What does Matthew 7:6 mean by "do not give dogs what is holy"? Text of Matthew 7:6 “Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.” Immediate Literary Context Matthew 7:6 sits between the warning against hypocritical judgment (vv. 1-5) and the invitation to persistent prayer (vv. 7-11). The placement sharpens two complementary truths: believers must first remove their own “logs,” yet they must also exercise discerning judgment about where, when, and to whom sacred truth is entrusted. The Sermon on the Mount builds toward kingdom discernment (5:3-7:27), and v. 6 supplies the cautionary balance to generous proclamation. Historical and Cultural Background • Dogs in first-century Judea were typically ownerless scavengers (cf. Exodus 22:31; Psalm 59:14-15). They symbolized impurity and hostility (1 Kings 14:11; Philippians 3:2). • Swine were doubly unclean to Jews (Leviticus 11:7-8). Domestic pig husbandry was common in Gentile areas such as the Decapolis (Mark 5:11-13), reinforcing the image of outsiders resistant to covenant holiness. • “What is holy” evokes consecrated meat from temple sacrifices (Exodus 29:34; Leviticus 6:24-30). Mishandling holy flesh violated covenant law (Leviticus 22:14-15). • “Pearls” were luxury items from the Red Sea or Persian Gulf (Job 28:18; Matthew 13:45-46). In rabbinic idiom, “pearl” could denote a weighty word of Torah (b. Ḥag. 3a). Jesus fuses ritual purity and priceless wisdom. Old Testament Echoes • Exodus 22:31: “You are to be My holy people. You must not eat the flesh of an animal torn by wild beasts; throw it to the dogs.” Holy meat is not for the ceremonially impure. • Proverbs 9:7-8: “He who corrects a mocker brings shame on himself… Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” • Isaiah 56:11-12 depicts false watchmen as “greedy dogs,” preparing the semantic field later invoked by Jesus. Rabbinic and Intertestamental Parallels Second-Temple literature records caution against offering divine mysteries to the hostile. The Didache (9.5) mirrors Matthew exactly: “Do not give what is holy to dogs.” Qumran’s Community Rule (1QS IX.16-17) restricted doctrinal instruction to covenant members. These parallels support a common first-century principle of guarded sancta. Canonical Harmony: Related New Testament Passages • Matthew 10:14; Luke 9:5—shaking dust from feet symbolizes withdrawal when a town proves unreceptive. • Acts 13:46—Paul and Barnabas turn from resistant Jews to receptive Gentiles, exercising the discernment Matthew 7:6 commands. • 2 Timothy 2:23-26—avoid “foolish and ignorant controversies,” yet still correct with gentleness where repentance may follow. • Revelation 22:15—“Outside are the dogs,” an eschatological echo reinforcing purity boundaries. Patristic and Reformation Interpretations • Chrysostom (Hom. 23 on Matthew) viewed the verse as a directive to withdraw when continued preaching only hardens hearers. • Augustine (Serm. on the Mount II.20) linked it with removing the “speck,” insisting love governs both correction and restraint. • Calvin (Commentary on Matthew 7:6) emphasized ministerial discretion, warning against “prostituting” the gospel to those who exhibit obstinate contempt. Theological Significance 1. Sanctity of Truth—gospel revelation is a sacred trust, paralleling the temple’s holy bread (1 Samuel 21:6; Hebrews 9:12). 2. Discernment—believers, while forbidden hypocritical condemnation (7:1-5), must still judge receptivity (John 2:24-25). 3. Protection—indiscriminate divulging can lead to persecution and profanation (Acts 19:9; 2 Peter 2:22). 4. Mercy—refusal to cast pearls is not cruelty but a merciful acknowledgment that greater light would only increase culpability (Matthew 11:21-24). Practical Application • Personal Witness: Share the gospel broadly (Matthew 28:19-20) yet withdraw respectfully when met with sustained reviling. • Church Discipline: Protect ordinances such as the Lord’s Table (1 Colossians 11:27-29). • Teaching Ministry: Balance openness with curated depth, offering meat to mature believers and milk to infants (He 5:12-14). • Digital Engagement: Do not feed “trolls” who only seek to blaspheme (Titus 3:10-11). Evangelism and Discernment The same Jesus who warns against wasted pearls commands proclamation to all creation (Mark 16:15). The tension resolves in Spirit-led timing (Acts 16:6-10). Evangelists approach, test receptivity, and, if rejected, prayerfully move on, trusting God to work through future witnesses. Concluding Summary Matthew 7:6 commands vigilant stewardship of divine treasures. Holy truth is never to be withheld from genuine seekers, yet neither is it to be squandered on the hostile who desecrate it. The verse integrates covenant purity law, wisdom tradition, and missionary prudence, urging believers to couple compassion with discernment for the glory of God and the safeguarding of the gospel. |
    |