Mat 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
anyone want to shine some light on this please, im thinking of what it means for me and you today, when does this apply?
by hmmhmm on 2007/3/13 14:43:26
Mat 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.anyone want to shine some light on this please, im thinking of what it means for me and you today, when does this apply?
That is a confusing verse! I am struck by that phrase, 'Give not that which is holy unto the dogs'. He is obviously referring to more than just the animal.
2 Peter 2:21-22 says about False prophets and False teachers, "For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: "The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire."
It appears that a dog is a person who has claimed to be a follower of Christ but is nothing more than a false teacher. Peter says this about them in 2 Peter 2:10-19, "Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet's madness.
These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved."
Paul seems to echo this in Philippians 3:2, "Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh."
It appears to me (and I can definitely be wrong on this) that Jesus is telling us that we are to witness to all men and not stop praying for them to receive salvation, but we are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a Christian but is nothing more than a false teacher who is full of lies and blasphemy. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:9-13, "I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people--not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler--not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. "Purge the evil person from among you."
Hi Christian.
I looked up some verses that might be helpfull too...
Proverbs 9:8, 17:12, 26:4-5, 29:9, Matthew 13:34, Mark 4:11, Acts 17:32-34.
Reply to hmmhmm Mat 7:6
The Pearls I have been given by Heavenly Father and are the daily bread of the inward man of faith, hope and charity. As you can see they are spiritual gifts for the inward man. The outward or carnal man outside the Kingdom of God is likened to a dog that has no justification by faith to eat from the spiritual table prepared by grace of Heavenly Father for the children of His Kingdom. The carnal live outside the Kingdom of God and receive not, because they ask amiss, that they may consume it upon the lusts of their flesh. They trade their Spiritual Birthright for a bowl of sodden pottage.
All spiritual things are liken to a parable to the carnal. They can not understand that which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
KJV
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
Offered in the Spirit of Brotherly Love
John Wesley had to say this... I agree
Here is another instance of that transposition, where of the two things proposed, the latter is first treated of. Give not - to dogs - lest turning they rend you: Cast not - to swine - lest they trample them under foot. Yet even then, when the beam is cast out of thine own eye, Give not - That is, talk not of the deep things of God to those whom you know to be wallowing in sin. neither declare the great things God hath done for your soul to the profane, furious, persecuting wretches. Talk not of perfection, for instance, to the former; not of your experience to the latter. But our Lord does in nowise forbid us to reprove, as occasion is, both the one and the other.
In Christ - Jim
Wesley is right on i belive also....
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