Scholarly Companion · Early Christian Literature. This work is outside the seventy-book Holy Bible and its twenty-seven-book New Testament. Browse the companion collection. Translation and historical interpretation remain subject to specialist review.
Epistle of Barnabas 10
Do Not Eat the Pig — He Meant Do Not Live Like One
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The Food Laws Understood in the Spirit
10:1When Moses said, “You shall not eat a pig, an eagle, a hawk, a raven, or any fish that has no scales,” he received three teachings in his understanding.
10:2Indeed, he says to them in Deuteronomy: “I will establish My righteous ordinances with this people.” Thus the command of God is not about abstaining from food; Moses spoke in the Spirit.
10:3He spoke about the pig for this reason: “You shall not attach yourself,” he says, “to people who are like pigs.” That is, when they live in luxury they forget the Lord, but when they lack something they acknowledge the Lord. Likewise, a pig does not know its master when it eats, but cries out when hungry, and once it receives food it is silent again.
10:4“Nor shall you eat the eagle, hawk, kite or raven.” He says: “You shall certainly not attach yourself to, or become like, people who do not know how to provide their own food through labor and sweat, but seize others’ possessions in their lawlessness. They lie in wait while pretending to walk in integrity, looking around for someone to strip through their greed.” Likewise, these birds alone do not provide their own food, but sit idle, seeking how to devour the flesh of others, being pests in their wickedness.
10:5“And you shall not eat,” he says, “the moray eel, octopus or cuttlefish.” He says: “You shall certainly not attach yourself to, or become like, people who are utterly ungodly and already condemned to death.” Likewise, these little sea creatures alone, accursed, swim in the depths. They do not swim like the others, but dwell in the earth below the deep.
10:6“Nor shall you eat the hare.” Why? He says: “You shall certainly not become a corrupter of children or become like such people,” because the hare adds an opening for excretion each year; it has as many holes as the years it lives.
10:7“Nor shall you eat the hyena.” He says: “You shall certainly not become an adulterer or a seducer, or become like such people.” Why? Because this animal changes its nature each year, becoming at one time male and at another female.
10:8He also rightly detested the weasel. He says: “You shall certainly not become like those whom we hear practice lawlessness with their mouth through impurity; nor shall you attach yourself to the impure women who practice lawlessness with their mouth.” For this animal conceives through its mouth.
Three Teachings Concerning Foods
10:9Thus Moses received three teachings concerning foods and spoke in the Spirit. But they, following the desire of the flesh, received them as though they concerned eating.
10:10David receives knowledge of the same three teachings and says: “Blessed is the man who did not walk in the counsel of the ungodly,” as the fish go in darkness into the depths; “nor stand in the way of sinners,” as those who appear to fear the Lord sin like the pig; “nor sit in the seat of pestilent people,” as the birds sit ready for plunder. You now have the complete teaching concerning food as well.
Eat What Chews the Cud and Parts the Hoof
10:11Again Moses says: “Eat every animal that has a divided hoof and chews the cud.” What does he mean? When it receives food it knows the one feeding it, and resting upon him it appears to rejoice. He spoke well, discerning the commandment. What, then, does he mean? Attach yourselves to those who fear the Lord, who ponder in their heart the instruction of the word they received; to those who speak and keep the Lord’s righteous ordinances; to those who know that meditation is a work of gladness and who chew over the Lord’s word. What does the divided hoof mean? That the righteous person both walks in this world and awaits the holy age. See how well Moses legislated.
10:12But how could they perceive or understand these things? We, understanding the commandments rightly, speak as the Lord wished. For this reason He circumcised our ears and hearts, so that we might understand these things.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.