The Literal Commandment
If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall surely be stoned and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall go unpunished." (Exodus 21:28)
The literal commandment is that we should not eat the flesh of an ox condemned because it gored someone to death.
Messiah Says
Messiah implicitly affirmed this commandment when He spoke about the Law:
"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-19)
Pictures of Messiah
Messiah is the bread of life: He is that which comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world.
Any meat we eat for physical nourishment is in some small way symbolic of Messiah who nourishes us spiritually. The ox in this commandment has brought death. We should not find nourishment and life in something that has brought death to someone. It would not properly reflect on the life-giver that Messiah is.
How Messiah Fulfilled
We know that Messiah did not sin (Hebrews 4:15) and so we know Messiah fulfilled this commandment by not eating the flesh of an ox condemned to be stoned for goring someone to death.
Traditional Observance
Traditional observance of this commandment is found in its literal sense: not benefiting in any way from an ox or other animal that is condemned to be stoned.
Other Notes
We are able to fulfill this commandment today and should not eat the flesh of an ox condemned to be stoned.
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