Deuteronomy 14:1, commentary and pictures

As the children of the Lord, Israel were forbidden to mourn the dead by cutting their flesh or shaving a bald patch between the eyes, for they were called to be a holy and peculiar people distinguished from the idolatrous nations around them.
The same address introduces the law of clean and unclean meats, permitting certain kinds for food and forbidding others.
The division is not arbitrary, for the unclean are by their very nature unfit for food and were already distinguished as such when seven pairs of clean beasts and one pair of unclean entered the ark, while the clean are far more favorable for food and fit to be offered in sacrifice.
This definite instruction limits the broad permission to eat living creatures in Genesis 9:3 and the permission to eat whatsoever the soul desires at the feasts in Deuteronomy 14:26 and whatsoever may be slaughtered in Deuteronomy 12, so no general statement sets aside its express prohibitions.
Though the ceremonial form given to the Jewish nation alone passed away when Christ died, what the Lord forbade remains unwholesome and the swine remains unclean, so heeding the distinction brings health and those who know it should refrain from what is unwholesome and eat and drink to the glory of God.

Meaning and Historical Setting

Israel are the children of the LORD their God, and for that reason they must not mourn the dead by cutting themselves or by making a bald patch between the eyes. This command was part of the law Moses rehearsed to Israel before they crossed the Jordan, recalling God's past care for them and impressing the sacred importance of keeping God's law.

Its hearers are addressed as God's holy and peculiar people, called to be holy even as He is holy and to be distinguished from the idolatrous nations around them by laying aside their idols. Those who eat according to God's direction are the children of the LORD their God, and He forbade His children to eat swine's flesh.

Clean and Unclean Foods

Deuteronomy 14:1 belongs to and introduces the law in Deuteronomy 14:1-21 that lists clean and unclean meats, permitting His people to eat certain kinds and forbidding others and restating which meats were clean and unclean. The clean and unclean distinction is not arbitrary, with equally wholesome animals divided by decree. The unclean are unclean and totally unfit for food in their very nature and not good for people, while the clean are much more favorable for food. The unclean were an abomination to offer to the LORD and were not suitable for sacrifice, while the clean could be offered in sacrifice and their flesh could be eaten.

The distinction lay in the nature and unfitness for food of the beasts themselves and was already known at the Deluge, when seven pairs of clean beasts and one pair of unclean beasts were taken into the ark. This specific dietary law limits the broad permission to eat living creatures in Genesis 9:3, and the general permission to eat flesh applies only to clean meats, not to every kind of beast. The general permission in Deuteronomy 14:26 to have whatsoever the soul desireth when coming to the great feasts does not set aside the express prohibitions in Deuteronomy 14:1-21. What the soul desires does not include anything outside God's express prohibitions, and a general statement does not overthrow special demands.

The definite instruction on clean and unclean animal foods limits the whatsoever permitted to be slaughtered for food in Deuteronomy 12 and Deuteronomy 12:15, so no permission to eat unclean meats is given there, just as every day and every morning in gathering manna are limited to six days and do not include the seventh. The instruction was given to Israel as a holy nation and peculiar people upon whom none of the diseases of Egypt should come. God first took away the flesh diet and gave manna, the corn of heaven, but Israel murmured and lusted after the flesh-pots of Egypt, gorged on quails, and was smitten with plague. Afterward God granted their desire for flesh in part but left sickness as the consequence and then set apart the clean beasts and forbade eating the unclean. Flesh-eating under this law was therefore permitted and not sinful, but not an absolute necessity.

Heeding the instruction brings health, as the Jews who obey it are among the healthiest people despite tobacco use and excesses in other directions, while other animals used for food are becoming more diseased and vegetables, grains, and fruits are almost universally much cleaner and more wholesome. Flesh is not the best food, as shown by God giving manna instead of flesh and by giving no flesh at all in the beginning of human life. The ceremonial form of the Levitical law of clean and unclean beasts was given to the Jewish nation alone and passed away when Christ died, with the laws that stood only in meats and drinks and carnal ordinances, because the gospel going to other nations could not bind converts from other nations to Jewish ceremonial separation and the prohibition was lifted when the gospel went to all the world. Yet the principle still holds, what the Lord forbade remains unwholesome, and the swine remains unclean. The purpose of the law was not to make people righteous through food rules or other outward ceremonies; the heart must be right before God.

Holy Living Today

As children of the Lord, Daniel and his companions had a religious reason to refuse the king's food because they could not take part in practices that would defile them. Meat served at heathen royal tables was commonly offered to idols, and some kinds of it were forbidden as unclean by the Jewish law. Either reason alone was enough to make eating it inconsistent with their faith.

God required Israel to lay aside their idols so that they would be distinguished from the idolatrous nations around them as His holy and peculiar people. That same requirement now applies in purifying a people zealous of good works. It calls for entirely laying aside the habitual use of tobacco, tea and coffee, and all superfluities in dress and other extravagances that undermine spirituality and use up vitality of body and mind.

The beasts were not made clean or unclean by the Levitical law, for the difference lay in the very nature of the beasts themselves and their unfitness for food, a distinction already known at the Deluge when seven pairs of clean beasts and one pair of unclean beasts were taken into the ark. The ceremonial form of that law was given to the Jewish nation alone and passed away when Christ died, with the laws that stood only in meats and drinks and carnal ordinances, because the gospel going to other nations could not bind converts from other nations to Jewish ceremonial separation, and its prohibitions were lifted as the gospel went to the Gentiles. Yet the principle still holds, and what the Lord forbade His ancient people to eat and drink remains unwholesome. Those who know this distinction should therefore, as far as is consistent and as far as they can, refrain from it and choose the original plant-based diet. In all eating and drinking they are to seek the glory of God and fitness for best service.