Have you ever had chocolate-covered grasshoppers?
(I haven’t; I was just checking to see if you had—you gastronaut, you).
They’re apparently all the rage in different parts of the world, such as Thailand, where you can order a bag for yourself and munch to your heart’s content.
They’re not for me, but I get why people eat them. Apparently, they’re high in protein and readily available in regions where rainfall and regular wildlife may be scarce.
Because of that, it’s little wonder why someone like John the Baptist used to eat them. Matthew 3:4 records John’s diet as consisting primarily of “locusts and wild honey,” which, when combined together, provide the same type of sweet-and-salty crunch that grasshoppers covered in chocolate would.
(Again, I’m imagining so. I haven’t had them myself).
The Text indicates that John preached in the wilderness of Judea, so food was probably at a premium, but that he also wore clothing made of camel’s hair, so maybe it was a personal choice? I’m not sure.
Regardless, John was an eclectic man who came preaching the Kingdom of God and baptism for the forgiveness of sins. He was a prophet—but also, more than a prophet (Matthew 11:9)—and the greatest man who ever lived, according to Jesus Himself (Matthew 11:11).
But still, those locusts provide a problem. Not because we have weak stomachs, but because, under Deuteronomy 14:19, they were forbidden.
God’s Law is very clear: All “teeming life with wings” were unclean. That includes locusts, a staple in John’s diet.
Does that mean John was sinning by eating unclean food, while simultaneously preaching a message about repentance from sins? Seems hypocritical, if you ask me.
Fortunately, this is one area where we can use other passages to qualify what we’re reading. While Deuteronomy 14:19 forbids “all teeming life with wings,” Leviticus 11:21-22 specifically allows locusts, crickets, and grasshoppers. It’s possible that these were allowed for the very reason John ate them: they were packed with nutrition and readily available.
This passage shows the necessity of using Scripture to explain itself. Rather than taking a verse out of context and calling it a contradiction, true Bible study seeks to explain and simplify. Honest hearts will put these two passages together and know exactly what God means.