Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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from the beginning, it seems, it was not so, and therefore is not so under the gospel.
4 But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye
not eat.
The precepts and provisos of this character are no less kind and gracious, and instances of God's good-will to man. The Jewish doctors speak so often of the seven precepts of Noah, or of the sons of Noah, which they say were to be observed by all nations, that it may not be amiss to set them down. The first against the worship of idols. The second against blasphemy, and requiring to bless the name of God. The third against murder. The fourth against incest and all uncleanness. The fifth against theft and rapine. The sixth requiring the administration of justice. The seventh against eating of flesh with the life. These the Jews required the observance of from the proselytes of the gate. But the precepts here given all concern the life of man.
Man must not prejudice his own life by eating that food which is unwholesome and prejudicial to his health (Ge 9:4): "Flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof shall you not eat, as the beasts of prey do." It was necessary to add this limitation to the grant of liberty to eat flesh, lest, instead of nourishing their bodies by it, they should destroy them. God would hereby show,
(1.) That though they were lords of the creatures, yet they were subjects to the Creator, and under the restraints of his law.
(2.) That they must not be greedy and hasty in taking their food, but stay the preparing of it; not like Saul's soldiers (1Sa 14:32), nor riotous eaters of flesh, Pr 23:20.
(3.) That they must not be barbarous and cruel to the inferior creatures. They must be lords, but not tyrants; they might kill them for their profit, but not torment them for their pleasure,