Results 1 - 7 of 7
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | What is the Lord teaching in this verse? | Matt 7:6 | Kblevins | 2611 | ||
What is the Lord teaching in this verse? | ||||||
2 | What is the Lord teaching in this verse? | Matt 7:6 | Dave R. | 40780 | ||
Interesting that there are few responses to this question, and it's been posted for a year! The teaching that it is useless to preach to people who don't want to hear the gospel, I believe, misses the mark. My sense is, we "preach" the gospel not only with our words, but, perhaps more convincingly, with what we actually do. Often our words include more than what we actually do. Could this verse speak to the haughty and condescending attitude of one who has "superior" knowledge about how to live? Far be it for any Christian to think he has all the answers, right? In my travels in and among the Christian community, I've encountered more than a few who seem to have a corner on Truth, a seeming "in" with the Divine Intent. Ever hear a Christian preach against smoking, or drinking wine, or seeing certain movies? Perhaps we Christians who are superior in the Truth, who preach the gospel of righteousness, who offer sacred Truth to the lowly lost are those to whom Jesus was addressing this statement. Especially in light of the context of "do not judge (condemn)", it follows that one who offers "sacred Truth" to a gentile dog is wasting his time, and the pearls of wisdom being offered may actually be received as they are intended, in the superior and condescending manner in which they are offered, inciting contempt and anger. If anyone has older brothers and sisters, they know exactly what I mean. They have been the dogs (and pigs) many times, having received the sacred pearls of wisdom from their superior elders more times than they wish to remember. What do you think? Dave R. |
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3 | What is the Lord teaching in this verse? | Matt 7:6 | meusing | 40792 | ||
John Gill said : Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy to the dogs ... Dogs were unclean creatures by the law; the price of one might not be brought into the house of the Lord, for a vow, (Deuteronomy 23:18) yea, these creatures were not admitted into several temples of the Heathens . Things profane and unclean, as flesh torn by beasts, were ordered to be given to them, (Exodus 22:31) but nothing that was holy was to be given them, as holy flesh, or the holy oblations, or anything that was consecrated to holy uses; to which is the allusion here. It is a common maxim F9 with the Jews, "that they do not redeem holy things, to give to the dogs to eat". Here the phrase is used in a metaphorical sense; and is generally understood of not delivering or communicating the holy word of God, and the truths of the Gospel, comparable to pearls, or the ordinances of it, to persons notoriously vile and sinful: to men, who being violent and furious persecutors, and impudent blasphemers, are compared to "dogs"; or to such, who are scandalously vile, impure in their lives and conversations, and are therefore compared to swine; neither cast ye your pearls before swine. But since the subject Christ is upon is reproof, it seems rather to be the design of these expressions, that men should be cautious, and prudent, in rebuking and admonishing such persons for their sins, in whom there is no appearance or hope of success; yea, where there is danger of sustaining loss; lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you: that is, despise the admonitions and reproofs given, and hurt the persons who give them, either by words or deeds; see (Proverbs 9:7,8) . The Jews have some sayings much like these, and will serve to illustrate them F11; "do not cast pearls before swine", nor deliver wisdom to him, who knows not the excellency of it; for wisdom is better than pearls, and he that does not seek after it, is worse than a swine. FOOTNOTES: F8 Vid. Alex. ab. Alex. Gaeial. Dier. l. 2. c. 14. F9 T. Bab. Temura, fol. 17. 1. 31. 1. 33. 2. Becorot, fol. 15. 1. Hieros. Pesachim, fol. 27. 4. Maaser Sheni, fol. 53. 3. F11 Mischar Happeninim apud Buxtorf. Florileg. Heb. p. 306. |
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4 | Do you agree with this commentary? | Matt 7:6 | Dave R. | 40799 | ||
Dear Meusing, Do you agree with this commentary? Wasn't Jesus' ministry specifically directed to "persons notoriously vile and sinful"? I don't think this interpretation holds much water in light of the context, Jesus' mininstry and John 13 and 14. What do you think? In Christ, Dave R. |
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5 | Do you agree with this commentary? | Matt 7:6 | meusing | 40811 | ||
Jesus came to save sinners. Still, those who were actively agaist God and His Light tried their hardest to put that Light out. Look how they treated Him. Calvin explains it better than I : As the ministers of the Gospel, and those who are called to the office of teaching, cannot distinguish between the children of God and swine, it is their duty to present the doctrine of salvation indiscriminately to all. Though many may appear to them, at first, to be hardened and unyielding, yet charity forbids that such persons should be immediately pronounced to be desperate. It ought to be understood, that dogs and swine are names given not to every kind of debauched men, or to those who are destitute of the fear of God and of true godliness, but to those who, by clear evidences, have manifested a hardened contempt of God, so that their disease appears to be incurable. |
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6 | Is my sin any less ugly ? | Matt 7:6 | Dave R. | 41311 | ||
Dear Meusing, I suppose it's inevitable that "predestination" would enter into a discussion of this nature. A major stumbling block for me with regard to "God's children" vs. "swine" is the inevtiable demarcation of "us" vs. "them". Someone said, "Jesus, save me from your followers." Even in your post your diction indicates a distancing from culpabiltiy with regard to Jesus' crucifixion. Were not the mallets weilded against the nails driven into my Lord swung by me? And, I dare say, by you? Please understand, I mean no contempt or ill will, but offer the reality that it was our sin that brought Jesus to Calvary and hung Him there for the universe to see. The Truth of Calvary is that my sin caused God to turn His back on His Son. Is my sin any less ugly than one who would be judged "swine" by Calvin's doctrine? Thank you for your understanding. Dave R. |
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7 | Is my sin any less ugly ? | Matt 7:6 | meusing | 41316 | ||
I agree with you. Like the old SS song 'Who Killed Jesus?' says in the last verse and final chorus : "When I think of Jesus And the Way he died, How upon Him All my sins were laid, All the other people Fade away from view. It's for me the sacrifice was paid. I no longer wonder any more. I have found what I've been looking for. My sin demanded Hell. On Him the Judgement fell. I am guilty, It is plaind to see, That it was really me. However, that is not the point of the discussion. There are people to whome the gospel is a thing of loathing and hatered. Remember, right after John 3:16-17 He said (Amplified) John 3:19 The [basis of the] judgment (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were evil. [Isa. 5:20.] John 3:20 For every wrongdoer hates (loathes, detests) the Light, and will not come out into the Light but shrinks from it, lest his works (his deeds, his activities, his conduct) be exposed and reproved. Election does not enter into what Calvin was talking about ... "those who, by clear evidences, have manifested a hardened contempt of God" Paul wrote to Timothy " 2 Tim 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great wrongs. The Lord will pay him back for his actions. 2 Tim 4:15 Beware of him yourself, for he opposed and resisted our message very strongly and exceedingly. I think for one to be judged 'swine' by Calvin's doctrine as you say one who, as the writer to the hebrews says " Heb 10:29 How much worse (sterner and heavier) punishment do you suppose he will be judged to deserve who has spurned and [thus] trampled underfoot the Son of God, and who has considered the covenant blood by which he was consecrated common and unhallowed, thus profaning it and insulting and outraging the [Holy] Spirit [Who imparts] grace (the unmerited favor and blessing of God)? [Exod. 24:8.] |
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