DreamWeaver Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 When it comes to the verse concerning "pearls before swine", how do you approach this appropriately? Verse: Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. (Matthew 7:6) Quote
Robert Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 When it comes to the verse concerning "pearls before swine", how do you approach this appropriately? Verse: Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. (Matthew 7:6) Let's look at the immediate context: 1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. 6 "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces. (Matt chapter 7) Quote
Robert Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 The context is about judging. Now, what does mean? I have no idea. Quote
Outta Here Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 I think the context immediately before it was about judging, but not necessarily the same context this verse is to be read with. See the following immediate verses: 6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. 13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Quote
Members rudywoofs (Pam) Posted July 19, 2015 Members Posted July 19, 2015 I don't think Matthew necessarily quoted Jesus' words verbatim.... meaning, there was probably a lot more in between some of those verses. My inclination about the "casting pearls before swine" quote means "be careful and use caution" in how you share the most precious and important things you have, be it money, love, or whatever... Unchained, phkrause, Naomi and 2 others 5 Quote Pam Meddle Not In the Affairs of Dragons; for You Are Crunchy and Taste Good with Ketchup. If we all sang the same note in the choir, there'd never be any harmony. Funny, isn't it, how we accept Grace for ourselves and demand justice for others?
Robert Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 (edited) I think the context immediately before it was about judging, but not necessarily the same context this verse is to be read with. See the following immediate verses: Okay, if we go with your point (and it's a good one) we get: “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. The above reminds me of Rev 3:20. So the subject, I believe, is the gospel. Dogs and pigs are metaphors of people who persistently reject the gospel. Here's my opinion: The Bible is telling us not to waste our time with those who are self-righteous (judging others) and reject their need of Christ and His righteousness. Don't waste your time or your money with people who aren't interested in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I get this idea from Luke 9:4-6 "Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them." 6 So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere." Edited July 19, 2015 by Robert B/W Photodude and Outta Here 2 Quote
JoeMo Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 One possible meaning could be a caution that, if the beginning of a witness or a testimony that you are giving people evokes resistance and hostility, it may be prudent to "change the subject" if you don't want to be "torn to pieces". If you have to be a martyr, might as well die when and where it has a positive impact on others. We rarely see people in this country beaten or killed simply for being Christian (yet), But ask missionaries in Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, or animist society how discrete they must be when spreading the Gospel. When their message invokes hatred or violence, they leave. Some have bravely (or mistakenly) cast their pearls (truth, money, goods, etc.) before swine; and were rewarded with being killed by scoundrels or persecuted by the people they came to minister to. B/W Photodude, Outta Here, Sojourner and 2 others 5 Quote
Administrators Gail Posted July 19, 2015 Administrators Posted July 19, 2015 I am taking it to mean that we should use descretion, too. If sharing our spiritual pearls with the "unclean" or "profane" merely provokes them, then respect their choice. Any attempt to coerce, even the truth, is not God's spirit. Outta Here and 8thdaypriest 2 Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
JoeMo Posted July 20, 2015 Posted July 20, 2015 (edited) Jesus foresaw the day when we Christians would need money to live and weapons to defend ourselves: "And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” 36 He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one." (Luke 22:35-37) You may need it if you cast your pearls before a sufficiently aggresive herd of swine. Edited July 20, 2015 by JoeMo Quote
8thdaypriest Posted July 20, 2015 Posted July 20, 2015 I find that when I "witness" to someone who's heart is open, that my words just flow. I have no trouble at all remembering just the right Scripture to quote. But when I try to witness to someone who's heart is NOT open, I find that I can't remember the Scriptures, and my words do not flow. I stumble over things. THAT tells me - this person is not open. Just shut up. And I do. JoeMo, DreamWeaver and B/W Photodude 3 Quote 8thdaypriest
DreamWeaver Posted July 21, 2015 Author Posted July 21, 2015 I find that when I "witness" to someone who's heart is open, that my words just flow. I have no trouble at all remembering just the right Scripture to quote. But when I try to witness to someone who's heart is NOT open, I find that I can't remember the Scriptures, and my words do not flow. I stumble over things. THAT tells me - this person is not open. Just shut up. And I do. LOL. I have similar experiences! Quote
Stewart (SDA) Posted July 26, 2015 Posted July 26, 2015 (edited) In his work, the apostle Paul constantly adapted himself to the spiritual state of the people he was working with. Paul openly told the Corinthian church that he could not speak to them as spiritual people -- he had to use discretion for their sake -- and it was necessary to treat them as babies. (1Cor 3:1) In the same way, we should understand that the Gospel needs to go to the whole world [including the spiritual dogs and swine], but those people are not to be presented with open, precious, truths regarding God -- those people need to be drawn indirectly -- by actions, and by words that are not explicitly "religious". I think the principle is described well by Mrs. White : "I have beheld angels grieved as the most precious jewels of truth have been brought before men utterly incapable of appreciating the evidences in favor of the truth. Their entire being was at war with the principles of truth; their natures were at enmity with it. Their object in discussing was not that they might get hold of the evidences of the truth themselves, or that the people might have a fair understanding of our true position, but that they might confuse the understanding by placing the truth in a perverted light before the people... . "Angels weep to see the precious truth of heavenly origin cast before swine, to be seized by them and trampled with the mire and dirt. Cast not “your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” These are the words of the world's Redeemer. . "God's ministers should NOT count the opportunity of engaging in discussion a great privilege. All points of our faith are not to be borne to the front and presented before the prejudiced crowds. Jesus spoke before the Pharisees and Sadducees in parables, hiding the clearness of truth under symbols and figures, because they would make a wrong use of the truths he presented before them; but to His disciples He spoke plainly. We should learn from Christ's method of teaching, and be careful not to close the ears of the people by presenting truths which, not being fully explained, they are in no way prepared to receive." (Gospel Workers p.191-192) ______ It is possible, I would suggest, that people can be transient, and slip into "dog mode" or "swine mode" temporarily. While they are in that mode, all explicit "religion" should be carefully avoided. But this does not mean that they should not be "shown" Christ. Edited July 26, 2015 by Stewart (SDA) B/W Photodude, teresaq and jackson 3 Quote
brotherly love Posted July 27, 2015 Posted July 27, 2015 When it comes to the verse concerning "pearls before swine", how do you approach this appropriately? Verse: Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. (Matthew 7:6) Firstly, there are no verses, chapters or headings in the original manuscripts-these are modern impositions. Sometimes they can be misleading. In this case the headings break up the flow and message into individual parts instead of a whole. Secondly, this verse 6 seems out of place and in isolation even when we ignore the theme heading. This is important as the writer wants to alert us to something. Verse 6 would be a connector verse to the contexts before it and after it. The message of verse 6 is that teaching someone that does not want to know about the kingdom and still try to cram it down their throats is a waste of time and can cause anger from them. If we apply this message with verses previous verses 1-6, we should not falsely pre-judge someone who we think is not going to respond well. If we apply this message with verses 7-11, we should continue our efforts with those who are willing to listen as God operates when someone asks. Verse 12 sums it up with treating others as you would want to be treated Quote
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