Welcome to Anxiously Engaged! For those of you who don’t know, I live in France, in a pretty internationally diverse place. And a Muslim friend of mine asked me the question, “Why Christians eat pork when it is clearly forbidden in the Bible?” For Muslims, pork is a really big issue, and I will answer this question. But do not think for a moment that we will spend much time on the subject of eating pork. No, we’re going to talk about how the entire law of Moses was a type and shadow of things to come and how Christ fulfilled every prophetic jot and tittle of the law. I dare say, that there are very few Christians that are aware of this, so prepare to be amazed!

My friend likes a Muslim apologist named Dr. Zakir Naik. He’s got lots of videos on YouTube and Dr. Naik makes the point that Jesus Christ himself said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-20) So the point he makes is, Christians are breaking their own Biblical law by eating pork.

So, that quote from Christ in Matthew is a kind of rebuttal. Jesus was accused many times by the Scribes and Pharisees that his teachings and actions were not inline with the law of Moses. Now for the Latter-Days Saints, this accusation is particularly ironic because we understand that Jesus Christ is Jehovah, the one under the direction of the Father, who gave the law to Moses in the first place. 

And since we’re talking about the law of Moses, I asked my friend if he knew what the law of Moses was. As a Muslim, he was familiar with Moses but didn’t know about the law of Moses. So in order to answer the question we have to at least understand the basics.

The LDS King James Bible dictionary gives this brief explanation of the Law of Moses. “One of the major questions the early Church in Palestine had to decide was about the obligation of Christians to the ceremonial law of Moses. The matter was partially solved by the conference held in Jerusalem, as recorded in Acts 15 and Gal. 2…”

“The law as given through Moses was a good law, although adapted to a lower spiritual capacity than is required for obedience to the gospel in its fulness. However, the Jewish leaders had added many unauthorized provisions, ceremonies, and prohibitions to the original law, until it became extremely burdensome. These innovations were known as the “traditions of the elders.” By New Testament times among the Jews the law had become so altered it had lost much of its spiritual meaning. It is this form of the law that is so harshly spoken against by Jesus.” (The law of Moses – LDS Bible Dictionary)

So, when Jesus finally comes among the Jews, they were in a state of profound apostasy. The “law” had become so corrupted with overzealousness that the original meaning of the ceremonial symbolism of the law of Moses was hard or even impossible to see anymore.

Peter is actually a great example of an over zealous spirit. When Jesus tries to implement the ordinance of washing of the Apostles feet, Peter says, are you going to wash my feet? Servants do that for masters and Peter esteemed Jesus too highly to let him demean himself and wash his filthy feet. Jesus said, what I do, you will not understand now, but you will understand it later. Then Peter defiantly says, you will never wash my feet. But Jesus said that, If I don’t wash your feet, you have no part with me. Then Peter immediately swings to the other extreme and says, if this washing of feet is required to have part with you, then don’t stop at my feet but wash my hands and head too! (John 13:5-9)

This kind of unchecked over zealousness, even with righteous intentions, leads to looking beyond the mark, and obscuring the original meaning of the ceremonial law of Moses that ultimately pointed the mind to the Messiah’s fulfillment of them. The laws got so mired in the philosophies of men that they became commandments of men. And this was the state of Judah at the time of Christ. So Jesus in those Matthew 5 verses, explains that he hasn’t come to destroy or trample the law, he’s the one that gave it. He came to keep the law and as I will demonstrate, he ultimately fulfills it to the letter. 

So the key word in that phrase is “fulfill.” Fulfill means to achieve, realise, bring about, carry out, accomplish, satisfy or complete. What does it mean that Jesus came to fulfil, accomplish, satisfy or complete the law of Moses?

Let’s go back to the time of Moses before they had that law. Israel only recently fled out of Egypt and escaped Pharaoh’s army through the waters on dry ground. The children of Israel had lived in Egypt for 400 years and the false traditions of Egyptian theology had penetrated deep into Israelite culture, and being slaves for most of that time did not help. Moses was a restoration prophet and he was trying to get them to understand that he knew the true and living God, that God had appeared to him and that he was with them. He was trying to teach the truth and get them to shake off the false, yet mainstream religious traditions of Egypt. But after their escape, while in the desert, Moses had been on Mount Sinai for over a month and they weren’t sure if he was coming back, so they began reasoning amongst themselves. 

Ultimately this people, that had seen the power of God deliver them out of slavery and bondage from the most powerful nation on earth, would not be delivered from the bondage of their minds, and they returned to their familiar Egyptian traditions and made golden Egyptian idols. They made golden calves and said, “…These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 32:4) Ooops! Wrong move.

After everything God had done for them, after all the signs and wonders, at every turn these people were constantly failing to get it. And the generation of adults that fled Egypt would never see the promised land. After 40 years of wandering near the promised land, all but two faithful men of that disobedient and unbelieving generation died before the family of Israel was able to enter into it.

So to make a very long story short, they had the gospel and the commandments previous to the law of Moses, but because of stubborn disobedience, the children of Israel in that day were given the lesser, ceremonial Law of Moses, which is: “The name assigned to the whole collection of written laws given through Moses to the house of Israel, as a replacement of the higher law that they had failed to obey. The law of Moses consisted of many ceremonies, rituals, and symbols, to remind the people frequently of their duties and responsibilities… and was a preparatory gospel to bring its adherents to Christ.” (The law of Moses – LDS Bible Dictionary)

If you were to make a list of important ceremonial laws to keep, the passover is at the top. And by understanding the fulfillment of this law, the most important ceremonial law, we will answer the question about eating pork. But again, you must understand the law before we can talk about why it is not observed anymore.

The Jewish tradition of Passover celebration began in Egypt. Moses is called as a prophet to the house of Israel, and is told to lead them out of Egypt from slavery to a land of their own. The reluctant Moses was commanded to go tell Pharaoh, the most powerful man on earth, “…let my people go…” Pharaoh replied, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.” (Exodus 5:2)

The battle of who was really God, Pharaoh or Jehovah, ended with the last of the ten plagues that smote Egypt, the death of the first born male of every family. There was none unaffected from the house of Pharaoh, to the servants and it even took the first born of the cattle. But the children of Israel were given a token to protect themselves against that last curse upon Egypt. 

The pascal lamb will be prepared for sacrifice and specific rules applied to this ceremonial feast. The lamb had to be a firstborn male, without any kind of blemish. It had to be a perfect lamb. No bones of the lamb could be broken before or after death. The Hebrews were told to choose the sacrificial lamb on the 10th of Nisan, the first month of the lunar calendar. Three days later, on the 14th of Nisan, “the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel” would sacrifice the lambs. (Exodus 12:6). The blood of the sacrificial lamb would be placed on the door posts as a sign and token of the covenant. The promise being that the angel of death would passover that faithful house and spare the first born sons.

Traditionally the sacrifice of the lamb is done between 3:00 and 5:00 pm, which makes this meal preparation a rush job because, for the Hebrews, sunset marked the end of a 24 hour day, so that evening was the beginning of the next day. At sunset the 14th ended and next day, the 15th of Nisan, the sabbath began, when meal preparation had to stop. So that sabbath evening, began the first day of Passover and the pascal feast was to be eaten with bitter herbs to remind generations of Hebrews of their bitter enslavement in Egypt. They would eat it with unleavened bread, no yeast can be used because of the rush, there is no time to let it rise, reminding them of the needed hast to quickly prepare the meal. They were to eat the meal with their shoes on, their walking staff in their hands and their clothes ready to go at a moments notice. (Exodus 12:11)

“And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle as well. Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said.” (Exodus 12:29-31)

It was in the middle of the night that sabbath, the 15th day of Nisan that the children of Israel were freed from slavery and bondage, and they left Egypt. That evening at the setting of the sun, the sabbath ended and as the 16th of Nisan began, they were to wave sheafs before the Lord. A sheaf is a bundle of grain stocks tied together, and they were to wave the sheafs that were the first fruits of their harvest with gratitude.

In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Abinadi taught the Nephites in his day, (and this is about 400 BC) that, “if ye teach the law of Moses, also teach that it is a shadow of those things which are to come—“ (Mosiah 16:14)

These symbols are easy for Christians who are familiar with these doctrines to see and understand. But we are looking backwards through history after its fulfillment. For those at the time of Christ, they couldn’t possibly see the fulfillment of these events until they were pointed out to them in hindsight.

How was this pascal lamb aspect of the law of Moses fulfilled in the New Testament time of Jesus? “… much people that were come to the [passover] feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written…” (John 12:12-14)

You know this story of Jesus being hailed as King riding into Jerusalem on a young ass. But do you know that it was also in fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy of Zachariah? “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon… a colt the foal of an ass.” (Zachariah 9:9)

The people of Judah hail Jesus as the prophesied king that would save them. Now, they thought that meant “save them from Rome,” and they give him a traditional kingly welcome. “And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the [palm] trees, and strawed them in the way.” (Matthew 21:8)

The tumult and praise drew some criticism though. “And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” (Luke 19:39-40)

You see, it’s the 10th of Nisan and the Jews were gathering in Jerusalem for Passover… and it’s that day that “the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel,” (Exodus 12:6) was choosing their perfect pascal lamb to be sacrificed. Unbeknownst to Jerusalem, the assembly of the congregation of Israel who thought they were choosing their king, actually chose their perfect and final sacrifice as they praised Jesus and spread their clothes under him as he rode into the city.

Three days later, on the 14th of Nisan, when the lambs were being sacrificed, the previous praise of the assembly Israel suddenly turned into shouting “Let him be crucified,” (Matt. 27:23) and the Lamb of God was taken taken to Golgotha, himself to be slain. Those men hanging on the crosses into the late afternoon would have to be taken down and prepared for burial before the sunset, the start of the sabbath day. So as to hurry their deaths, Roman soldiers brutally broke the legs of the thieves. But when they had come to Jesus he had already said, “it is finished” and gave up the ghost. So unlike the others, Jesus had no bones broken before or after death. As the sacrificial lambs were being hastily prepared before sunset, so was the Lamb of God being hastily prepared for the tomb, before the sabbath begins, when such activities were to cease.

The sabbath began and the passover meal commemorated their freedom from bondage in Egypt. And we learn that Christ, after his death on that day was busy providing freedom for ALL who would accept his atonement in life as well as for those who were in bondage in the world of spirits who never knew the gospel in this life.

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient…” (1 Peter 3:18-20)

“For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” (1 Peter 4:6)

On the 10th, the lamb was chosen. On the 14th the lamb was sacrificed, the 15th those in bondage were freed and on the 16th the first fruits were presented to God. On the 16th, Jesus became “the first-fruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20) and presented himself to his father that day. 

Jesus’ resurrection fulfilled the ceremonial law of Moses to the letter. The whole purpose of the law of Moses was to point the minds of a “stiffnecked people” (Exodus 33:3-5) to this day through symbols and patterns to help them recognize the Messiah when he came. Christ was that great and last sacrifice, completing and ending the ceremonial law of Moses. The Saints were now required to return to living a higher law as outlined in the New Testament teachings.

So, to my Muslim friend, this leads us to the subject of Christ’s Atonement for sin, but that is a subject that deserves and requires its own focus to understand, so I won’t go into it in this episode.

So, understanding that the ceremonial laws all symbolized something, we can now examine the issue of pork. This is something that is very pertinent to me too, because in my twenties me and some of my friends discussed this issue of eating pork and came to the conclusion that if for “health reasons,” pork wasn’t to be eaten then, it seems reasonable that it shouldn’t be eaten today. So for more than 20 years I wouldn’t eat pork.

Our perspective was the modern health code that Joseph Smith received from the Lord we call the Word of Wisdom (Doctrine & Covenants section 89). There were many questions posed in Joseph Smith’s day concerning tobacco, alcohol and even the question of eating meat, with pork being specifically questioned by some religious sects. The Word of Wisdom is a revelation that gives us a guide for what is good for the human body and what is not good for the human body, but pork is not mentioned as forbidden in the revelation. 

The thing is, I never understood the Law of Moses as a symbolic ceremonial law. I didn’t understand as a young man, this first passover as being a shadow of things to come, when the Messiah would literally fulfill every point of the ceremonial feast. A few years ago, I attended an education week at BYU and heard professor Alonzo Gaskill speak about the ceremonial laws and broke them down into what they were supposed to remind us of with their symbolism.

He pointed out that clean and unclean animals represented something. When we eat something, we break it down and incorporate it into our own bodies and it becomes part of us. The scriptures and the gospel are something we are to symbolically eat or feast upon. When we read the scriptures and ponder the gospel, we are incorporating the principles into our minds and our lives. If you look at the animals in the Law of Moses that are considered clean or unclean as something symbolic, you begin to see that the animals have characteristics or attributes that you should symbolically emulate and develop into your character or that you should avoid developing in your character.

Animals that chew the cud and parted the hoof were a symbol for righteous people. Horses are unstable in rocky terrain, their hooves slip and slide easily, where as the ox, sheep and goats are very nimble, well grounded and well balanced, attributes that would be very complimentary to one’s spiritual character. These animals also chew the cud, they chew and chew for a very long time, the same food over and over. This gives us the image of ruminating over the words of God, going over them again and again, pouring over them until they ultimately become a part of our nature.

The hare and rabbit are considered unclean animals and are ancient symbols of promiscuity and immorality. Brother Gaskill jokes that the only thing Hugh Hefner ever got right in his life was when he chose the bunny icon for his pornography magazine. Promiscuity and immorality are not attributes to be incorporated into your character, so these animals were to be avoided as food, as a constant reminder of the principle.

Fish with fins and scales were considered clean because they’re mainstream, group oriented and they swim together in schools. Those sea creatures that don’t have fins and scales usually swim at the bottom, by themselves, charting their own paths and are not group oriented. They lurk in the darkness scavenging as bottom feeders and they avoid the light.

And like most bottom dwellers, predators and birds of prey were unclean animals. Predators maintain themselves off the lives and misfortunes of others and they prey upon the weak. These animals exploit others vulnerability and watch for any signs of weakness as an opportunity to take advantage. These are unclean attributes for God’s people and were animals to avoid and symbolically remind you not to incorporate those characteristics your life.

So this brings us to the swine. Even to this day the pig is a symbol of sloppiness or gluttony. Pigs know who’s in charge and will follow you anywhere, if you have the slop bucket. But if their bellies are full, you can’t get them to do anything as they wallow proudly in their own filth. The swine symbolize people who feign religious devotion and feign repentance as long as it serves their own purposes. But these people easily forget God when they feel they have no need. God prophesied to the early Israelites many times that when their bellies are full, they will forget Him and reject his prophets, clearly using the attributes of the swine to describe them and their future lost condition.

If we could see the Mosaic Law when it was originally given in its purity, we would have seen that it was entirely made up of this kind of symbolism to constantly provide imagery and reminders of how to behave and what types of character to develop or avoid. And ultimately, the ceremonial laws of Moses all pointed to the coming Messiah and would be fulfilled, accomplished and completed by him. This was a lesser law and the ceremonial law was always intended to be done away. 

In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites kept the  Law of Moses until Christ came and fulfilled it. In fact, when Enos is describing the degraded nature of the non-believing Lamanites he says, “… they were led by their evil nature that they became wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness; feeding upon beasts of prey… etc.” (Enos 1:20) Everything Enos is describing about the Lamanites is focussing on the fact that they are defiling themselves by breaking all the laws of Moses. In fact, the cross reference on “blood-thirsty” takes you to the book of Jarom where he also describes the Lamanites by the laws of Moses that they are breaking. “… and they loved murder and would drink the blood of beasts.” (Jarom 1:6) The law of Moses was to distinguish the covenant people from others, and eating beasts of prey and drinking blood were definitely non-kosher diets. And the fact that “they loved murder” was a bigger sign that they had departed from the law, but we’re focusing on the dietary aspects here. 

The time period of Enos and Jarom is roughly 400 BC. But if we go to the Book of Ether, the Jeradite people came to the Americas long before Lehi and his family. They came long before Moses or even Abraham were born. Meaning, they had the gospel, but there was no lesser ceremonial law of Moses for these people to keep. And one verse mentions some of the animals they brought with them for food. “And also all manner of cattle, of oxen, and cows, and of sheep, and of swine, and of goats, and also many other kinds of animals which were useful for the food of man.” (Ether 9:18) 

These were God’s people long before Abraham and they mention that they used swine for food. So all of this leads me to understand the symbolism of law of Moses dietary restrictions, was not a strict guide for what meats are good or bad for you to eat, because remember, there are a lot more animals on the non kosher list than just swine. If you had to decide whether the purpose of the dietary law of Moses was to be God’s recommended diet for man, or to be a constant ceremonial reminder for a “stiffnecked people” of traits and qualities to avoid or incorporate into your character… which would you choose?

“…one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law [of Moses], till all be fulfilled.” I hope this gives you some understanding as to why we no longer live the law of Moses or forbid pork or other animals from our diets. But instead of getting caught up on the lesser aspects of the law, such as pork, my greatest hope is that you have learned that the Lamb of God fulfilled to the last detail, all of the symbolism established in the very first passover feast. Jesus Christ is the resurrected Messiah. He is literally the “first fruits of them that slept” and he has freed the captives from bondage. I hope this will be food for thought as you mull over and over these principles.