaven!  This  indicates  this  was  symbolic,  not  literal.  
iii  Even  today  we  use  unclean  animals  as  symbols  of  nations,  such  as  the  American  Eagle,  
the  British  Lion,  the  Canadian  Beaver,  and  the  Russian  Bear.  
iv  Consider  the  following  verses:  1  Corinthians  3:17;  1  Corinthians  6:19-­‐20;    and  1  
Corinthians  10:31.  
v  Bear  in  mind  that  when  Paul  says  “nothing  is  unclean  of  itself,”  he  is  saying  that  we  can’t  
always  tell  just  by  our  own  judgment  what  is  clean  and  unclean.  It  is  determined  by  the  
Word  of  God.  If  a  person  feels  that  something  is  unclean,  then  the  safe  thing  to  do  is  avoid  
eating  it  since  he  does  not  have  the  faith  to  eat  without  scruples.  Only  knowledge  of  God’s  
Word  can  let  our  conscience  rest  in  the  fact  that  a  particular  food  is  clean  or  unclean..  
vi  Romans  14  speaks  about  esteeming  “one  day  above  another”  as  well  as  eating  (or  not  
eating)  sacrificed  foods.  Both  problems  focused  on  observing  festivals  and  sacrifices.  Paul  
did  not  want  new  believers  swept  back  into  dead  rituals  because  some  “knowledgeable”  
person  encouraged  weaker  brothers  to  view  them  as  “harmless.”  Paul  wanted  believers  to  
pay  special  attention  to  problems  with  the  weaker  brother’s  conscience.  Paul  was  not  telling  

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believers  to  ignore  either  the  Sabbath  in  the  Ten  Commandments,  or  the  dietary  laws  laid  
down  by  the  Creator  since  the  days  of  Noah.

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