|
Post by mantim on Dec 15, 2009 14:45:53 GMT -5
GK, could you elaborate more on this? Look foward to your response...peace and Merry Christmas...
|
|
|
Post by gkchesterton on Dec 15, 2009 16:58:40 GMT -5
GK, could you elaborate more on this? Look foward to your response...peace and Merry Christmas... No problem (and I only promise to try). The Mosaic Code which included the reference to the fat was found at Lev 7:22-26. This is the Kosher injunction against consumption of fat and blood(1). However the Society rightly notes that the prohibition on blood is older. In Genesis 9 after Noah leaves the ark God enters into a covenant with him that is famously sealed by the rainbow. Seven laws are then given (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Laws_of_Noah but please avoid the reform nonesense in the article; "reform" Jews are the Episcopalians of Judaism). Since Noah is the patriarch of all mankind the Jews held that these laws were binding on the Gentiles. There were two stages to conversion (the names of which escape me) and in the first stage the Gentile was expected to uphold the Laws of Noah. The second stage of conversion was generally avoided in adult males due to the law of circumcision. When the Council of Jerusalem was dealing with the gentile crisis it reasoned that gentiles should be accepted as full Christians but that circumcision was not needed (to the great relief of many male converts). At first James seems keen to include mention of Moses (cf. Acts 15:21). However, when the final letter is composed (cf Acts 15:22-29) they hold in place a paraphrase of the Laws of Noah and omit mention of Moses. This would have been in agreement with the Jewish understanding that Noetic Law bound all of mankind. For this reason the consumption of blood for food should be avoided by Christians. I'll carefully note that I am not a theologian of the Church and you should feel free to check up on me, but I can not in good conscience read the pronouncement of the council in any other way. (1) And one of the reasons kosher hot dogs are so meaty and good.
|
|