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NASB | Matthew 7:6 ¶ "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 7:6 ¶ "Do not give that which is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, for they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. |
Bible Question: What is the Lord teaching in this verse? |
Bible Answer: 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. |