Instruction in the Book
There are many passages in the Bible full of advice and straight-up wisdom. Some of these passages, when read in context, act as warnings against the consumption of certain foods. Pork meat is one such food that many people overlook. In this article, we are going to explore few reasons why the Bible prohibits pork meat, so you can make a more informed decision about whether to consume it in your diet.
What is pork?
Pork is the meat of a hog and it is not considered kosher. Pork finds its place in many dishes, but because the Bible prohibits its consumption, pork meat has become a taboo food to some people.
Is the Pork meat Healthy?
Don’t consider Pork to be healthy meat. It’s high in fat, calories, and cholesterol. Plus, it can cause heart problems, diabetes, and even some cancers. Pork contains a bacterium that can be deadly to humans. There are many reasons in the Bible speaking why we should not allow pork in our diet. It is obvious that the meat would be unhealthy and not desirable. In addition, pigs are scavengers and can often carry diseases around with them without even knowing it.
The reasons why the Bible prohibits Pork meat
In the Bible, pork meat is described as “unclean and not good for you.” Furthermore, pigs are scavengers and may transmit diseases that are harmful to humans. Pigs also have a higher body temperature than other animals which makes them susceptible to bacteria. In addition, pigs and humans can contract the disease from one another’s urine.
Some more Reasons to eliminate Pork from Your Diet
The unhealthy Pig
The pigs do not have a proper sweat gland system which is why they wallow (to lie and roll around in the water) to keep themselves cool. The sweat glands regulate temperature and remove waste by secreting water, sodium salts, and nitrogenous waste onto the skin. Here since the pigs do not have a proper system, most of the waste does not go out of the body. It stays inside.
The digestive system of the Pig
The pig’s digestive system is different from that of cows and other cud-chewing animals. The pigs are monogastric whereas the cows are ruminants. This means the pigs have only one stomach with one digestive chamber. On the contrary, the cow which is ruminant brings back food from its stomach and chews it again. A cow has more than one stomach for this purpose. They have a four-chambered stomach.
What is monogastric?
A monogastric organism has a simple single-chambered stomach. Examples of monogastric herbivores are horses, rabbits, gerbils, and hamsters. Examples of monogastric omnivores include humans, pigs, and rats. Furthermore, there are monogastric carnivores such as dogs and cats (Wikipedia)
Since the pigs are not able to digest properly the disease germs remain intact in their stomach and well, they may move to other parts of the body too. The pigs carry a variety of parasites in their bodies and meat. Some of these parasites are difficult to kill even when cooking. This is the reason there are so many warnings out there about eating undercooked pork. One of the biggest concerns with eating pork meat is trichinosis or trichinellids. The toxicity level of the meat is high. We should not consume it.
Points to ponder:
Don’t we have sufficient good food to eat that we have resorted to eating from the prohibited list? Is it not greed? Satisfying our gluttony is the primary reason for pork consumption. Hasn’t God been able to provide enough for our daily bread? Can we really say grace with pork on our plate?
Did Jesus ever eat pork? Please don’t misquote verses from the Bible by cherry-picking and twisting them as per your wish. Read the verses in the context of the previous and later verses and then prayerfully conclude. Consuming pork spoils our health.
How will praying to God work, to heal us from our bad health? Why should God cure us, despite Him warning us through His Word and we ignore it? Are we disobedient or ignorant? We waste our God-given money on buying waste and consuming it and then again, we consult a doctor and try surviving on medicines that burn a hole in our pocket.
Many Christians who defend their eating of pork quote the below verse, but does it really mean that. Please read from Mark 7:2 and understand the context in which Jesus spoke the verse.
Mark 7:19. Since it enters not his heart but his stomach and is expelled?”
Does the Bible really mention pork as a food?
1 Timothy 4:4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
Does it mean that one can receive anything to eat on thanksgiving? Is it honest to deceive oneself?
Please read the below verses.
(Gen 1:29) And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you, it shall be for meat.
(Gen 1:30) And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
What was God’s instruction to Noah to take the animals with him into the ark?
(Gen 7:2) Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
The clean 7 pairs and the unclean 2 pairs.
Please read John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible on Gen:7:2
Of every clean beast, thou shalt take to thee by sevens,… From hence it appears, that the distinction of clean and unclean beasts, at least for sacrifice, if not for food, was known before the flood, and so before the law of Moses; though some think this is said by anticipation, and as providing a large stock of such creatures for the propagation of their species; because they would be most serviceable to men both for food and sacrifice: but as it is certain that sacrifices were offered ever since the fall of man; by the same way, namely, by divine revelation, that men were taught to sacrifice creatures as typical of the sacrifice of Christ, they were directed what sort of creatures to offer, as were most suitable figures of him; those beasts that were clean, and used under the law, and so no doubt, at this time, were oxen, sheep, and goats: and these were to be taken into the ark by “sevens”, or “seven seven” ; either only three pairs, male and female, for procreation, and the seventh a male for sacrifice, when the flood was over; or rather fourteen, seven couple, an equal number of male and female, as Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom, that there might be enough for propagation; since a large number of them would be consumed, both for food and sacrifice:
the male and his female, or “the man and his wife”; which confirms the sense given, that there were seven pairs, or otherwise, if there had been an odd seventh, there would not have been a male and his female:
and of beasts that are not clean by two, or only two:
the male and his female, or “the man and his wife”; which was a number sufficient for the propagation of creatures neither used for food nor sacrifice; and many of which are harmful to mankind, such as lions, wolves, tigers, bears, &c.
Why in Acts 10:14 Peter says, “Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean”.
Why in Acts 11:8 Peter again says that nothing uncommon or unclean has any time entered his mouth?
Was it to mention unclean meat or the gentiles for whom the message of salvation is also meant?
Do we have the privilege of twisting the scriptures?
Please read John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible on Acts 10:14
“Nor I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean; in a ceremonial sense, which was in common use with Gentiles, but unclean by the law of Moses: this shows that Peter as yet closely adhered to the ceremonial law, nor did he know that it was abolished by Christ; and notwithstanding the commission given to him and the rest of the apostles to preach the Gospel to every creature, and the extraordinary gifts of speaking with divers tongues for that purpose, bestowed on them at the day of Pentecost; yet he and they remained greatly strangers to the calling of the Gentiles, and the admitting of them to a civil and religious conversation with them; the knowledge of every truth was not at once communicated to them, but gradually, as it pressed the Lord to enlighten their minds.”
A question to ponder!
Would you like to see your child falling sick because of eating anything harmful? Would God do the same? If not, then why do you eat pork? Aren’t you ignoring the warnings of God? Is it not disobedience?
The Bible’s prohibition of pork meat is based on the following reasons:
Pork meat is not clean, we should not eat it according to Leviticus 11:7. Pigs do not chew their cud and have cloven hooves. Pigs eat their own feces as well as dead animals, so there would be many bacteria on the meat. In addition, pigs are considered unhealthy because they are susceptible to many diseases that humans cannot get. The pig has a very strong smell, which can make any dish taste bad. Those who consume pork are not only endangering themselves but also other people who eat pork meat or products derived from them. The pigs are scavengers and it means they feast on leftovers. They do the cleaning job.
Scavenger meaning: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scavenger
Last but not the least
The pigs are garbage. Thus we should not eat them.