Why Were Some Animals “Clean”, and Others “Unclean”?

Unclean animals were predators, they had claws, but for a clean animal, they had gentle split hooves. What’s more, for a predator, there was death in the mouth too, but for a clean animal, there was the gentle pursuit of vegetables and grass, ruminated in the digestive system—they chew the cud. And this all leads to a formalised list of animals that God’s chosen people—Israel—were allowed and not allowed to eat, in order to highlight the difference between those who pursued death and those who pursued life.

Life is found in Jesus, and the death of clean animals prophesied that. Which is why it would not make sense for an unclean animal to be sacrificed or eaten.

Acts 10 discusses the massive change that then comes.