Here is, 1. A general rule concerning fishes, which were clean and
which not. All that had fins and scales they might eat, and only those
odd sorts of water-animals that have not were forbidden, v. 9, 10. The
ancients accounted fish the most delicate food (so far were they from
allowing it on fasting-days, or making it an instance of mortification
to eat fish); therefore God did not lay much restraint upon his people
in them; for he is a Master that allows his servants not only for
necessity but for delight. Concerning the prohibited fish it is said,
They shall be an abomination to you (v. 10-12), that is, "You shall
count them unclean, and not only not eat of them, but keep at a
distance from them." Note, Whatever is unclean should be to us an
abomination; touch not the unclean thing. But observe, It was to be an
abomination only to Jews; the neighbouring nations were under none of
these obligations, nor are these things to be an abomination to us
Christians. The Jews were honoured with peculiar privileges, and
therefore, lest they should be proud of those, Transeunt cum
onere--They were likewise laid under peculiar restraints. Thus God's
spiritual Israel, as they are dignified above others by the
gospel-covenant of adoption and friendship, so they must be mortified
more than others by the gospel-commands of self-denial and bearing the
cross. 2. Concerning fowls here is no general rule given, but a
particular enumeration of those fowls that they must abstain from as
unclean, which implies an allowance of all others. The critics here
have their hands full to find out what is the true signification of the
Hebrew words here used, some of which still remain uncertain, some
sorts of fowls being peculiar to some countries. Were the law in force
now, we should be concerned to know with certainty what are prohibited
by it; and perhaps if we did, and were better acquainted with the
nature of the fowls here mentioned, we should admire the knowledge of
Adam, in giving them names expressive of their natures, Gen. ii. 20.
But the law being repealed, and the learning in a great measure lost,
it is sufficient for us to observe that of the fowls here forbidden,
(1.) Some are birds of prey, as the eagle, vulture, &c., and God would
have his people to abhor every thing that is barbarous and cruel, and
not to live by blood and rapine. Doves that are preyed upon were fit to
be food for man and offerings to God; but kites and hawks that prey
upon them must be looked upon as an abomination to God and man; for the
condition of those that are persecuted for righteousness' sake appears
to an eye of faith every way better than that of their persecutors.
(2.) Others of them are solitary birds, that abide in dark and desolate
places, as the owl and the pelican (Ps. cii. 6), and the cormorant and
raven (Isa. xxxiv. 11); for God's Israel should not be a melancholy
people, nor affect sadness and constant solitude. (3.) Others of them
feed upon that which is impure, as the stork on serpents, others of
them on worms; and we must not only abstain from all impurity
ourselves, but from communion with those that allow themselves in it.
(4.) Others of them were used by the Egyptians and other Gentiles in
their divinations. Some birds were reckoned fortunate, others ominous;
and their soothsayers had great regard to the flights of these birds,
all which therefore must be an abomination to God's people, who must
not learn the way of the heathen.