Do We Have to Follow Jesus’ Diet? By Dr. Chapman Chen
- Chapman Chen
- May 15
- 3 min read
Introduction: In his book chapter, “Didn’t Jesus Eat Fish?”, American theologian Andy Alexis-Baker questions whether it is necessary for us to literally follow or imitate Jesus’ dietary habits, his daily itinerary, his clothing, or whether he wore shoes or walked barefoot (Alexis-Baker 2012, 69). He argues that Jesus primarily calls us to follow his principles of love—such as loving others as ourselves (Matt. 22:39) and forgiving our enemies (Matt. 6:14–15)—rather than to replicate his lifestyle habits (ibid.). He implies that even if Jesus ate fish 2000 years ago, we do not necessarily have to follow Him in this regard now.
However, if our dietary habits involve harming innocent creatures—sentient beings with a soul, created by God—then the matter transcends mere lifestyle. It becomes an ethical issue, directly connected to the compassion and love that Jesus most emphatically taught:- “I desire compassion, not sacrifice” (Matt. 9:13; cf. Matt. 12:7), quoting Hosea 6:6.
1. Love Thy Neighbour as Thyself
Talking about diet, the question of eating fish is especially contentious. Alexis-Baker acknowledges that today’s fishing industry is driving many marine species to extinction and causing severe ecological harm—even to human society itself. He rightly observes that the Roman fishing practices in Jesus’s time were minuscule compared to today’s industrial-scale fish farming and ocean trawling—like comparing a chicken leg to an ox thigh. For this reason, he progressively suggests that Jesus’ command to love our neighbour as ourselves (Matt. 22:39) should now be extended to include fish, and thus we ought to avoid eating them (Alexis-Baker 2012, 70).
2. Killing Innocent Creatures on a Small Scale is OK for Jesus?
Yet here arises a critical ethical question: if industrial fishing didn’t exist in Jesus’ time, does that make it acceptable for Him to have eaten fish then—but problematic only now due to the scale? Does this imply that killing and consuming God’s innocent creatures is only wrong when done en masse? Would it be like saying killing one person is tolerable, but only mass slaughter, like that of the Nazis, is truly wrong?
3. Jesus as an Animal Rights Martyr
This reveals a blind spot in Alexis-Baker’s reasoning: he fails to fully recognise that Jesus’ compassion and love encompass all of God’s created beings—regardless of time or scale, whether 2000 years ago or now. Jesus’ mission was not confined to human souls; it embraced all life. Actually, it was for animal liberation that Jesus died. In emptying the Temple of innocent creatures about to be slaughtered for sacrifice, and in calling the Temple-turned-butcher-shop "a den of robbers/murderers" (Mark 11:16, Luke 20:46, Matt. 21:12-13), Jesus debunked the evil and fraudulent nature of animal sacrifice and disrupted the chief priests' and scribes' lucrative revenue stream. Immediately afterwards, they conspired to destroy Him (Mark 11:15-18), eventually leading to His arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection (cf. Keith Akers 2000, 117-118).
4. Walking Barefoot is Healthy
In fact, as the awakened Son of Man (Matt. 8:20), even Jesus’ other “lifestyle” habits carry profound meaning and are worth emulating. They may offer inspiration even apart from the immediate question of animal suffering. For instance, scientific studies, e.g., Lieberman et al. (2010), Ghaly & Teplitz (2004), and Chevalier et al. (2012), have shown that walking barefoot benefits not only the feet but also the overall health of the body. Such habits reflect a deep integration of simplicity, awareness, and harmony with creation.
5. Wearing Black Attracts Dark Energies
Furthermore, according to tradition and what is implied in the Bible, Jesus typically wore off-white, coarse garments made of linen (cf. Mark 15:46, where His burial cloth is described as fine linen; John 19:23 speaks of His seamless tunic). There is a notable symbolic distinction between wearing light-coloured clothing and wearing black. In terms of the light spectrum, black signifies the absence of light. Jesus often employed the imagery of light and darkness to contrast the path of God with the powers of Satan—e.g., “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12), and “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).
So even His clothing—seemingly a trivial matter—can hold spiritual significance and serve as an inspiring example for us.
6. Even Jesus’ Lifestyle Habits are Enlightening
In conclusion, for the sake of love and compassion for God’s innocent creatures, we have to follow Jesus’ vegan diet. (As for all those fishy stories about Jesus, please refer to my article, “All Those Fishy Stories about Jesus the Vegan Christ” (note ). On top of that, even Jesus’ other lifestyle habits are worth studying or even emulating, e.g., His clothing and whether He walked barefoot, because Jesus is an enlightened and enlightening Christ.
Notes
Reference
Alexis-Baker, Andy (2012). "Didn't Jesus Eat Fish?", A Faith Embracing All Creatures, ed. Tripp York and Andy Alexis-baker, Eugene: Cascade Books, pp, 64-74. https://archive.org/details/faithembracingal0000unse/page/68/mode/2up?q=imitate
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