Strictly speaking, followers of religions of the law, namely Jews and Muslims, continue to adhere to the prohibition against eating pork. However, Christians do, in fact, disregard it...
Strictly speaking, followers of religions of the law, namely Jews and Muslims, continue to adhere to the prohibition against eating pork. However, Christians do, in fact, disregard it. There are several reasons for this, among which one can name one essential and several historical ones.
Essentially: the dietary prohibitions (and a whole series of similar restrictions) of the Old Testament were of a temporary nature and were annulled by the New Testament. In the Old Testament, these prohibitions were primarily aimed at protecting the chosen people from detrimental intermingling with pagans. This purpose was served by a whole complex of ideas regarding ritual purity and prohibitions against mixing one thing with another. Among others, the prohibition against eating pork also served this purpose. The relevance of these prohibitions was lost in the New Testament, primarily due to its universality and openness to all nations. Furthermore, and most importantly, the New Testament places the center of gravity in the worship of God in the spiritual realm, not the ritual one (even if the practical life of Christians poorly reflects this).
"Worship in spirit and truth," of which the Lord Jesus Christ speaks in the 4th chapter of the Gospel of John, goes far beyond the bounds of ritual restrictions. Furthermore, the New Testament views impurity exclusively as the result of sin, considering that "there is nothing unclean of itself," except sin. Therefore, the words of Christ, "There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man... For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts... All these evil things come from within and defile a man" ( 7:15-23) render dietary prohibitions meaningless. A detailed discussion on dietary rituals can also be found in the writings of the Apostle Paul in the 14th chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, where the apostle formulates a view on ritual piety in general and dietary prohibitions in particular as a matter of each person's conscience.
The historical reasons for the lifting of the prohibition on eating pork, related to the aforementioned, stem from the fact that already two decades after the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ, a significant proportion, if not the majority, of the Church consisted of Christians from among the Gentiles. For them, the prohibition against eating pork was unfounded, and they did not inherit the ritual life of the Old Testament. When the entry of Gentiles into the Church was just beginning, the Lord showed the Apostle Peter in a vision a multitude of foods forbidden to the Jews (presumably including pork). To Peter, who refused all this, it was said: "What God has cleansed you must not call common" ( 10:15).
After a period of disagreements and disputes over whether Gentile Christians should observe the ritual prescriptions of the Mosaic Law, at the Council of Jerusalem in the year 49, the apostles decreed: "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, from sexual immorality, and not to do to others what you would not want done to yourselves. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well" ( 15:28-29). Thus, dietary restrictions and a whole series of other Jewish ritual prescriptions were formally recognized as non-binding for Christians.
10
10:1 And there was a certain man - The first fruits of the Gentiles, in Cesarea - Where Philip had been before, Act 8:40; so that the doctrine of salvation by faith inJesus was not unknown there. Cesarea was the seat of the civil government, as Jerusalem was of the ecclesiastical. It is observable, that the Gospel made its way first through the metropolitan cities. So it first seized Jerusalem and Cesarea: afterward Philippi, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, Rome itself.A centurion, or captain, of that called the Italian band - That is, troop or company.
10:2 Who gave much alms to the people - That is, to the Jews, many of whom were at that time extremely poor.
10:3 He saw in a vision - Not in a trance, like Peter: plainly, so as to leave one not accustomed to things of this kind no room to suspect any imposition.
10:4 Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God - Dare any man say, These were only splendid sins? Or that they were an abomination before God? And yet it is certain, in the Christian sense Cornelius was then an unbeliever. He had not then faith in Christ. So certain it is, that every one who seeks faith in Christ, should seek it in prayer, and doing good to all men: though in strictness what is not exactly according to the Divine rule must stand in need of Divine favour and indulgence.
10:8 A devout soldier - How many such attendants have our modern officers? A devout soldier would now be looked upon as little better than a deserter from his colours.
10:10 And he became very hungry - At the usual meal time. The symbols in visions and trances, it is easy to observe, are generally suited to the state of the natural faculties.
10:11 Tied at the corners - Not all in one knot, but each fastened as it were up to heaven.
10:14 But Peter said, In nowise, Lord - When God commands a strange or seemingly improper thing, the first objection frequently finds pardon. But it ought not to be repeated. This doubt and delay of St. Peter had several good effects. Hereby the will of God in this important point was made more evident and incontestable.And Peter also, having been so slow of belief himself, could the more easily bear the doubting of his brethren, Act 11:2, etc
10:15 What God hath purified - Hath made and declared clean. Nothing but what is clean can come down from heaven. St. Peter well remembered this saying in the council at Jerusalem, Act 15:9.
10:16 This was done thrice - To make the deeper impression.
10:17 While Peter doubted in himself, behold the men - Frequently the things which befall us within and from without at the same time, are a key to each other. The things which thus concur and agree together, ought to be diligently attended to.
10:19 Behold three men seek thee, arise therefore and go down, and go with them, doubting nothing - How gradually was St. Peter prepared to receive this new admonition of the Spirit! Thus God is went to lead on his children by degrees, always giving them light for the present hour.