The Case for Biblical Cannibalism

Yes, the headline above could be considered by some to be clickbait or simply a tool to get the attention of a potential reader. Others might read that headline immediately thinking about the horrible, cannibalistic way those who claim to believe the Bible often treat each other. This can resemble the feeding frenzy of sharks, especially after a very public failure or a simple statement of belief on social media.

While it is true that, far too often, Bible believers act like cannibals, ready to consume the weak or injured like a pack of lions, that is not what I am referring to when I mention the possibility of biblical cannibalism.

I am referring to the events depicted in Acts 10, when Peter had his vision.

Acts 10:9–10: “The next day, as the soldiers were traveling and approaching the city, Peter went up to the rooftop to pray, at about the sixth hour. Now he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they were preparing something, he fell into a trance.”

While Peter was in this trance, he had a vision in which he saw a sheet coming down from heaven. On the sheet were all kinds of animals. Then we read:

Acts 10:13–16: “A voice came to him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ But Peter said, ‘Certainly not, Lord! For never have I eaten anything unholy or unclean.’ Again a voice came to him, a second time: ‘What God has made clean, you must not consider unholy.’ This happened three times, and the sheet was immediately taken up to heaven.”

A few things stand out. First, even though the sheet containing all kinds of animals came down from heaven three times, Peter never actually got up, killed, and ate any of the animals. Second, we should notice that, according to the text, God spoke the words, “What God has made clean, you must not consider unholy,” three times.

Notice the two different words used: clean and unholy. Clean refers to kosher status as it relates to food. Unholy refers to something lacking a relationship to God, or being separate and distinct from Him. For instance, a shovel used to bury the body of a dog would be considered common or unholy. The same type of shovel used in the Tabernacle or Temple would be considered holy. Its holiness is attributed to it because of its relationship to the service of God.

As we continue reading, many assume that through this vision God was telling Peter that he could now eat everything. However, as we read on, it does not appear that this was how Peter understood the message. In fact, it appears Peter did not even understand what the vision meant at first. Notice that Peter was “puzzling” over what the vision might mean.

Acts 10:17: “Now while Peter was puzzling about what the vision he had seen might mean, behold, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and appeared before the gate.”

Two verses later, Peter still does not understand the vision.

Acts 10:19: “Now while Peter was mulling over the vision, the Ruach said to him, ‘Look here, three men are looking for you.’”

It is only when we get to Acts 10:27-28 that Peter interprets for us what the vision was intended to mean:

“Talking with him, Peter went inside and found many people gathered. He said to them, ‘You yourselves know that it is not permitted for a Jewish man to associate with a non-Jew or to visit him. Yet God has shown me that I should call no one unholy or unclean.’”

As we read these verses, we can come to one of two conclusions. The first is that the vision was a tool God was using to let Peter know that the promise of Acts 1:8 was coming to pass and that Peter was not to call non-Jews unclean if God was going to make them clean.

Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Ruach ha-Kodesh has come upon you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and through all Judah, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 

The only other option is to take the vision literally and accept that Acts 10 promotes biblical cannibalism. After all, Acts 10:28 clearly tells us that God showed Peter what He was making holy and clean was non-Jewish people.

So either Peter’s vision was God’s way of showing the breaking down of the middle wall of division between Jew and non-Jew, opening the door of redemption and holiness to non-Jewish people, or God was establishing a form of New Covenant biblical cannibalism.