Originally posted by Snitzelhoff:
Claudia, thanks for those links. I still don't agree, but I understand your perspective much better now. My biggest issue is not the soundness of his health advice, but the building of doctrine out of it, considering the New Testament passages I cited declaring those foods clean. He mentioned one I didn't cite, but didn't even bother to exegete it and tell us why it doesn't say what it seems to say (although, with as much ground as he covered, I can't really blame him). Also, he cited the parallel passage in Matthew for the verse I referenced in Mark and said that it was only about ceremonial washings. In the Mark passage, Jesus specifically said that all meats (or foods) are purged.
Again, thanks for sharing those links!
Michael
Hi Michael
Well you are very welcome.
Let's try looking at the same passage but only from Matthew 15 this time:
Matthew 15
15: Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.
16: And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
17: Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
18: But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
19: For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
20: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
The key I think is in the last verse...They thought that if you eat with your hands unwashed then you were defiled.
They would do all kinds of these outward rituals and think they were holy, while allowing the inside of their hearts to be full of sin.
The passage wasnt really about food and dietary concerns.
Because surely you dont think Jesus was suddenly getting rid of the idea of not eating swines flesh do you?
Jesus was saying that washing your hands and eating foods, etc... are just outward things that dont make any difference in the doing if you are going to leave the inside of yourself full of sin. Kind of like when Jesus said wash the inside of the cup and not just the outside or else it doesnt do any good.
Because Michael, think about thisfor a minute... if we are told that God wishes we be in good health:
3Jn:1:2: Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
Well how could we be in good health if we eat swines flesh? God made the rules about what to eat because He knew some animals were scavengers and unhealthy to eat.
and just because Jesus died for us on the cross, that doesnt make these foods any less healthy, right?
Temperance has to do with being careful what you eat and drink... so it isnt as if God doesnt care anymore if we destroy our bodies...
2Pt:1:6: And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness
Claudia
[ April 27, 2006, 11:16 PM: Message edited by: Claudia_T ]