A question for Bible Scholars?

Question

Why does the Old Testament say that eating shellfish and wearing clothing made from two cloths is an abomination? What was the reason behind these abominations and what makes them abominations? They deserved DEATH?

Leviticus 11:9 'Of all the creatures living in the water of the seas and the streams, you may eat any that have fins and scales. 10 But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales—whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water—you are to detest. 11 And since you are to detest them, you must not eat their meat and you must detest their carcasses. 12 Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be detestable to you.

Heaven's Messenger: That didn't answer the question. While your statement has partial truth, this is not the issue here. I am not gay and that is not my concern. Do you have an answer?

Answer 1

Mark 7:1 Actually when Jesus came and established the new covenant he told us that nothing that goes into the man will defile him, but that which comes out of the man vs21 For from within, out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blashemy, pride, foolishness; all these evil things come from within and defile the man...

Answer 2

Give chapter and verse.
Clean and Unclean. Although King Solomon’s wisdom embraced the field of natural history, including a knowledge of fish (1Ki 4:33), not once is a specific kind of fish named in the Scriptures. However, the Law did make a distinction between clean and unclean water animals. Only water animals having fins and scales were ceremonially clean for food; this ruled out such creatures as catfish, eels, lampreys, rays, sharks, and the crustacea, many of which live on sewage and decaying matter and often are contaminated by the bacteria that cause typhoid and paratyphoid fevers. (Le 11:9-12) Israelite fishermen therefore had to separate the fine fish from those unsuitable for food, a point highlighted in Jesus’ illustration of the dragnet.—Mt 13:47, 48.

Answer 3

As for shellfish, they're bottom feeders, and if you've noticed a lot of people are deathly allergic to shellfish. Therefore, it was most likely for health reasons that they were instructed not to eat them. With pork, the other "don't eat" group, its fairly well known that pork rots quickly (no refrigeration back then), and that if it's undercooked, it can be deadly. So same old health concerns there. As for only wearing one type of cloth, I heard something about that, but don't remember what it was. Doesn't seem very logical, but hey, what do I know? Most of the Levitican laws do have logical reasons, but I certainly don't know them all.

Answer 4

During certain times of the year the sea gets the “red” effect. It is where microorganisms that because diarrhea is eaten by shell fish and those fish that prey on shellfish.
Since it usual meant that an animal died to provided the skin used for clothing and for meat and life, even animal life is of high value to Jehovah, it would have reminded it’s wearer that the animal was sacred to Jehovah and not for ones own personal decoration.
Jehovah gave them these laws and principles to set them aside as different from other nations in the world at that time.
It also helped to remind them that they were Gods chosen people and needed to act accordingly at all times.

Answer 5

God had several reasons for the special laws given to Israel at that time. One was that they might see that they were separate from all the other nations. God gave them laws unlike the other nations because they were to be holy to the Lord. Many of these laws regarded and or reflected purity as they were to be a pure people. We know now that many were also good for them health wise as an added benefit. Take the 2 cloths. This was to teach them not to be a mixed people. Not to mix there religion with the others. And so these laws protected and also taught them that they were a special people and that Jehovah was their God and they belonged to Him.

Answer 6

Neither called for death. You have some bad information. Most all these old laws were intended only for the Jews during a certain time in history. I am not sure if anyone knows the reason for them. Neither you mentioned were abominations.

Answer 7

Good question. I have used this example before but they will reply that it is the old testament and as such has been superceded by the NT.

A question I asked yesterday though received replies that the OT is not obsolete. They can't get their stories straight.

Answer 8

It's important for you to first understand that God Himself described the Jews as a "stiff necked [stubborn and willful] people." Knowing their stubborness, God chose the best way to teach them: He used symbolism. (By the way, I happen to believe we gentiles are also a stiff necked people, too!)

The Jewish dietary laws given in Leviticus do two things: 1) they test the Jews' willingness to follow God's Laws; and 2) they demonstrate in a symbolic way how a person is defiled by sin. One of the biggest problems Jews had with Jesus was that He explained this symbolism. You may know that, by the time Jesus arrived, the Jews had adopted a strict, legalistic view of dietary laws that was completely off the path of what God intended. When Jesus gave His famous teaching at Matthew 15:1-20, He explained that it's not what goes INTO a man that defiles him; it's what comes OUT of a man that defiles him. A man can take sin into his mind by observance of the events around him, but as soon as he acts upon his desires as a RESULT of experiencing that sin, he defiles himself.

The prohibition against wearing clothing made with two different materials (Deut. 22:11) is another example of symbolism. God wished the Jewish people to remain pure. He did not wish them to marry outside of their faith, since this tended to cause them to fall into idolatry. They were supposed to be a chosen people, who were consecrated to God (Deut. 7:6 and 14:2). Perhaps you know God refered to Himself as the "Husband" of the Jews (this is in a spiritual sense, of course). So it makes perfect sense this prohibition against mixing two different materials into one cloth is found in Deuteronomy -- because the entirety of Deuteronomy is in the form of an ancient Jewish marriage contract. Marriage outside the faith lead the Jews to commit idolatry, which God considers adultery. So, in essense, God was telling His people -- His spiritual wife -- to stay faithful to Him.

Answer 9

Someone wanted to protect the shellfish. Environmentalists in Biblical times? Big business wanting to sell only their cloth? Yeah, it probably warranted death.

Answer 10

Shellfish:Ever heard of red tide? It kills and God wanted to preserve the Hebrews.
Weaving two materials: Today it would be product fraud. God wanted his people to be honest

Full disclosure:I'm no scholar