What is the meaning of Matthew 7:6? Do not give dogs what is holy Jesus says, “Do not give dogs what is holy” (Matthew 7:6). In the culture of the day, dogs were not cute house pets but scavengers that roamed the streets, unclean and potentially dangerous. By pairing them with “what is holy,” the Lord draws a sharp line between the sacred and the profane. • “What is holy” evokes the consecrated bread reserved for priests (Exodus 29:33; Leviticus 22:10–16) and, more broadly, every truth, ordinance, and promise God sets apart for His people. • Calling some hearers “dogs” echoes Philippians 3:2, “Beware of the dogs,” and Revelation 22:15, “Outside are the dogs,” referring to those who refuse repentance and persist in evil. • The warning: when a heart is hardened (Proverbs 9:7–8; 23:9), sacred truth will be met with contempt, not gratitude. do not throw your pearls before swine Next He cautions, “do not throw your pearls before swine.” Pearls symbolize the priceless worth of the kingdom (Matthew 13:45–46). Swine were likewise unclean animals (Leviticus 11:7). • Pearls = the gospel message, the wisdom of Scripture, and the personal testimonies of God’s grace. • Swine = those who treat holy things as worthless, preferring the mud of sin (2 Peter 2:22). • Just as a pig cannot appreciate jewelry, a willfully unbelieving heart cannot value divine treasure (1 Corinthians 2:14). Our task is not to withhold truth but to discern where persistent rejection shows that further pleading would only cheapen the message (Acts 18:5–6). If you do, they may trample them under their feet Jesus explains the consequence: “If you do, they may trample them under their feet.” • Trample = belittle, mock, and desecrate (Hebrews 10:29). • When pearls hit a muddy pen, pigs instinctively step on them. Likewise, those dead-set against Christ will stomp on His words, calling good evil and evil good (Isaiah 5:20). • This is not a license to judge hearts harshly; it is a sober realism that some will persistently scorn what is sacred (John 15:22–24). and then turn and tear you to pieces Finally, He adds, “and then turn and tear you to pieces.” • Contempt for truth often morphs into hostility toward the messenger (Acts 7:54–58; 2 Timothy 4:14–15). • Disregarded pearls become a trigger for aggression: what cannot be silenced by ridicule may be attacked by force (John 16:2). • Discernment protects both the message and the servant. Jesus modeled this by leaving Nazareth when they tried to throw Him off a cliff (Luke 4:28–30) and by withdrawing from contentious crowds at times (John 10:39–40). summary Matthew 7:6 teaches that sacred truth is infinitely precious; to treat it lightly or press it on the defiantly unrepentant invites ridicule and even danger. We share the gospel widely (Matthew 28:19–20) yet remain alert: when repeated rejection shows a heart hardened like scavenging dogs or mud-loving pigs, wisdom says to step back, pray, and wait for God to plow the soil. Discernment guards the holiness of the message and the well-being of Christ’s servants while keeping the door open for future repentance. |
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