Abstinence

Abstinence (ἀσιτία, not eating, Ac 27:21), a general term, applicable to any object from which one abstains, while fasting is a species of abstinence, namely, from food. See FAST. The general term is likewise used in the particular sense to imply a partial abstinence from particular food, but fast signifies an abstinence from food altogether. Both are spoken of in the Bible as a religious duty. Abstinence again differs from temperance, which is a moderate use of food or drink usually taken, and is sometimes extended to other indulgences; while abstinence (in reference to food) is a refraining entirely, from the use of certain articles of diet, or a very slight partaking of ordinary meals, in cases where absolute fasting would be hazardous to health. See SELF-DENIAL.

1. Jewish. — The first example of abstinence which occurs in Scripture is that in which the use of blood is forbidden to Noah (Ge 9:20). See BLOOD. The next is that mentioned in Ge 32:32: "The children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day, because he (the angel) touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank." See SINEW. This practice of particular and commemorative abstinence is here mentioned by anticipation long after the date of the fact referred to, as the phrase "unto this day" intimates. No actual instance of the practice occurs in the Scripture itself, but the usage has always been kept up; and to the present day the Jews generally abstain from the whole hind-quarter on account of the trouble and expense of extracting the particular sinew (Allen's Modern Judaism, p. 421). By the law abstinence from blood was confirmed, and the use of the flesh of even lawful animals was forbidden, if the manner of their death rendered it impossible that they should be, or uncertain that they were, duly exsanguinated (Ex 22:31; De 14:21). A broad rule was also laid down by the law, defining whole classes of animals that might not be eaten (Leviticus 11). See ANIMAL; see FOOD. Certain parts of lawful animals, as being sacred to the altar, were also interdicted! These were the large lobe of the liver, the kidneys and the fat upon them, as well as the tail of the "fat-tailed" sheep (Le 3:9-11). Every thing consecrated to idols was also forbidden (Ex 34:15). In conformity with these rules the Israelites abstained generally from food which was more or less in use among other people. Instances of abstinence from allowed food are not frequent, except in commemorative or afflictive fasts. The forty days' abstinence of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus are peculiar cases, requiring to be separately considered. See FASTING. The priests were commanded to abstain from wine previous to their actual ministrations (Le 10:9), and the same abstinence was enjoined to the Nazarites during the whole period of their separation (Nu 6:5). See NAZARITE. A constant abstinence of this kind was, at a later period, voluntarily undertaken by the Rechabites (Jer 35:16,18). See RECHABITE.

Among the early Christian converts there were some who deemed themselves bound to adhere to the Mosaical limitations regarding food, and they accordingly abstained from flesh sacrificed to idols, as well as from animals which the law accounted unclean; while others contemned this as a weakness, and exulted in the liberty wherewith Christ had made his followers free. This question was repeatedly referred to the Apostle Paul, who laid down some admirable rules on the subject, the purport of which was, that every one was at liberty to act in this matter according to the dictates of his own conscience, but that the strong-minded had better abstain from the exercise of the freedom they possessed whenever it might prove an occasion of stumbling to a weak brother (Ro 14:1-3; 1Co 8). In another place the same apostle reproves certain sectaries who should arise, forbidding marriage, and enjoining abstinence from meats which God had created to be received with thanksgiving (1Ti 4:3-4). The council of the apostles at Jerusalem decided that no other abstinence regarding food should be imposed upon the converts than "from meats offered to idols, from blood, and from things strangled" (Ac 15:29). Paul says (1Co 9:25) that wrestlers, in order to obtain a corruptible crown, abstain from all things, or from every thing which might weaken them. In his First Epistle to Timothy (4:3), he blames certain heretics who condemned marriage, and the use of meats which; God hath created. He requires Christians to abstain from all appearance of evil (1Th 5:22), and, with much stronger reason, from every thing really evil, and contrary to religion and piety. See FLESH; see ALISGEMA.