zeta77

Hi,
This is my first post on the forums and I am not entirely sure it is to the right board. Nonetheless, given that many Christians believe the Bible to be literally true, why don't they keep Kosher? I am not too familiar with the NT, but if Jesus were Jewish, wouldn't he have kept Kosher to?

Thanks.

Amaleq13

Even if you were familiar, the answer would not be clear.

That is because the earliest NT testimony (i.e. Paul) seems to suggest there were folks arguing both positions. His Jewish Christian "enemies" clearly thought it was necessary to keep the Law. Paul certainly disagreed as far as Gentiles were concerned and arguably disagreed that this was true even for Jewish Christians. IMHO, this dispute over keeping the Law is the "crack" that ultimately resulted in Christianity becoming a separate religion.

The Gospels generally depict Jesus ignoring or even rejecting the food rules:

"It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man." (Mt 15:11, NASB)

Then again, they also include a saying where you might expect Jesus to think the Law should be followed:

"For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished." (Mt 5:18, NASB)

I think most scholars assume that Jesus adhered to the Law but didn't consider adherence to be sufficient and, in fact, criticized those who focused on a strict adherence (i.e. the Pharisees). Crossan, for example, changed his view from "Jesus subverted the Law by ignoring it" to "Jesus assumed adherence" (The Birth of Christianity, p580).

That said, there are modern day "Jewish Christians" who keep their Jewish traditions while believing Jesus to be the Messiah.

rlogan

Hey Zeta. Welcome aboard.

In general, "literally true" is an impossibility when it is self-contradictory.

Magus55

Jesus would have followed Kosher laws since He fullfilled the law perfectly. Under the new covenant however, we aren't required to follow the dietary laws since Jesus already fullfilled them to perfection.

Amaleq13

"for, verily I say to you, till that the heaven and the earth may pass away, one iota or one tittle may not pass away from the law, till that all may come to pass." (Mt 5:18, YLT)

Jesus appears to disagree with you here.

sakrilege

Why just dietary, is there a biblical verse to support this view?

mark9950

What new covenant?

Be specific and do not assume.

mark9950

Was the writer also referring to jesus second coming about 1970 years ago?

Amaleq13

I think all the Gospel authors expected the Risen Christ to return at the End Times but this particular statement seems to be about that End, in general, rather than Jesus' return specifically.

Either way, it should be interesting to read how a Christian can claim that the appearance of the living Jesus could constitute "all" being accomplished given their belief in a return at the End Times.

Wait, I'm receiving a Word of Prophecy...yes...I understand...

A Christian will attempt to use a different passage where Jesus is depicted as saying something contrary. They will declare that the original passage should be read in the "context" of the contrary passage. Rather than conclude this means authors were putting words in the mouth of Jesus to fit their own beliefs, it requires one to assume that Jesus didn't mean what he "seems" to have meant in the original passage.

Oh, and Dick Jauron will lose his job as the coach of the Bears.

Beetle

According to the book of Acts, Peter had a vision in which God said it was now o.k. to eat just about anything (Acts 10).

A cynical person might suggest that the dietary laws became a casualty of the gentile conversions. ("What do you mean I have to change my diet?")