Epistle of Barnabas 10
1
But forasmuch as Moses said: Ye shall not eat swine nor eagle nor hawk nor crow, nor any fish which hath not scales upon it — he received three ordinances in his understanding.
2
Moreover he saith to them in Deuteronomy: And I will set as a covenant to this people my righteous ordinances. Therefore it is not a commandment of God that they should not bite with their teeth, but Moses spake it in spirit.
3
Accordingly he mentioned the swine with this intent. Thou shalt not cleave, he meaneth, to such men who are like unto swine; for when they are in luxury, they forget the Lord, but when they are in want, they recognize the Lord.
4
Even as the swine, when it eateth, knoweth not its lord, but when it is hungry it crieth out, and on receiving food is silent again.
5
Neither shalt thou eat eagle nor hawk nor kite nor crow. Thou shalt not, He saith, cleave unto, or be like unto, such men who know not how to provide food for themselves by toil and sweat, but in their lawlessness seize what belongeth to others.
6
And they watch as though walking in guilelessness, and look about for whom they may plunder in their rapacity, just as these birds alone do not provide food for themselves, but sit idle and seek how they may eat the flesh of others, being pestilent through their evil-doings.
7
And thou shalt not eat, saith He, lampreys nor polyps nor cuttlefish. He meaneth: Thou shalt not be joined to such men who are utterly ungodly, and are already condemned to death.
8
In the same manner as those fishes above mentioned are accursed, and float in the deep, not swimming like the rest, but dwell on the ground beneath the deep sea.
9
Moreover thou shalt not eat the hare. He meaneth: Thou shalt not be lustful, nor be likened unto such.
10
But moreover thou shalt eat the animal that hath the cloven hoof and cheweth the cud. He meaneth that receiving food it knoweth him that feedeth it, and being satisfieth resteth on him.
11
What meaneth He? Cleave unto those that fear the Lord, unto those that meditate in their heart on the meaning of the word which they received, unto those that speak of and observe the ordinances of the Lord.
12
Moses received three doctrines concerning meats and thus spake in spirit; but they, according to the desire of the flesh, accepted the laws as though referring to eating.
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