Matthew 7:6, commentary and pictures

The holy thing and the pearls are the word of God and its truths of highest value, entrusted to Christ's disciples to be guarded and not spent without care. The dogs and the swine are those who have no discernment to value that truth, show by their evil fruit that God is not working with them, and are so degraded by indulged sin that they cling to it with no desire to be freed. The command forbids offering what is sacred and precious to those who treat it with contempt, lest they trample it underfoot like a pearl in dirt and turn to rend those who offer it. Precious truth must therefore not be pressed upon hostile and determined despisers who will distort it, ridicule it and attack its advocates, but is to be shared with discernment by building on what hearers can receive, advancing as they are ready, and teaching in a kind and cautious way that does not needlessly provoke prejudice. Jesus obeyed this principle before Herod by answering nothing, since further true words would only have been trampled and met with abuse, yet the warning does not mean passing by every sinner, for any willing soul, even beneath hatred or deep degradation, can still be changed by grace.

Words and Historical Setting

The saying belongs to the Sermon on the Mount, which in every way opposed the theories and practice of the religious leaders and virtually contradicted the doctrines of the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees. Those leaders had long presented human ideas and endless maxims and traditions without Thus saith the Lord, had misrepresented God as a stern judge incapable of compassion, mercy and love, and had mystified truth. Christ swept away those misrepresentations to restore confidence in the love of God and to present God in His paternal love as Our Father. His teaching there reaches beyond outward obedience to the far-reaching principles and the spirit of the law in the heart, whose condition governs a person's life and character.

The Jewish nation had received God's holy oracles and light as a precious trust but failed to value and faithfully keep it and to walk in it. By rejecting the light given them they were separated from God, and darkness came upon them in like measure.

That which is holy and the pearls are the Word of God and its truths of highest value, holy like a pearl of great price. They are entrusted to Christ's disciples and must not be treated as something to give carelessly or to waste on those who do not value them. They are not to be offered to those who have no discernment to appreciate their value, but time and strength are to be spent with care. To give sacred truth to those who will treat it with contempt is forbidden.

What is sacred and precious must not be given to those who treat it with contempt, lest they trample it underfoot like a pearl in dirt and turn again to rend and attack those who offer it. The dogs and swine are men who do not appreciate the Word of God, bear the fruit of the forbidden tree, and by their bad fruit give evidence that God is not working with them. They have no discernment to value truth and are so degraded by indulging in sin that they cling to evil with no desire to be freed from it. Yet anyone willing to receive heaven's truth can be changed by grace, even beneath hatred, contempt or deep degradation.

God's giving to humanity raises before human reasoning the question of apparent waste. He is so profuse in gifts that cannot be numbered and so bountiful that it cannot be said He could do more, giving Jesus and with Him all heaven in a love without parallel, with every facility and advantage for men to do the works of God. Human beings cling to earth as if fearful of becoming inhabitants of heaven, cling to old rags of self-righteousness, refuse to be uplifted and enriched with the white linen of Christ's character and the great gift of eternal life, choose Barabbas, discourage Christ and the Father, and do everything contrary to what God desires, though on His covenanted conditions they would have life and immortality in the kingdom of God. To human reasoning the whole plan of salvation with its self-denial and whole-hearted sacrifice at immense cost looks like a waste of mercies and resources, as Mary's offering was called waste. In truth nature and grace together manifest the fullness of their Source to restore the moral image of God in man, with an atonement abundantly able to secure mansions in heaven for all who receive it.

Discernment in Sharing Truth

Precious heavenly truth must not be presented to people who are hostile to it, unwilling to value it, and deliberately determined to despise it. They seize on arguments to misstate and distort it, treat it with ridicule, use it to confuse others, trample it like a pearl in dirt, and turn to attack its advocates. Their apparent victories will not stand before God's judgment. Holy truth is not to be pressed upon hardened opposers such as the Sadducees and Pharisees, whose minds are imbued with gall, bitterness, bigotry and presumption and whom even miracles did not change. Nor is it to be cast before minds held in confusion of faith and united to theories of satanic origin today, for they will trample truth underfoot, turn and attack the presenter, and resist to the bitter end until they are lost. The warning does not mean passing by every sinner, for anyone willing to receive heaven's truth can be changed by grace even beneath hatred, contempt or deep degradation. Christ's servants should not be drawn into contention with those who merely turn the gospel into an object of ridicule.

Ministers and believers must use discernment about when and how to present difficult or unpopular truths, and be careful how they spend their time and strength lest truth be trampled underfoot and hearers turn to harm them. They should first build on truths hearers share and advance as they are ready, rather than exposing precious truth indiscriminately to prejudiced crowds or staging debates that give opponents opportunity to obscure it. Precious truth should not be presented plainly to hearers whose determined resistance makes them unable to receive it candidly, and Christ used parables as a kind and compassionate way to teach without provoking hostile hearers so that those desiring understanding could grasp it while others remained resistant. The same lesson applies to preaching and writing, to share testing truth in love and with caution while avoiding needless attacks and prejudice. Wise restraint means not forcing sacred truth on people before they are ready, since an ill-timed presentation can cause harm and close a door that might otherwise open. In work with patients and in evangelism, let example and conduct speak, allow God's Word to convince, and wait for people to ask before presenting testing points or the strongest arguments.

Jesus applied the principle before Herod by giving no answer, for Herod had rejected the truth spoken by John the Baptist and with the wicked men with him would only reject and trample further true and uplifting words and bring further abuse. His work in this world was not to gratify the idle curiosity of princes, rulers, scribes, priests or peasants, but to heal the brokenhearted. Hard-hearted depraved men could no more understand His pure elevated words than the brute creation could. Withholding truth there was obedience to the command, and His silence was eloquent and a severe rebuke to a hardened king who felt no need of a Saviour. If any word He could have spoken would have healed sin-sick souls, He would not have kept silent. Believers must beware of such men and avoid connecting with them, because connection with them causes loss of connection with God. The knowledge gained from them is misleading and confusing, no savor of life unto life can be imparted to them, and their bad fruit dishonors those who work in accordance with correct principles.

Personal Study and Stewardship

Matthew 7 is to be studied most critically again and again by ministers and church members for their own enlightenment and not to prove supposed faults they discern in other church members. Those whose thoughts are absorbed with the faults of others have very serious defects, and unless there are decided conversions many who think they are lights will prove to be stumbling blocks. The words in the seventh chapter of Matthew must be studied every word as for life, together with James 1:23-27, James 2, James 4:5-12 and James 5:13-20. By that study believers compare their words, spirit and actions with the Word of God, are not forgetful hearers but doers of the work, have the work first done in their own hearts, practice the truth in daily life, and know the work the Lord has given them to reach lost souls.

The image of casting pearls before swine warns against treating what is precious as though it can be spent without care, applied to the use of money in that workers should not act as if funds are plentiful or expend valuable resources carelessly. When refusal to listen shows that further reasoning would be like casting pearls before swine, as when appeals to spare another from tobacco smoke were ignored, further appeal should stop. The response then should be to ask the Lord for help and seek another place. Pearls picture precious heavenly truths that some minds receive, so instruction should present these precious things and not dwell only on cheap or common things.