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On the Jewish Meats

Novatian of Rome

Chapter 7

About this work

A letter-like treatise interpreting biblical food laws spiritually and arguing that Christians are called to moral restraint rather than observance of Israel’s dietary distinctions of the old covenant.

Author: Novatian of Rome
Traditional attribution: Tertullian or Cyprian (in earlier transmission)
Date: c. AD 250
Origin: Rome
Genre: Theological Treatise

Chapter VII. Argument.—Moreover, We Must Be Careful that No One Should Think that This Licence May Be Carried to Such an Extent as that He May Approach to Things Offered to Idols.

But it must be very greatly guarded against in

the

use

of

food

,

and

we

must

be

warned

lest

any

should

think

that

liberty

is

permitted

to

that

degree

that

even

he

may

approach

to

what

has

been

offered

to

idols

.

For

,

as

far

as

pertains

to

God’s

creation

,

every

creature

is

clean

.

But

when

it

has

been

offered

to

demons

,

it

is

polluted

so

long

as

it

is

offered

to

the

idols

;

and

as

soon

as

this

is

done

,

it

belongs

no

longer

to

God

,

but

to

the

idol

.

And

when

this

creature

is

taken

for

food

,

it

nourishes

the

person

who

so

takes

it

for

the

demon

,

not

for

God

,

by

making

him

a

fellow

-

guest

with

the

idol

,

not

with

Christ

,

as

rightly

do

the

Jews

also

.

And

the

meaning

of

these

meats

being

perceived

,

and

the

counsel

of

the

law

being

considered

,

and

the

kindness

of

the

Gospel

grace

being

known

,

and

the

rigour

of

temperance

being

observed

,

and

the

pollution

of

things

offered

to

idols

being

rejected

,

we

who

keep

the

rule

of

truth

throughout

all

things

,

ought

to

give

thanks

to

God

through

Jesus

Christ

,

His

Son

,

our

Lord

,

to

whom

be

praise

,

and

honour

,

and

glory

,

for

ever

and

ever

.

Amen

.

A letter written to Cyprian by Novatian the Roman presbyter, in the name of the Roman clergy, will be found translated (Ep. xxx.) at p. 308, this volume.

Notes

1
Scil. abstain. [But see 1 Cor. viii. 4, etc.]