DID RABBI SHA'UL CANCEL KASHRUT IN 1 COR 10:25-27
Andre Widodo
© ORI
Shalom,
KASHRUT is a Hebrew word [כַּשְׁרוּת] means A SET OF BIBLICAL DIETARY SYSTEM. So a person who is doing KASHRUT [כַּשְׁרוּת], he/she only eats KOSHER [כָּשֵׁר] food. KOSHER [כָּשֵׁר] means FIT TO BE EATEN; EDIBLE.
So, before we go further, we must set our mind, first.
If in the BIBLE we find the word FOOD, that means KOSHER [כָּשֵׁר], which is FIT TO BE EATEN; EDIBLE. Why? Because the writers of the BIBLE were Jewish people. If it is NOT FIT TO BE EATEN, then it will not be called as FOOD, but TAMEI [טמא], which is UNCLEAN.
If we understand this, let's go to 1 Cor 10:25-27.
1 Cor 10:25 KJV
Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
1 Cor 10:26 KJV
For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
1 Cor 10:27 KJV
If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
1 Cor 10:25 CJB
Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,
1 Cor 10:26 CJB
for the earth and everything in it belong to the Lord.
1 Cor 10:27 CJB
If some unbeliever invites you to a meal, and you want to go, eat whatever is put in front of you without raising questions of conscience.
Did Rabbi Sha'ul cancel KASHRUT in 1 Cor 10:25-27?
ANSWER :
Before we answer the question, we must really understand who Rabbi Sha'ul really was. Was Rabbi Sha'ul's teachings against the TORAH? Was his teachings against his Lord, Yeshua?
Rabbi Sha'ul says :
1 Cor 11:1 KJV
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Rom 3:31 KJV
Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Rabbi Sha'ul was a follower of MASHIACH, he believed in Yeshua as his Savior, and his teachings did not abolish the TORAH, because he followed the teachings of Yeshua, his Lord who did NOT abolish the TORAH (Mat 5:17).
Mat 5:17 KJV
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
So, now we know where Rabbi Sha'ul's stand really was. His stand was with the Lord Yeshua and never against the TORAH. (*Please keep that in mind*).
Then, why did Rabbi Sha'ul say 1 Cor 10:25-27?
Remember that in Luk 10:8, our Lord gave us an INSTRUCTION.
Luk 10:8 KJV
And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, EAT SUCH THINGS AS ARE SET BEFORE YOU.
Yeshua spoke these words when He sent out the seventy. These were 70 Torah-observant Jews who followed a Torah-observant Rabbi. Rabbi Yeshua had told His disciples, "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not; But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," (Mat 10:6). It is obvious from this statement that the disciples would be lodging in Torah-observant Jewish homes, where the KOSHER laws were followed. It is ridiculous to suppose that the disciples might have been offered a pork chop in one of these Jewish homes. Even if this very unlikely possibility had occurred, the disciples would have had enough sense to know that this is not what their Master meant when He said to, "EAT SUCH THINGS AS ARE SET BEFORE YOU." He simply meant to be content with the FOOD which your host provided.
Rabbi Sha'ul's statement in 1 Corinthians is very similar to Yeshua's statement, but the context is quite different.
Rabbi Sha'ul is dealing with the question of eating FOOD (*Remember, when we find the word "FOOD" that means KOSHER*) which has been offered to idols.
The BRIT CHADASHAH (NEW TESTAMENT) clearly teaches that it is wrong for Believers in MASHIACH to eat food offered to idols. Four times this is written, in Acts 15:20; Acts 21:25; Rev 2:14, 20.
On the surface, Rabbi Sha'ul's teaching in 1 Cor 8 seems to contradict these verses in Acts and Revelation.
But Rabbi Sha'ul clarifies the issue in 1 Cor 10, when he writes verse 20-21 :
1 Cor 10:20 KJV
But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
1 Cor 10:21 KJV
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
The problem the Corinthians were facing was this :
They did not want to eat meat which had been offered to idols. Sometimes meat sold in the public markets came from animals which had been sacrificed to idols. It might be difficult or impossible to find out whether or not a specific cut of beef came from a cow which had been offered to an idol.
Should the Corinthian Believers continue to buy meat (*Of course it was a KOSHER meat*) at the public market, not knowing whether or not the animal had been offered to an idol?
Rabbi Sha'ul answered this question in verse 25 :
1 Cor 10:25 CJB
Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,
Apparently, Rabbi Sha'ul was telling the Corinthians that a person was guilty of eating meat offered to idols only of he knew that the meat had been offered to an idol. If a host offering you meat happened to say, "This was offered in sacrifice to idols," Rabbi Sha'ul said that a Believer should "eat NOT," (1 Cor 10:28).
1 Cor 10:28 KJV
But if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat NOT for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:
But if the host said nothing, then the Believer was free to eat the meat (*Of course it was a KOSHER meat*).
It is in this context that Rabbi Sha'ul wrote in verse 27.
1 Cor 10:27 KJV
If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
In other words, do not ask whether or not the meat has been offered to idols. However, this does not mean that we cannot ask what kind of animal the meat came from.
Here is a real-life illustration. In 2005 I was standing with some friends near a Hindu temple in India. A Hindu man took some dried fruit from a plate sitting at the foot of one of the idols outside the temple. He came over and offered us some. Because I knew it was FOOD which had been offered to an idol, I politely refused it. But I felt free to eat in Indian restaurants, because I had no way of knowing whether or not the food being served to me had previously been offered to idols.
Many well-meaning Christians believe that Yeshua's and Sha'ul's instructions to "EAT WHAT IS SET BEFORE YOU" means that a missionary should not refuse food that a host offers, even if it is meat from an unclean animal. Refusing the food might insult the host and hinder him from accepting the Good News.
Again, Christians do not think through to the logical implications and conclusion of this position.
If it is permissible (and actually preferable) to knowingly disobey God's Dietary laws to avoid offending one's host, then why would it not be permissible (or preferable) to disobey other Divine laws to avoid offending one's host?
That's not the case, right?
We are to SHEMA (LISTEN and OBEY) all of God's TORAH.
Our quiet, humble, obedience to God's commandments will sometimes offend people who are ignorant of God's commandments.
And we must understand that offending some people is one of the unpleasant side effects of obedience to the TORAH.
It happened to Yeshua :
Mat 21:12 KJV
And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
When Yeshua was entering the Temple of God, he saw all the tables of moneychangers, the seats of them who sold doves.
Did Yeshua firstly think that these were their jobs? Of course, Yeshua did.
Did Yeshua ever think what would happen to their families if Yeshua destroy their jobs? Yes, Yeshua did.
But...what did Yeshua do instead?
Obedience to the TORAH sometimes always bring unpleasant side effects to some people. But we must follow our Lord's steps. He gave us example what the most important thing to do.
And Rabbi Sha'ul in 1 Cor 10:25-27, he tried the best way he could to explain how to OBEY the TORAH and also to respect the others, as long as NOT against the TORAH.
B'rachot v' Shalom
Andre Widodo
© ORI
Shalom,
KASHRUT is a Hebrew word [כַּשְׁרוּת] means A SET OF BIBLICAL DIETARY SYSTEM. So a person who is doing KASHRUT [כַּשְׁרוּת], he/she only eats KOSHER [כָּשֵׁר] food. KOSHER [כָּשֵׁר] means FIT TO BE EATEN; EDIBLE.
So, before we go further, we must set our mind, first.
If in the BIBLE we find the word FOOD, that means KOSHER [כָּשֵׁר], which is FIT TO BE EATEN; EDIBLE. Why? Because the writers of the BIBLE were Jewish people. If it is NOT FIT TO BE EATEN, then it will not be called as FOOD, but TAMEI [טמא], which is UNCLEAN.
If we understand this, let's go to 1 Cor 10:25-27.
1 Cor 10:25 KJV
Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
1 Cor 10:26 KJV
For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
1 Cor 10:27 KJV
If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
1 Cor 10:25 CJB
Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,
1 Cor 10:26 CJB
for the earth and everything in it belong to the Lord.
1 Cor 10:27 CJB
If some unbeliever invites you to a meal, and you want to go, eat whatever is put in front of you without raising questions of conscience.
Did Rabbi Sha'ul cancel KASHRUT in 1 Cor 10:25-27?
ANSWER :
Before we answer the question, we must really understand who Rabbi Sha'ul really was. Was Rabbi Sha'ul's teachings against the TORAH? Was his teachings against his Lord, Yeshua?
Rabbi Sha'ul says :
1 Cor 11:1 KJV
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Rom 3:31 KJV
Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Rabbi Sha'ul was a follower of MASHIACH, he believed in Yeshua as his Savior, and his teachings did not abolish the TORAH, because he followed the teachings of Yeshua, his Lord who did NOT abolish the TORAH (Mat 5:17).
Mat 5:17 KJV
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
So, now we know where Rabbi Sha'ul's stand really was. His stand was with the Lord Yeshua and never against the TORAH. (*Please keep that in mind*).
Then, why did Rabbi Sha'ul say 1 Cor 10:25-27?
Remember that in Luk 10:8, our Lord gave us an INSTRUCTION.
Luk 10:8 KJV
And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, EAT SUCH THINGS AS ARE SET BEFORE YOU.
Yeshua spoke these words when He sent out the seventy. These were 70 Torah-observant Jews who followed a Torah-observant Rabbi. Rabbi Yeshua had told His disciples, "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not; But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," (Mat 10:6). It is obvious from this statement that the disciples would be lodging in Torah-observant Jewish homes, where the KOSHER laws were followed. It is ridiculous to suppose that the disciples might have been offered a pork chop in one of these Jewish homes. Even if this very unlikely possibility had occurred, the disciples would have had enough sense to know that this is not what their Master meant when He said to, "EAT SUCH THINGS AS ARE SET BEFORE YOU." He simply meant to be content with the FOOD which your host provided.
Rabbi Sha'ul's statement in 1 Corinthians is very similar to Yeshua's statement, but the context is quite different.
Rabbi Sha'ul is dealing with the question of eating FOOD (*Remember, when we find the word "FOOD" that means KOSHER*) which has been offered to idols.
The BRIT CHADASHAH (NEW TESTAMENT) clearly teaches that it is wrong for Believers in MASHIACH to eat food offered to idols. Four times this is written, in Acts 15:20; Acts 21:25; Rev 2:14, 20.
On the surface, Rabbi Sha'ul's teaching in 1 Cor 8 seems to contradict these verses in Acts and Revelation.
But Rabbi Sha'ul clarifies the issue in 1 Cor 10, when he writes verse 20-21 :
1 Cor 10:20 KJV
But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
1 Cor 10:21 KJV
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
The problem the Corinthians were facing was this :
They did not want to eat meat which had been offered to idols. Sometimes meat sold in the public markets came from animals which had been sacrificed to idols. It might be difficult or impossible to find out whether or not a specific cut of beef came from a cow which had been offered to an idol.
Should the Corinthian Believers continue to buy meat (*Of course it was a KOSHER meat*) at the public market, not knowing whether or not the animal had been offered to an idol?
Rabbi Sha'ul answered this question in verse 25 :
1 Cor 10:25 CJB
Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,
Apparently, Rabbi Sha'ul was telling the Corinthians that a person was guilty of eating meat offered to idols only of he knew that the meat had been offered to an idol. If a host offering you meat happened to say, "This was offered in sacrifice to idols," Rabbi Sha'ul said that a Believer should "eat NOT," (1 Cor 10:28).
1 Cor 10:28 KJV
But if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat NOT for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:
But if the host said nothing, then the Believer was free to eat the meat (*Of course it was a KOSHER meat*).
It is in this context that Rabbi Sha'ul wrote in verse 27.
1 Cor 10:27 KJV
If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
In other words, do not ask whether or not the meat has been offered to idols. However, this does not mean that we cannot ask what kind of animal the meat came from.
Here is a real-life illustration. In 2005 I was standing with some friends near a Hindu temple in India. A Hindu man took some dried fruit from a plate sitting at the foot of one of the idols outside the temple. He came over and offered us some. Because I knew it was FOOD which had been offered to an idol, I politely refused it. But I felt free to eat in Indian restaurants, because I had no way of knowing whether or not the food being served to me had previously been offered to idols.
Many well-meaning Christians believe that Yeshua's and Sha'ul's instructions to "EAT WHAT IS SET BEFORE YOU" means that a missionary should not refuse food that a host offers, even if it is meat from an unclean animal. Refusing the food might insult the host and hinder him from accepting the Good News.
Again, Christians do not think through to the logical implications and conclusion of this position.
If it is permissible (and actually preferable) to knowingly disobey God's Dietary laws to avoid offending one's host, then why would it not be permissible (or preferable) to disobey other Divine laws to avoid offending one's host?
That's not the case, right?
We are to SHEMA (LISTEN and OBEY) all of God's TORAH.
Our quiet, humble, obedience to God's commandments will sometimes offend people who are ignorant of God's commandments.
And we must understand that offending some people is one of the unpleasant side effects of obedience to the TORAH.
It happened to Yeshua :
Mat 21:12 KJV
And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
When Yeshua was entering the Temple of God, he saw all the tables of moneychangers, the seats of them who sold doves.
Did Yeshua firstly think that these were their jobs? Of course, Yeshua did.
Did Yeshua ever think what would happen to their families if Yeshua destroy their jobs? Yes, Yeshua did.
But...what did Yeshua do instead?
Obedience to the TORAH sometimes always bring unpleasant side effects to some people. But we must follow our Lord's steps. He gave us example what the most important thing to do.
And Rabbi Sha'ul in 1 Cor 10:25-27, he tried the best way he could to explain how to OBEY the TORAH and also to respect the others, as long as NOT against the TORAH.
B'rachot v' Shalom
No comments:
Post a Comment