DROWNED
Since Noah, when for the first time divine permission is given to man to eat the flesh of animals (Gen. 9:3), the consumption of blood is strictly prohibited (Gen. 9:4).
It is thus a prohibition for Noah and his descendants, for all humanity; prohibition that, like so many other things, was totally left aside by the nations in their apostasy.
The law of Moses reaffirms this prohibition to the covenant people (Lev. 3:14-19); This is not, as we see, a new prohibition, but rather a reiteration of an old general order.
«For the life of all flesh is its blood; Therefore I have said to the children of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood; “Whoever eats it will be cut off” (that is, killed).
Hence the NT command to Gentile believers to abstain from drowned animals (that is, whose blood had not been shed when sacrificed), and from blood itself (Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25). .
It was not merely a Jewish ceremonial that was part of that same law of Moses, from which believers from Gentiles were totally exempt.
This was not going to respect the scruples of the believing Jews, who in so many important things were openly opposed to the decision of the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:10).
It is worth noting that it is in the same letter in which the total freedom of believers from the Gentiles of the Law of Moses is proclaimed (Acts 15:2330) where they are reminded that there are things that are prior to it, such as the “sexual purity”, the “prohibition” of idolatry, and the said prohibition of eating blood (Acts 15:28-29).
These three instructions, which are linked into one, carry the full weight of divine and apostolic authority, constituting “necessary things” (Acts 15:28).