Founder’s Blog

Kosher Sunday School

Almost every Sunday that I am in town I attend a local Southern Baptist church with my wife. We enjoy the fellowship with other believers and it affords us the opportunity to build bridges, connect, and discuss perspectives. The last few months we've been working through the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy, which has been "home turf" for me. This last week we discussed the dietary laws--it was a great discussion.

Today we are formally announcing our new book Biblically Kosher. I took some sample books to Sunday school with me and they were warmly received. While our perspectives are a bit different than what was presented in the class, the books opened dialog, which enhanced everyone's viewpoints.

We opened the class by reading Deuteronomy 14:9-11, 19-21:

Of all that are in the waters you may eat these: whatever has fins and scales you may eat. And whatever does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you. You may eat all clean birds.... And all winged insects are unclean for you; they shall not be eaten. All clean winged things you may eat. You shall not eat anything that has died naturally. You may give it to the sojourner who is within your towns, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk. (ESV)

The following commentary from our class curriculum provided the springboard for our discussions (this material comes from the Lifeway Explore the Bible series, written by Brett Selby). Here is what he said:

God's ways are always best. Embracing this truth is an act of faith. The Lord does not give directives to His people to diminish our joy or increase our misery. What He commands is always life-affirming, and the lifestyle of faith that His Word teaches is the best way to live. The distinctions that God placed between clean and unclean animals in the Old Testament may have had to do with health concerns as well as with holiness concerns. In an arid environment with no capacity for the refrigeration of meat, these commands of God made practical sense.

Verse 9. God began His instruction regarding aquatic animals with what He allowed His people to eat. His prohibitions were not for their own sake but rather for the sake of His creation, especially for His people. Specifically, fish with fins and scales were allowed, probably because they were more likely to be accessible to the Israelites for food. (See Study Question 2.)

Verse 10. In many cases, the difference between clean and unclean was one of usability. Fish without fins and scales, such as eels and sharks, would have been located in the ocean depths.

Verse 11. Moses wisely emphasized the expanse of God's commands, not their limitations, when he said that every clean bird was OK for food. From the beginning, Satan's strategy has been to focus on what God prohibits at the expense of the vastness of what He allows (see Gen. 3:1-2).

Verse 19. God forbade the eating of all winged insects. The wise and discerning will certainly rejoice in this directive.

Verse 20. On the other hand, God allowed the Israelites to eat every clean flying creature. This is most likely a reference to various other birds and insects. Leviticus 11:20-23 clarifies this instruction by describing forbidden winged insects as those that walk on all fours, while permitting the eating of insects such as locusts, crickets, and grasshoppers.

Verse 21. Boiling a young goat in its mother's milk was probably a Canaanite fertility rite and thus was associated with idolatry. God also forbade the Israelites from consuming the carcass of an animal that might have been slaughtered improperly. That they could give or sell the dead animal to a temporary resident indicates that the problem wasn't that the meat might pose a health risk but rather might be a breach of holiness. It was a matter of the Israelites belonging to the Lord. There are times that God's people will refrain from certain things not because they are evil activities but because Christians want to avoid the appearance of evil (see 1 Thess. 5:22).

Christians today might not be held accountable for these Old Testament kosher laws, yet we are still responsible to choose a clean lifestyle over a worldly one. Ultimately, God is the arbiter of what is clean and what isn't. We are to seek His will concerning holy living and to obey it. Our lifestyles are to be consistent with our relationship with Him.

The Bible has a lot to say about food and eating. I am grateful that I was there to field the questions about Acts 10, Mark 7, and even to graciously disagree with some of the perspectives in the commentary. Overall, I was encouraged to see an affirming perspective on Kashrut in Baptist Sunday school curriculum. It is nice to see my church looking into these issues and affording the opportunity for individuals like me to share my perspectives. Committing one's life to honoring the Sabbath and then also having to take the time on Sunday morning to connect with a local body is a sacrifice that I feel is important for our movement in this juncture. I reject the condemnation of the church and the isolationism that can define many in the Hebrew roots movement as I continue to see the fruit of respectful dialog resulting from this committed connection.

We are offering a free beautifully illustrated pictorial guide, with your purchase of Biblically Kosher, that brings out the key ideas of "Biblically Kosher" by using excerpts from the book, Scripture passages, and eye-popping photography, all presented in a classy glossy format. It also offers in a nutshell the key ideas of keeping kosher from a Messianic Jewish perspective and produces a spiritual hunger for more information, which "Biblically Kosher" can aptly satisfy.

It is designed to spark questions and initiate thought. I would encourage you to purchase these in bulk to give to friends to open up dialog in this area. They are 36 pages in length and beautiful. In bulk they are priced at $3.00 each.

Order Biblically Kosher This book will change the way you think about the Bible and food. It will bring you closer to the ancient Jewish way of life that Jesus and his disciples practiced. Discover how the simple act of eating can become an expression of worship!

About the Author: Boaz Michael is the President and Founder of First Fruits of Zion.