Board index ‹ Specific Bible verses, texts, and passages ‹ Acts

[Sensible]

Doesn't acts 15:20 show that not all food is clean?

[jimwalton]

No, because this was a letter of suggestion and consideration, not of command. We know from a later letter of Paul's (Romans 14) that eating such food was allowed, but not always considerate. F.F. Bruce said it well, so I might as well quote what he said.

"In most of the churches Gentile believers had to live alongside Jewish believers who had been brought up to observe various food laws and to avoid intercourse with Gentiles as far as possible. While there was no more question of requiring Gentiles to submit to the ceremonial law, they would do well to behave considerately of their 'weaker brethren' of Jewish birth, not all of whom could be expected immediately to acquire such a emancipated outlook on food laws and the life as Peter and Paul. Therefore, without compromising the Gentiles' Christian liberty, James gave it as his considered opinion that they should be asked to respect their Jewish brethren’s scruples by avoiding meat that had idolatrous associations or from which the blood had not been properly drained. This would smooth the path of social and table fellowship between Christians of Jewish and Gentile birth."