Washing of hands is the imediate context. Are we to understand from this that it is exclusively applicable in this context and that no principle of truth may be learned from this beyond that good hygiene is not a salvific requirement?

Rom 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Limited to sacraficial meat or not?

In either way, Rosangela, it did not seem to me that you where considering one text in light of another but that you read each of them alone.

About that EW statement, Noahs stock of cattle? Did he take more than 7 pairs of cattle on that ark?

Israel was obviously given instruction about clean/unclean animals in context of food. The question however is if this is the context of clean/unclean that has been at all times?

Double posting

It doesn’t have to do with good hygiene. It has to do with pharisaical requirements. The principle of truth we should learn is that man-made rules have no value for God.


The context of the chapter is offending a brother by eating meat which was sold in the market, which could have been sacrificed to idols. Verse 7 says that "none of us lives to himself." By our unconscious influence others may be encouraged and strengthened, or they may be discouraged, and repelled from Christ and the truth. Even if you see nothing wrong in doing something, “it is good [to not] do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.”


According to EGW, he brought his private herd.


But for what reasons? For health reasons or for other reasons?

Good, so, how do we know if a rule is manmade or not?Does she write anything about if Noah was welthy or not? Would this herd be about tens of animals or hundreds of animals or thousands of animals or more?Good question, specially considering that there doesnt appear to be any punishment on breaking these (at least not in the main capter of lev 11)

Religious rules of people’s own devising are man-made.


It was a small herd:

“Noah had come forth upon a desolate earth, but before preparing a house for himself he built an altar to God. His stock of cattle was small, and had been preserved at great expense; yet he cheerfully gave a part to the Lord as an acknowledgment that all was His. In like manner it should be our first care to render our freewill offerings to God. Every manifestation of His mercy and love toward us should be gratefully acknowledged, both by acts of devotion and by gifts to His cause.” {PP 106}


In fact, when a person became unclean, there was a prescribed ritual regulation which could remove the uncleanness, but God speak of unclean meats in the OT as “an abomination” and of those who eat them as “abominable.” The word “abomination” is much stronger than the word “unclean” and was not applied to ceremonial uncleanness, but to something which was extremely repulsive to God.

The question related to whether the clean/unclean distinction was given for health reasons is an extremely important one, because if it was given for health reasons, there is no way something unhealthy could suddenly become healthy.

Yes, but how do we know if a rule is manmade or not?This sounds to me as a pararell to
Gen 8:20 And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Noahs stock of cattle was the seven pairs that had been with him on the ark. So which is it and how do we know?

As I was pondering this question, I came across this:



So, even the flesh of clean animals is unhealthful. There's a quote that's even more pointed.



Here we find that God allowed flesh to be eaten as a way to execute man.

It looks like all meat, clean or unclean, is unhealthy, even deadly. Although there are various levels of unhealthiness, it's just a matter of degrees.

Interesting thought.

It is obvious that man's life was shortened shortly after they began eating flesh food.

Here's another one:

Is the judgement on mans initial longevity to be found in genesis 6:3? In such case it would seem to have been made about 100 years before meateating started.
Also, is there evidence that vegetarians or vegans generally live longer than others?