Hi Linear,
There are two books in the old law. One is called the
Torah and that is the Mosaic Law (the Law of Moses) - containing the essentials of morality and belief as set out in the Ten Commandments etc. The other Jewish source is the
Talmud. That is 35 books of civil and religious laws and practices which were complicated and overwhelming to ordinary people. And which the scribes and pharisees used to exploit and baffle the ordinary people. And which Jesus severly criticised and replaced with the simple requirements and guidance of His New Testament. Hence Christians can eat any meat (pork and seafood), which the Telmud forbids.
Christ accepted and blended the Mosaic Law - basically the Ten Commandments with the new testament. Dropping alot of Telmud practises, many of which He criticised for their pettiness.
If you take a look at some of the customs and requirements in the old testament, you'll see where Christ has, by His coming to earth and sacrifice on the cross, given a means for men to be cleansed by their sins by HIM and HIM alone. The requirement for certain customs/sacrifices of the old testament were no longer required, since Christ took their place (and ours).
The order of the old was made new by Christ - He did not come to defy the law, He came to fulfill it. He confirmed it - the word made flesh. Christ came to fulfill the Law of Moses. But the hundreds of little laws and practises in the Telmud were a tremendous burden to ordinary people, to which the scribes and pharisees learned and knew and used to their advantage and to the misery of ordinary people. That is why the scribes and pharisees hated Jesus, who exposed their hypocrisy and endless exploitation!
We need to be clear on which is essential and which is not, namely the Torah is Moses Law (the essential). The Telmud is replaceable, by Christ's NEW TESTAMENT, as expressed in the gospels. Religious Jews of course, adhere faithfully to both the Torah and the Telmud. Not recognising Christ as the Messiah, they are trapped in the past.
In fact, the scribes and pharisees tried to trap Jesus over the Telmud dietry laws, which Jesus answered:
Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean.’”
Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”
He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”
“Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, S@xual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’”
—Matthew 15:10-20We know that hygeine practises and clean hands and being careful with certain seafood and meats are necessary to avoid bacteria infections. And in hot conditions/climate, even moreso. But what Jesus is trying to make clear to us, that the spiritual condition of man is what God looks upon as being essential to eternal life.
Would would Jesus have eaten? I'd imagine natural foods/drink that were available to Him. Bread/grain, fish, meats, berries/fruits, vegetables, honey, water, wine (in moderation), goat's milk/cheese? etc.
