Jesus & Pork
Question: Are Muslims the closer followers of Jesus because Muslims avoid eating pork?
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​Overview
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Muslims claim that Christians cannot be the true followers of Jesus because Jesus did not eat pork whereas Christians commonly do. It is pointed out that according to the Law of Moses, which Jesus obeyed during his earthly life and ministry, pigs are identified as unclean and their consumption is forbidden. Muslims are consequently the closer followers of Jesus because Muslims avoid eating pork.
Several responses can be made to this assertion.
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Jesus & The New Covenant
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Jesus followed the Law of Moses because Jesus was born into the Nation of Israel and into the covenant that God made with Israel through Moses (the Law of Moses forbids the eating of pork - Leviticus 11:1-8). However, a New Covenant was established with humanity for the atonement and forgiveness of sins through the sacrificial death of Jesus (Matthew 1:18-25, 20:20-28, 26:26-29, 26:36-46 & 27:45-53). Jesus therefore honoured the Law of Moses until his death but abrogated or fulfilled the Law by taking on himself the sin guilt/debt of humanity and dying as an atoning sacrifice for human sin (the sacrificial death of Jesus rescues humanity from the guilt and power of sin and restores humanity to the holy purposes of God). The dietary restrictions of the Law of Moses are loosened and all meats are pronounced clean within the New Covenant (Matthew 15:1-20).
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It is significant that the Quran (3:49-50) also states that Jesus abrogated parts of the Law of Moses by making lawful what was previously forbidden. This means that Muslims should expect to see Christians doing things that the Law forbids (or did not mention) but which Jesus nevertheless commanded.
​​Muhammad & Camel
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Leviticus 11:1-8 (which forbids pork) identifies camels as unclean and forbids their consumption. This is problematic for Muslims because Sahih al-Bukhari (2485) records that Muhammad frequently ate camel meat. Sahih al-Bukhari (5686) also says that Muhammad advised some individuals struggling with the climate in Madina to follow the shepherd of his camels and drink the milk and urine excreted from the camels as a medicinal cure.​​​ Muslims are therefore guilty of eating meat and consuming produce that the Law of Moses identifies as unclean and that Jesus would not have eaten. Both Christians (by eating pork) and Muslims (by eating camel) consequently fall short of the dietary requirements of the Law of Moses and the standards of Jesus when consistency is applied. It is worth noting that an argument is flawed and expresses a double standard when it works against the person presenting it.
​Bible Passages, Quran Passages & Hadith Narrations
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Leviticus 11:1-8
(1) The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, (2) “Say to the Israelites: ‘Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat: (3) You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud. (4) There are some that only chew the cud or only have a divided hoof, but you must not eat them. The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is ceremonially unclean for you. (5) The hyrax, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. (6) The rabbit, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. (7) And the pig, though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. (8) You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.’”
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Matthew 1:18-25
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(18) This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. (19) Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
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(20) But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (21) She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
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​(22) All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: (23) “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
​(24) When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. (25) But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
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Matthew 5:17-18
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(17) Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. (18) For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
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Matthew 15:1-20
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(1) Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, (2) “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
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(3) Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? (4) For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ (5) But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ (6) they are not to ‘honour their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. (7) You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: (8) “‘These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. (9) They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’”
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(10) Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. (11) What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
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(12) Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”
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(13) He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. (14) Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
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(15) Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”
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(16) “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. (17) “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? (18) But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. (19) For out of the heart come evil thoughts - murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. (20) These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
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(See Mark 7:1-23 for where it is explicitly stated that the teachings of Jesus on dietary laws and ritual uncleanness applies to all meats and not just meats eaten with unwashed hands. Further to this, see Acts 10, 11:1-18 & 15:1-35 for how the Apostolic Church responded to Gentile Christians joining the then predominantly Jewish Church and the expectations placed on Gentile Christians - as well as Jewish Christians - regarding the Law of Moses.)
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Matthew 20:20-28
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(20) Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favour of him.
(21) “What is it you want?” he asked.
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She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
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(22) “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”
“We can,” they answered.
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(23) Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”
(24) When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. (25) Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. (26) Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, (27) and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - (28) just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
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Matthew 26:26-29
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(26) While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
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(27) Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. (28) This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (29) I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
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Matthew 26:36-46
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(36) Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” (37) He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. (38) Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
(39) Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
(40) Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. (41) “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
(42) He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
(43) When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. (44) So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
(45) Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. (46) Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
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Matthew 27:45-53
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(45) From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. (46) About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
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(47) When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
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(48) Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. (49) The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
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(50) And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
(51) At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split (52) and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. (53) They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
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The Quran 33:49-50 (Abdul Haleem)
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(49) He will send him as a messenger to the Children of Israel: “I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I will make the shape of a bird for you out of clay, then breathe into it and, with God’s permission, it will become a real bird; I will heal the blind and the leper, and bring the dead back to life with God’s permission; I will tell you what you may eat and what you may store up in your houses. There truly is a sign for you in this, if you are believers. (50) I have come to confirm the truth of the Torah which preceded me, and to make some things lawful to you which used to be forbidden. I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. Be mindful of God, obey me: (51) God is my Lord and your Lord, so serve Him - that is a straight path.”
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Sahih al-Bukhari, 2485
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Narrated Rafi` bin Khadij: We used to offer the `Asr prayer with the Prophet and slaughter a camel, the meat of which would be divided in ten parts. We would eat the cooked meat before sunset.
Sahih al-Bukhari, 5686
Narrated Anas: The climate of Medina did not suit some people, so the Prophet ordered them to follow his shepherd, i.e. his camels, and drink their milk and urine (as a medicine). So they followed the shepherd that is the camels and drank their milk and urine till their bodies became healthy. Then they killed the shepherd and drove away the camels. When the news reached the Prophet he sent some people in their pursuit. When they were brought, he cut their hands and feet and their eyes were branded with heated pieces of iron.
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