Lexical Summary kreas: Meat, flesh Original Word: κρέας Strong's Exhaustive Concordance flesh, meatPerhaps a primary word; (butcher's) meat -- flesh. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition flesh NASB Translation meat (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2907: κρέαςκρέας, τό (cf. Latincaro, cruor; Curtius, § 74), plural κρέα (cf. Winers Grammar, 65 (63); (Buttmann, 15 (13))); (from Homer down); the Sept. very often for בָּשָׂר; (the) flesh (of a sacrificed animal): Romans 14:21; 1 Corinthians 8:13. Topical Lexicon Literal Sense and Scope of Meaning The term refers specifically to animal flesh prepared for human consumption. Unlike broader terms for food, it highlights the portion of a creature that is eaten after slaughter, distinguishing it from both living flesh and plant fare. In the New Testament it appears only twice, both times in Paul’s pastoral counsel about disputable matters within the body of Christ. Old Testament and Intertestamental Background Under the Mosaic covenant, distinctions between clean and unclean animals (Leviticus 11) shaped Israel’s diet and identity. Meat offered in sacrifice belonged to God, the priests, and the offerer, reinforcing covenant fellowship (Leviticus 7:15–18). In exilic and post-exilic times, pressures from Gentile environments intensified concern over meat provenance (Daniel 1:8). By the first century, questions about meat purchased in pagan markets or shared at idol-shrines were a daily test of loyalty to the Lord. New Testament Usage 1. Romans 14:21 situates the word in a trilogy—meat, wine, and any other practice—that might become a stumbling block. Christian liberty is affirmed, yet restricted by love: “It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble.” In both contexts Paul treats meat as a morally neutral substance whose consumption turns ethically significant only when it intersects with another believer’s conscience. Theological Emphasis • Christ’s Lordship over diet: “The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). Historical Church Practice The Apostolic Decree (Acts 15:20) asked Gentile converts to abstain from blood and meat strangled or polluted by idols, not as a new legal code but as a bridge for table fellowship with Jewish believers. Early Christian writers such as Justin Martyr and Tertullian echo Paul’s concern: liberty exercised without scandal. Fasting traditions later adopted periodic abstinence from meat as a discipline of self-denial, not a salvific requirement. Pastoral and Missional Application • Conscience care: Leaders should help believers distinguish between biblical commands and cultural preferences, encouraging the strong to bear with the weak. Contemporary Relevance Whether discussing kosher labels, vegetarianism, or food offered in non-Christian religious ceremonies, the two Pauline occurrences provide a timeless ethic: believers relinquish legitimate rights rather than wound a fellow disciple or cloud the testimony of Christ. In this way a single word for “meat” continues to instruct the church in holiness, humility, and sacrificial love. Forms and Transliterations κρεα κρέα κρέας κρέατα κρεών krea kréaLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Romans 14:21 N-ANPGRK: μὴ φαγεῖν κρέα μηδὲ πιεῖν NAS: It is good not to eat meat or to drink KJV: neither to eat flesh, nor to drink INT: not to eat meat nor drink 1 Corinthians 8:13 N-ANP |
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