Galilean Catfish!
February 12 (Leviticus 11)
I know I should save this devotional for the story of Peter and Cornelius, but I just couldn’t resist when I passed this particular part of kashrut (the food laws of the Jews.) “These you may eat, of all that are in the waters. Everything in the waters that has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers, you may eat. But anything in the seas or the rivers that does not have fins and scales, of the swarming creatures in the waters and of the living creatures that are in the waters, is detestable to you." Leviticus 11:9-10.
When I travel to Oklahoma to visit relatives, as soon as the plane hits the runway my mouth begins to water, either for BBQ or catfish. People up north just don’t know how good a nice, tender, fried catfish fillet tastes. When we went to Israel for the first time, we got to eat at a restaurant in Tiberias right on the edge of the Sea of Galilee. After supper, we walked to the end of a pier and I took a video of my wife throwing french fries into the sea, where a frenzied mass of dozens of nice-sized fish were swarming for a bite. Catfish! (see link below)
I asked our Israeli tour guide about it, and he reminded me of the laws of ritual suitability found in kashrut. Catfish are off limits, so there are LOTS of happy catfish swimming in the waters on which Jesus once walked. He told me he had been raised in his youth in Louisiana, and only moved to Israel later. He smiled and said, “I know very well how good catfish tastes.” I guess Cajun Jews aren’t necessarily as orthodox as the ones we saw in Tiberius.
While in Israel, we lined up for many a breakfast buffet, minus bacon, ham, and sausage. Among Messianic Jews anyway, there is a debate about whether or not Jesus really abolished kashrut (as it appears he did in Mark 7:19) or if the sheet in Peter’s vision in Acts 10 was talking about unclean food or unclean people. Myself, I believe the Old Law was declared “null and void” according to Galatians 3:17-25, because Christ ratified an existing higher law of faith going back to Abraham. If that is the case, people should no longer feel guilty about what they put in their mouth, if done with a good conscience (even cottage cheese!) Likewise, Hebrews 10:9 confirms that the Old Law was set aside, annulled like an obsolete will.
I honor the conviction of any Jewish convert to Christ who hangs on to their convictions about kosher foods. I’ll not offend your conscience by taking you to my favorite BBQ restaurant. But should you grow in your freedom in Christ to the point you are willing to abandon kashrut, I know of a nice catfish restaurant I would recommend!
“What God has made clean, do not call common.” Acts 10:15
