Reference: Abstinence
Fausets
Enjoined by God, from blood (Ge 9:4); and by the Jerusalem council, from blood and idol meats (Ac 15:29), not to offend Jewish brethren in things indifferent (1Co 9:20-22). The blood was considered as the seat of the life, and as typifying the one Blood that cleanseth from all sin therefore it was treated as a sacred thing. "The children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day, because the angel touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank" (Ge 32:32); modern Jews, therefore, abstain from the whole hind quarter.
The law defined whole classes of animals, by the not eating of which the Israelites were distinguished from other nations (Leviticus 11); to mark the separation of the church from the world. Also certain parts of lawful animals, to teach typically that even in lawful things moderation and self control are needed (1Co 6:12-13; Le 3:9-11). So the priests, from wine, during their ministration (See AARON) (Le 10:1-9); also the Nazarites during their separation (Nu 6:3-4); also the Rechabites, constantly, by voluntary vow (Jeremiah 35). All idol meats were forbidden, namely, such as after the first portion had been consecrated to the idol were then eaten as food among the Gentiles (Ex 34:15; Ps 106:28; 1Co 8:4-10; Ro 14:3).
Paul lays down the principle that Christians should act each according to his conscience in the matter, but not, even in the exercise of Christian liberty, so as to cast a stumbling-block before weaker brethren. This was the principle of the decree, Ac 15:29. In 1Ti 4:3-4, he foretells the rise of Gnostic heretics, the forerunners of the ascetics of the apostate Greek and Latin churches who should forbid marriage, and command to abstain from meats which God created to be received with thanksgiving. Holy Scripture does not enjoin, nor yet forbid, vows of abstinence from intoxicants. The sacrifice of one's lawful right for our neighbor's good accords with the law of love: "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak." (Ro 14:21; Jeremiah 35.) (See RECHABITES.)
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But flesh with the life of it, which is its blood, shall ye not eat.
But flesh with the life of it, which is its blood, shall ye not eat.
Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrunk, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, to this day; because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrunk.
Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrunk, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, to this day; because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrunk.
Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go astray after their gods, and do sacrifice to their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;
Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go astray after their gods, and do sacrifice to their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;
And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace-offering an offering made by fire to the LORD: its fat, and the whole rump, that shall he take off hard by the back-bone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace-offering an offering made by fire to the LORD: its fat, and the whole rump, that shall he take off hard by the back-bone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, that shall he take away.
And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, that shall he take away. And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire to the LORD.
And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire to the LORD.
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire in it, and put incense on it, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire in it, and put incense on it, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said to Aaron, This is what the LORD spoke, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.
Then Moses said to Aaron, This is what the LORD spoke, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace. And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.
And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp. So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said.
So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said. And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.
And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled. And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.
And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses. And the LORD spoke to Aaron, saying,
And the LORD spoke to Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:
Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:
He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.
He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine-tree, from the kernels even to the husk.
All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine-tree, from the kernels even to the husk.
They joined themselves also to Baal-peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
They joined themselves also to Baal-peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
That ye abstain from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from lewdness: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye will do well. Fare ye well.
That ye abstain from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from lewdness: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye will do well. Fare ye well.
That ye abstain from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from lewdness: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye will do well. Fare ye well.
That ye abstain from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from lewdness: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye will do well. Fare ye well.
Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not; and let not him who eateth not, judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not; and let not him who eateth not, judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing by which thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing by which thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
All things are lawful to me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
All things are lawful to me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for lewdness, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for lewdness, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak: I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak: I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by them who believe and know the truth.
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by them who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if received with thanksgiving:
For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if received with thanksgiving:
Watsons
ABSTINENCE, forbearance of any thing. It is generally used with reference to forbearance from food under a religious motive. The Jewish law ordained that the priests should abstain from the use of wine during the whole time of their being employed in the service of the temple, Le 10:9. The same abstinence was enjoined upon the Nazarites, during the time of their Nazariteship, or separation, Nu 6:3. The Jews were commanded to abstain from several sorts of animals. See ANIMAL.
The fat of all sorts of animals that were sacrificed was forbidden to be eaten, Le 3:17; 7:23; and the blood of every animal, in general, was prohibited under pain of death. Indeed blood was forbidden by the Creator, from the time of the grant of the flesh of beasts to man for food; this prohibition was continued under the Jewish economy, and transmitted to the Christian church by Apostolic authority, Ac 15:28-29. (See Blood.) The Jews also abstained from the sinew which is upon the hollow of the thigh, Ge 32:25; because of the shrinking of the sinew of Jacob's thigh when touched by the angel, as though by that the part had been made sacred.
Among the primitive Christians, some denied themselves the use of such meats as were prohibited by the law; others treated this abstinence with contempt. St. Paul has given his decision on these questions in his epistles, 1Co 8:7-10; Ro 14:1-3. The council of Jerusalem, which was held by the Apostles, enjoined the Christian converts to abstain from meats strangled, from blood, from fornication, and from idolatry, Ac 15:20.
The spiritual monarchy of the western world introduced another sort of abstinence which may be termed ritual, and which consists in abstaining from particular meats at certain times and seasons, the rules of which are called rogations. The ancient Lent was observed only a few days before Easter. In the course of the third century, it extended at Rome to three weeks; and before the middle of the succeeding age, it was prolonged to six weeks, and began to be called quadragesima, or the forty days' fast.
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And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh: and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.
Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat.
Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:
He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.
But that we write to them that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from lewdness, and from things strangled, and from blood.
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from lewdness: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye will do well. Fare ye well.
Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. read more. Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not; and let not him who eateth not, judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
But there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol to this hour eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. But food commendeth us not to God: for neither if we eat, are we the better; neither if we eat not, are we the worse. read more. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours should become a stumbling-block to them that are weak. For if any man shall see thee, who hast knowledge, sit eating in the idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;