ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tu’apulelulu ‘Epeleli 20, 2023

Unclean Doesn't Mean Dirty

KO E TA’EMA’A ‘OKU ‘IKAI ‘UHINGA KO E ‘ULI

LEVITICUS 11:46-47

THIS IS THE LAW ABOUT BEAST AND BIRD AND EVERY LIVING CREATURE THAT MOVES THROUGH THE WATERS AND EVERY CREATURE THAT SWARMS ON THE GROUND, TO MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE UNCLEAN AND THE CLEAN AND BETWEEN THE LIVING CREATURE THAT MAY BE EATEN AND THE LIVING CREATURE THAT MAY NOT BE EATEN.

LEVITIKO 11:46-47

Ko e lao ia ‘o e manu, mo e manupuna, mo e ngaahi fa‘ahinga manu ‘oku ngaue ‘i he vai, mo e ngaahi fa‘ahinga ‘oku totolo ‘i he kelekele; ke vahe‘i ‘a e me‘a ‘oku ta‘ema‘a mei he me‘a ‘oku ma‘a, pea ko e manu ‘oku kai mei he manu ‘oku ‘ikai kai.

Tame ("unclean") is the technical term for ritual impurity. It has nothing to do with being dirty or the "yuck factor." People became temporarily tame (e.g., by touching a corpse; Num. 9:6) and some animals were permanently tame (e.g., pigs). By keeping the God-given distinctions about which foods to place on their table, Israelites were practicing the discipline of keeping the God-given distinctions about which people to invite to their table (Lev. 20:22-26). 

Food and fellowship were thus baked together. In his ministry, Jesus "declared all foods clean" (Mark 7:19) and "ate with tax collectors and sinners" (Matt. 9:10-11). He demonstrated, in a vision to Peter, that the old covenant laws between unclean foods and unclean people were now null and void. The command to "eat" (Acts 10:13) was followed by the invitation to visit the home of a Gentile (10:17ff.). Food and fellowship laws of the old covenant are over, for "there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28).

Blessed are you, Lord Jesus, for welcoming us to your holy table.