Pigs Don't Eat Pearls

Meditation June 12, 2020

Matthew 7

V6 Do not give the holy things to the dogs, nor throw your pearls in front of the hogs, not when they will trample them with their feet and having turned, they tear you to pieces. (My translation)

We continue with Jesus’ instructions to believers regarding the manner in which they are to conduct themselves as new creatures; quite literally as strangers in a strange land, those who are not of this world nor are they citizens of this world, nor is the Kingdom their sovereign rules of this world. (John 18:36) Everything that was ‘natural’ to us is no longer so. Having had our minds renewed (Ro. 12:2) and being set apart daily, progressively sanctified to more and more have the mind in us that was in Christ Jesus (Phil. 2:5) it should not at all be a strange thing to us that we need detailed instruction regarding the things we should do, the manner in which we should do them and also the things we should not do. If we understand that as the over-arching theme of the sermon, the difficulties commentators have had trying to fit some of these verses into the sermon disappear like fog in the morning sun.

Yesterday we heard Jesus give warning about censorious, self-righteous judging of others, judging that see a speck of saw dust in the eye of another person and makes an issue of that to divert attention from the tree growing in his own eye. As we noted, that is not a commandment against judging but a directive to avoid self-righteous judging. Judging we must do both to exhort and correct fellow believers and to determine to whom we should proclaim the gospel, point out their sin and the remedy for that sin which God has provided.

If you have ever pointed others to Christ, you well know not everyone appreciates being pointed to the Savior. That is where Jesus is now in the sermon when he says “do not throw holy things to the dogs.” We love our little doggies today. The people in Jesus times not only did not especially love their little doggies but generally despised them. Not only were they designated to the Jews among the unclean creatures but they were generally considered throughout the region at that time to be no more than predators at worst and earth-bound buzzards at best. The cynic philosophy started among the Greeks got it name from Diogenes who often referred to himself as Diogenes the Dog (cynos – Greek for dog).

Jesus was likely alluding to animal sacrifices as the holy things not to be thrown before dogs. This would have been a familiar law to the Jews who were forbidden giving of sacrifices to the unclean to be eaten. (Lev. 22) While the immediate reference in Leviticus is to person who we unclean, the measure was not persons but uncleanness and few things the Jews considered more unclean than dogs; thus, it was an apt metaphor for giving gospel truth to dogs. To give of a sacrifice to dogs, in the mind of the Jews, would be an ultimate defilement. Jesus is warning there is a like risk of desecration when giving gospel truth to unbelievers. In fact, He says plainly do not do it. Rather dust off your feet, *Matt. 10:12ff) as it were, as a testimony against them and go your way in peace.

Among friends, relatives and acquaintances, we meet them, those men and women like Voltaire the French writer, historian and philosopher – though not much of a philosopher. In his arrogance he supposed that it would take him only 20 years to destroy what twelve apostles to build; i.e. the church, the Christian faith. Well, we know how that went for him. The same building in which he printed his diatribe against Christianity became the home of the Geneva Bible Society. Such as Voltaire among men and women are those to whom Jesus says “do not feed them holy things.:

“Nor,” Jesus says, should we “throw our pearls before hogs.” As with holy things, by pearls were meant gospel truths. Pearls, it is said, were the most precious of the precious gems of the day. One could not imagine pearls being thrown for food to the hogs for food. Such was the shock effect of the point Jesus was making. Not only were pearls precious but hogs on the scale of precious to detestable would have been on opposite ends. Nonetheless, pearls cast on the ground, an unimaginable thing to do, as food for hogs (a more unimaginable thing), who might first mistake them for corn, then discovering they were not corn turn and turn and tear you to pieces.

As Jesus did not forbid judging but gave a caution against censorious, self-righteous judging, so he gives a caution in making efforts, in judging, to correct others in their faults. Such, judging, though due and proper with the best of intentions is to be confined to those who will receive instruction. Believers are to “be cautious and prudent, in rebuking and admonishing such persons for their sins, in whom there is no appearance or hope of success….” (John Gill)

Believers are maligned, insulted and abused and the gospel is brought into contempt when we seek to force it upon those who will not have it. We need not fear we have failed. If we have given them the truth, the word will not return void (Isa. 55:11) but will accomplish that to which God sends it. It will be either for life or for death. The sowing is ours; the harvesting is the Lord’s. It is not ours to know when or what the harvest; nor is it ours to attempt to force the harvest we suppose to be the fruit. In the providence of God, it may be ours only plough for another to plant (1 Cor. 3:7) but the harvest must always be left to the Lord. God gives to His servants wisdom to discern. One the work has begun it doesn’t take genius to determine whether or not the ground is tillable. One need only look about to see if the ground has been prepared for sowing and, if not, only a bit of plowing will reveal whether one is in good soil or on stony ground, feeding the hungry or casting pearls to hogs.

It is about discernment in judging; discerning our attitude and intent and discerning among those who we judge to be without the truth. Indiscriminate zeal brings contempt on the gospel. At the same time, we must guard against excusing ourselves from seeking to correct the lost or the wandering brother. Do not judge with and attitude that dismisses others as beyond the reach of the gospel, but at the same time, know when you are standing before on who will not hear you.

Proverbs 9:8 Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you.