What Does the Bible Say About Pork?
The Bible addresses pork in both the Old and New Testaments, presenting a shift from prohibition under the Mosaic Law to freedom in Christ. Understanding how Scripture treats pork helps us see God’s unfolding plan from the old covenant to the new, and how these dietary laws pointed to something greater—the unity of God’s people in the Gospel.
1. Why Did the Old Testament Forbid Pork?
In the Old Testament, the Bible identifies pork as an unclean food. Leviticus 11:7–8 prohibits eating pig because it does not chew the cud, even though it has a split hoof. This restriction was part of Israel’s dietary laws, which:
Set Israel apart from surrounding nations.
Protected covenant identity in a world of idolatry.
Symbolized holiness through physical separation from unclean things.
The pig was not more sinful than other animals, but it became a symbol of the boundary between God’s people and the nations, especially during times of persecution when enemies used pork to provoke or defile Jews.
2. How Did the New Testament Change the Teaching on Pork?
A turning point comes in Acts 10 when Peter has a vision of a sheet filled with animals, both clean and unclean. A voice commands, “Kill and eat.” Peter refuses, citing the law, but God responds, “What God has made clean, do not call common.”
This vision was not only about food—it was a divine declaration that Gentiles were no longer to be considered spiritually unclean. The removal of dietary laws symbolized the inclusion of all nations in God’s family.
The Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 confirmed this by deciding that Gentile believers were not bound by the full Mosaic Law, including the prohibition on pork.
3. What Does Pork Teach Us About the Gospel?
The Bible uses the change in dietary laws to illustrate the Gospel’s transition from law to grace. In Christ, ceremonial boundaries are fulfilled and set aside. Mark 7:18–19 records Jesus declaring all foods clean, emphasizing that defilement comes from the heart, not from what we eat.
For Christians today:
Eating pork is a matter of freedom and conscience.
Believers are called to thankfulness for all God’s gifts (1 Timothy 4:4–5).
We are warned to use freedom in love, not in a way that causes others to stumble (Romans 14).
The story of pork in the Bible is ultimately about the sufficiency of Christ’s work and the unity of His people, Jew and Gentile alike.
4. How Does Pork Relate to the Kingdom of God?
The shift from prohibition to permission reflects the coming of the new covenant age. In the present reign of Christ, God’s people are not marked by dietary laws but by faith and loyalty to the King. The old covenant shadow of food laws has given way to the reality of fellowship with God through Christ, anticipating the day when all His people will feast together in His kingdom.
Conclusion
From a strict prohibition under the law of Moses to complete freedom in Christ, the Bible’s teaching on pork reflects God’s redemptive plan. The change shows that holiness is no longer defined by what we eat but by belonging to Jesus, who cleanses us fully. For believers, pork is no longer a symbol of separation but a reminder that in Christ, the dividing wall has been broken down.
Bible Verses About Pork
Leviticus 11:7–8, “And the pig, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. You shall not eat any of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you.”
Deuteronomy 14:8, “And the pig, because it parts the hoof but does not chew the cud, is unclean for you. Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch.”
Isaiah 65:4, “Who sit in tombs, and spend the night in secret places; who eat pig’s flesh, and broth of tainted meat is in their vessels.”
Isaiah 66:17, “Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one in the midst, eating pig’s flesh and the abomination and mice, shall come to an end together, declares the Lord.”
Mark 7:18–19, “And he said to them, ‘Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?’ (Thus he declared all foods clean.)”
Acts 10:13–15, “And there came a voice to him: ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But Peter said, ‘By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.’ And the voice came to him again a second time, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’”
Acts 15:28–29, “For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
Romans 14:2–3, “One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him.”
1 Timothy 4:4–5, “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.”
