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Biblically Kosher: A Messianic Jewish Perspective on Kashrut
A Messianic Jewish Perspective on Kashrut. Revealing the Biblical Sources of Dietary Laws in Judaism. There is much more to the Bibles food laws than saying, ""Hold the bacon."" Learn what the Bible, ancient Rabbis, and the Apostles teach about eating. Did Jesus put ham, shrimp, and snails back on the table? See how a Messianic Jewish perspective provides important cultural context and uncovers the true meaning of New Testament passages about eating. Find out what it really means to eat biblically. This book will change the way you think about the Bible and food. It will bring you closer to the ancient Jewish way of life that Jesus and his disciples practiced. Discover how the simple act of eating can become an expression of worship!
190 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 10, 2026
UPDATE — SEPTEMBER 2026
I originally reviewed this book very positively, but my understanding of several of the theological issues addressed here has developed considerably since I read it. I no longer agree with FFOZ on a number of important points, and therefore I would not give the book the same recommendation today.
I also want to add a significant caution for anyone discovering FFOZ through older reviews such as mine. FFOZ's theological position has developed considerably, and its present-day perspective is much more closely aligned in some important respects with contemporary Orthodox Judaism than I had understood when I first read their books. Although FFOZ continues to affirm Yeshua as the promised Messiah, readers should not assume that this means its theology is broadly comparable to that of mainstream evangelical Christianity.
In particular, some of its present theological positions and appreciations concerning the Church, Kabbalah, the Trinity etc may be quite surprising to an evangelical reader. In my assessment, there are areas in which FFOZ's current outlook can look considerably closer to aspects of contemporary Orthodox Judaism and, in some respects, Catholic Christianity than to what most evangelicals would recognise as historic evangelical theology.
I have therefore become much more cautious about recommending FFOZ material. I have not reread this book specifically for this update, so I am not claiming that every point above is contained in this particular volume. I want to make clear that my original positive review reflects what I thought at the time, and should not be taken to mean that I still agree with FFOZ's theology or recommend their books today.
I have left my original review below because it reflects my honest assessment at the time I read the book.
ORIGINAL REVIEW
This is a very interesting and thought-provoking book on kashrut and what it means for Messianic Jewish believers and Gentiles. I appreciated how seriously Aaron Eby takes the biblical text and how much Jewish background, history, and interpretation he brings into the discussion. I particularly found the distinctions between kosher, ritual purity, and holiness helpful, as well as the discussions of passages such as Mark 7, Acts 10, Acts 15, and Paul's letters.
At the same time, this is a book that made me want to search the Scriptures for myself rather than simply accept the author's conclusions. In several places, I felt there was a movement from what the biblical text actually says into later rabbinic interpretation or application. I'm not saying those interpretations are wrong, but neither am I saying they are totally right all the time. They could be right, or they could be wrong, and I think it is important to be able to distinguish clearly between the biblical command itself and the fences and interpretations that developed around it.
The section on Gentiles was particularly complicated for me. While the author argues that Gentiles should do the best they can and suggests that taking on more can be a good thing, I came away feeling that the book leans towards encouraging Gentiles to go further than what is explicitly required. There is nothing wrong with a Gentile choosing to do so, if they do it willingly and for good reasons, but I would have liked a clearer distinction between what Scripture actually requires and what someone may voluntarily choose to practise. As I understand Acts 15, there are three dietary requirements given to Gentile believers—concerning food associated with idols, blood, and strangled meat—and even those require some careful study when we look at how the author understands each of them.
I also wasn't completely satisfied with the treatment of some of the New Testament passages. I found the arguments interesting and appreciated the challenge to some of the simplistic ways these texts are sometimes read. I agree that Acts 10 is clearly about people and the inclusion of the Gentiles, and that Mark 7 is fundamentally dealing with what defiles a person from the heart. But I wasn't convinced that the book completely settles whether these passages also have implications for food itself.
Likewise, I found the author's reading of Acts 15 interesting, and I agree with him to some extent. I can see why he understands the four requirements as a starting point rather than necessarily the complete picture, but for me, this is one of those places where I think further study of the Scriptures is needed rather than simply accepting one interpretation.
One thing I particularly appreciated was the number of books and other sources Eby mentions throughout the book, along with the extensive endnotes. I now feel rather spoiled for choice when it comes to books and subjects I could explore further! Even where I disagreed with the author's conclusions, he has certainly given me plenty of material to investigate and think about.
I also appreciated that the book doesn't present outward observance as a substitute for inner holiness. The reminders about kindness, humility, generosity, hospitality, self-control, and not judging others are important. Kashrut is never presented as something that should become a reason for pride or division, which I found helpful.
Would I recommend this book? Probably not to most Christians, and definitely not as a starting point for someone who is new to the faith or new to Messianic Judaism. There is simply too much background, interpretation, and detail to navigate without having a reasonable foundation already. I could see it being particularly helpful for Jewish believers who already have some understanding of the questions surrounding kashrut and want to explore the subject more deeply.
Am I encouraged by this book? Sadly, no. Am I informed? Yes—very much so, although not completely. I still feel that I need to study the Scriptures further, particularly some of the passages discussed in the book, because I don't feel that the book did full justice to all of them.
Overall, I agree with the author in many ways and respectfully disagree in others. I am glad I read it, and I think it is a useful book for someone who already has a foundation and wants to explore the subject of kashrut in much greater depth. For me, though, it is a starting point for further study rather than the final word.
I originally reviewed this book very positively, but my understanding of several of the theological issues addressed here has developed considerably since I read it. I no longer agree with FFOZ on a number of important points, and therefore I would not give the book the same recommendation today.
I also want to add a significant caution for anyone discovering FFOZ through older reviews such as mine. FFOZ's theological position has developed considerably, and its present-day perspective is much more closely aligned in some important respects with contemporary Orthodox Judaism than I had understood when I first read their books. Although FFOZ continues to affirm Yeshua as the promised Messiah, readers should not assume that this means its theology is broadly comparable to that of mainstream evangelical Christianity.
In particular, some of its present theological positions and appreciations concerning the Church, Kabbalah, the Trinity etc may be quite surprising to an evangelical reader. In my assessment, there are areas in which FFOZ's current outlook can look considerably closer to aspects of contemporary Orthodox Judaism and, in some respects, Catholic Christianity than to what most evangelicals would recognise as historic evangelical theology.
I have therefore become much more cautious about recommending FFOZ material. I have not reread this book specifically for this update, so I am not claiming that every point above is contained in this particular volume. I want to make clear that my original positive review reflects what I thought at the time, and should not be taken to mean that I still agree with FFOZ's theology or recommend their books today.
I have left my original review below because it reflects my honest assessment at the time I read the book.
ORIGINAL REVIEW
This is a very interesting and thought-provoking book on kashrut and what it means for Messianic Jewish believers and Gentiles. I appreciated how seriously Aaron Eby takes the biblical text and how much Jewish background, history, and interpretation he brings into the discussion. I particularly found the distinctions between kosher, ritual purity, and holiness helpful, as well as the discussions of passages such as Mark 7, Acts 10, Acts 15, and Paul's letters.
At the same time, this is a book that made me want to search the Scriptures for myself rather than simply accept the author's conclusions. In several places, I felt there was a movement from what the biblical text actually says into later rabbinic interpretation or application. I'm not saying those interpretations are wrong, but neither am I saying they are totally right all the time. They could be right, or they could be wrong, and I think it is important to be able to distinguish clearly between the biblical command itself and the fences and interpretations that developed around it.
The section on Gentiles was particularly complicated for me. While the author argues that Gentiles should do the best they can and suggests that taking on more can be a good thing, I came away feeling that the book leans towards encouraging Gentiles to go further than what is explicitly required. There is nothing wrong with a Gentile choosing to do so, if they do it willingly and for good reasons, but I would have liked a clearer distinction between what Scripture actually requires and what someone may voluntarily choose to practise. As I understand Acts 15, there are three dietary requirements given to Gentile believers—concerning food associated with idols, blood, and strangled meat—and even those require some careful study when we look at how the author understands each of them.
I also wasn't completely satisfied with the treatment of some of the New Testament passages. I found the arguments interesting and appreciated the challenge to some of the simplistic ways these texts are sometimes read. I agree that Acts 10 is clearly about people and the inclusion of the Gentiles, and that Mark 7 is fundamentally dealing with what defiles a person from the heart. But I wasn't convinced that the book completely settles whether these passages also have implications for food itself.
Likewise, I found the author's reading of Acts 15 interesting, and I agree with him to some extent. I can see why he understands the four requirements as a starting point rather than necessarily the complete picture, but for me, this is one of those places where I think further study of the Scriptures is needed rather than simply accepting one interpretation.
One thing I particularly appreciated was the number of books and other sources Eby mentions throughout the book, along with the extensive endnotes. I now feel rather spoiled for choice when it comes to books and subjects I could explore further! Even where I disagreed with the author's conclusions, he has certainly given me plenty of material to investigate and think about.
I also appreciated that the book doesn't present outward observance as a substitute for inner holiness. The reminders about kindness, humility, generosity, hospitality, self-control, and not judging others are important. Kashrut is never presented as something that should become a reason for pride or division, which I found helpful.
Would I recommend this book? Probably not to most Christians, and definitely not as a starting point for someone who is new to the faith or new to Messianic Judaism. There is simply too much background, interpretation, and detail to navigate without having a reasonable foundation already. I could see it being particularly helpful for Jewish believers who already have some understanding of the questions surrounding kashrut and want to explore the subject more deeply.
Am I encouraged by this book? Sadly, no. Am I informed? Yes—very much so, although not completely. I still feel that I need to study the Scriptures further, particularly some of the passages discussed in the book, because I don't feel that the book did full justice to all of them.
Overall, I agree with the author in many ways and respectfully disagree in others. I am glad I read it, and I think it is a useful book for someone who already has a foundation and wants to explore the subject of kashrut in much greater depth. For me, though, it is a starting point for further study rather than the final word.
November 4, 2014
Just to say, I am baker working at Zomick's Kosher Bakery. Not much about reading books, unless they are cookbooks with some new interesting bread or challah recipes. However this book just stick to my hands. After I read it I discovered many new interesting things about the kosher foods and other things related to Jewish tradition and cuisine. It is an interesting read. - Zomick's Kosher Bakery
April 18, 2026
"This book will change the way you think about the Bible and food. It will bring you closer to the ancient Jewish way of life that Jesus and his disciples practiced."
This book is organized in three parts:
1. reasons to keep kosher; benefits of doing so; responses to biblical objections to keeping kosher, offering exegesis of relevant passages
2. what the Torah says about keeping kosher
3. practical advice for keeping kosher, especially within a Messianic Jewish community composed of both Jews and Gentiles, with various members at different levels of observance
The general "mission" (as defined by the quote at the opening of this review) was accomplished: this book helps people think better about food and the Bible, getting them closer to the practice of Jesus and his disciples. However, the book doesn't get all the way there, camping as it does at the tradition of the sages and rabbis.
It is beyond the scope of a basic review such as this to attempt to highlight or adjudicate all relevant issues, but a word about the title is sufficient to illustrate the point.
The word "kosher" is based on the Ashkenazi (Eastern European) pronunciation of the Hebrew kasher. Note: First, the Hebrew <כשׁר: kasher> only appears in three places in the Hebrew Bible (Eccl 10:10; 11:6; Esther 8:5). Second, in none of these cases does the word have to do with food. Third, the word is not used in the Torah with regard to food permissions and prohibitions (Lev 11; Deut 14). Finally, the language that is used for the food permissions and prohibitions is <טהור: tahor>, often translated pure, for permitted food and <טמא: tamei>, often translated impure, for prohibited food. Thus, the very category of "biblically kosher" is a technical misnomer, dependent on layers of tradition that departs from the actual biblical categories. This is evident in that the traditional "kosher" has become the all-important category while the biblical "tahor/tamei" categories are reduced in importance, leading to such statements as: "there is no prohibition against eating food that is *tamei*" (p.28), "...there is no prohibition against...eating food that is *tamei*, as long as it is *kosher*" (p.43), "...food does not have to be *tahor* to be *kosher*" (p.70).
The problem here is that, while Eby intends to provide us with "what the Torah says" about food (p.9) and "what is directly revealed in the Bible" (p.10), he is conflating *that* with "dietary law in Judaism...the system of laws and customs that exists today" (p.7), "dietary practices observed in Judaism today" (p.9), saying, "it would be a mistake to divorce the Torah of God from the people to whom he entrusted it - the Jewish people" (p.10). The section about the traditional prohibition of combining meat and dairy is a perfect example of the point (p.88ff), as is the section about defining *chametz* (p.128ff). The most troubling aspect of this issue is that Eby knows full well that the sages and rabbis of the tradition literally added to the Torah ("derabbanan": of our rabbis), and *he defends it* as if this is legitimate "protecting" the Torah (pp.88-89, 99).
With that criticism clearly stated, I will say that I think Eby truly did help me learn some things about what the Torah *does* say in Part 2, and I think he did a mostly good job rebutting objections to Torah observance regarding food based on various biblical texts in Part 1.
This book is organized in three parts:
1. reasons to keep kosher; benefits of doing so; responses to biblical objections to keeping kosher, offering exegesis of relevant passages
2. what the Torah says about keeping kosher
3. practical advice for keeping kosher, especially within a Messianic Jewish community composed of both Jews and Gentiles, with various members at different levels of observance
The general "mission" (as defined by the quote at the opening of this review) was accomplished: this book helps people think better about food and the Bible, getting them closer to the practice of Jesus and his disciples. However, the book doesn't get all the way there, camping as it does at the tradition of the sages and rabbis.
It is beyond the scope of a basic review such as this to attempt to highlight or adjudicate all relevant issues, but a word about the title is sufficient to illustrate the point.
The word "kosher" is based on the Ashkenazi (Eastern European) pronunciation of the Hebrew kasher. Note: First, the Hebrew <כשׁר: kasher> only appears in three places in the Hebrew Bible (Eccl 10:10; 11:6; Esther 8:5). Second, in none of these cases does the word have to do with food. Third, the word is not used in the Torah with regard to food permissions and prohibitions (Lev 11; Deut 14). Finally, the language that is used for the food permissions and prohibitions is <טהור: tahor>, often translated pure, for permitted food and <טמא: tamei>, often translated impure, for prohibited food. Thus, the very category of "biblically kosher" is a technical misnomer, dependent on layers of tradition that departs from the actual biblical categories. This is evident in that the traditional "kosher" has become the all-important category while the biblical "tahor/tamei" categories are reduced in importance, leading to such statements as: "there is no prohibition against eating food that is *tamei*" (p.28), "...there is no prohibition against...eating food that is *tamei*, as long as it is *kosher*" (p.43), "...food does not have to be *tahor* to be *kosher*" (p.70).
The problem here is that, while Eby intends to provide us with "what the Torah says" about food (p.9) and "what is directly revealed in the Bible" (p.10), he is conflating *that* with "dietary law in Judaism...the system of laws and customs that exists today" (p.7), "dietary practices observed in Judaism today" (p.9), saying, "it would be a mistake to divorce the Torah of God from the people to whom he entrusted it - the Jewish people" (p.10). The section about the traditional prohibition of combining meat and dairy is a perfect example of the point (p.88ff), as is the section about defining *chametz* (p.128ff). The most troubling aspect of this issue is that Eby knows full well that the sages and rabbis of the tradition literally added to the Torah ("derabbanan": of our rabbis), and *he defends it* as if this is legitimate "protecting" the Torah (pp.88-89, 99).
With that criticism clearly stated, I will say that I think Eby truly did help me learn some things about what the Torah *does* say in Part 2, and I think he did a mostly good job rebutting objections to Torah observance regarding food based on various biblical texts in Part 1.
July 4, 2015
I really learned a on reading this book. As I get deeper into Hebraic roots I've come across more and more on the area of kashrut. This book helps explain where the current practices come from. It also covers scriptures that many try to use to claim kashrut is done away with. And then finally it covers a section on how kashrut relates to gentile believers in Messiah. There's much to learn and this book only covers the tip of the iceberg. But it gives much "food for thought." I would strongly recommend this book for those reading on Hebraic roots of the church and/or Messianic Judaism.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews