In Genesis chapter 7 verse 2 it says that Noah was told by God to take clean animals out of the ark in sevens (Gen 7:2)? I’m just wondering how on earth Noah knew what animals were or weren’t clean. This must be why some orthodox Jews today think that God gave him 7 Noahide laws. Is there a good Christian theological explanation for this? Justin

The clean vs. unclean aspect of the animals was more likely based upon simple observation. “Unclean” animals, such as pigs, groveled for their food in the dirt and were therefore dirty. It seems a more natural, healthier choice to pick animals that kept themselves clean. Yeah, health food. I think it is an obsession in the legal mind to retrofit the Law back into things that later became incorporated into the Law of Moses. The legal distinction of clean vs. unclean was not a “bad” thing, but having become part and parcel with the whole legal mindset brought about by law the distinction became way more than a naturally better choice for food. It was all tied together with condemnation, judgment and self-righteousness.