Have you ever wondered if Christians are allowed to indulge in that delicious shrimp cocktail at a seafood restaurant? It’s a question that has been debated for centuries and has sparked countless discussions among believers. Some argue that the Old Testament laws prohibiting the consumption of shellfish still apply, while others believe that those laws were abolished with the arrival of the New Testament. So, can Christians eat shrimp? Let’s dive into this controversial topic and explore what the Bible has to say about it.
Can Christians eat shrimp?
Yes, Christians can eat shrimp due to the grace provided by their faith. However, according to the Bible, Leviticus 11, shrimp falls under the category of “unclean” and is considered unholy to consume.
What is forbidden to eat in Christianity?
In the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy in the Torah, God commands Moses and the Israelites exactly how to eat. These became known as the dietary laws or the Kosher diet.
"You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.’” Leviticus 11:47
Foods that can not be eaten in any form include all animals or animal products that do not chew the cud and do not have cloven hoofs; fish without fins and scales; any animal’s blood; shellfish and any other creeping creatures; and certain fowls listed in the Bible. All foods can be consumed outside of these groups.
What does the New Testament say about eating shrimp?
Nowhere in the New Testament of the Bible will you find the words shrimp, crab, or shellfish. They are all grouped together as unclean food from the sea.
When it comes to shrimp in the New Testament, most quote a story that is told in three of the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The Book of John does not retell this story.
In this story, the Pharisees confront Jesus and His disciples about how they are eating.
Back in those times, it was a religious law to prepare or clean yourself before eating. The Pharisees sees Jesus and His disciples do not properly clean themselves prior to eating some bread.
After some back in forth, Jesus tells the Pharisees the following:
“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 a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. Matthew 15:16-18
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) Mark 7:18-19
You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you. Luke 11:40-41
It is in Mark, and only Mark, where “(In Saying this. Jesus declared all food clean.)” This one sentence has added much confusion to scholars and Christians alike.
Did Jesus Make All Food Clean To Eat?
The context of this one sentence can only be found in Mark. If Jesus was to completely change a command that has been followed for thousands of years, I believe it would be stated in all retellings of this time on Earth.
The fact that Matthew and Luke leave it out and that John doesn’t even retell the story is suspicious.
You can also tell that just by the way it is added, (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean), it is someone’s commentary on the story.
This is also shown by reading the King James Version of the Bible. The King James Version of the Bible is the older translation of the Bible we have.
And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? Mark 7:18-19 KJV
As you read this story two other glaring issues come up.
Jesus and His disciples were eating bread, not shrimp, crab, or shellfish. So why would Jesus use this event to make all things clean to eat? Then not eat something that was considered unclean but is now clean.
As most of the time, Jesus is talking with the Pharisees, He is one step ahead of them. At no time was He wants them to focus on the physical food that we eat. No, He wanted them to focus on the other things we consume.
He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, those evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” Mark 7:20-22
Jesus was talking about what makes you unclean from your heart, not your stomach. Jesus is always more concerned with our hearts than our actions.
Conclusion – Christians eat shrimp?
This is also a good place to remind you of something Jesus told us from the Sermon on the Mount.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Matthew 5:17-18
The last time I check heaven and earth had not disappeared. This would mean nothing from the laws that God gave Moses would/should/could change.
So when it comes to can Christians eat shrimp? The answer is that we can because we are saved through faith and not through works.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
But if you want to live the life God has planned for you, I would stay away from the shrimp, crab, and shellfish.