Leviticus 10-12

“This is the law regarding … every living thing … to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean” (11:47).  Being ritually “clean” in Israel wasn’t the same thing as being morally pure; accidentally touching a pig, for example, wasn’t in the same category as adultery.  After giving birth, women were unclean, not sinful (ch 12).  These complex codes separated the Israelites from their neighbors, who used human fertility, blood, and various animals in their idol worship.    

Jesus’ followers come from diverse cultural backgrounds.  What marks us now is not food or drink rules, but our love for one another (John 13:35).