MT 7:6: Pearls before swine
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MT 7:6
This doublet seems to refer to the animal sacrifices offered in the Temple (and unofficially at other sites in previous times). It is obscene to give food meant for God and his priests to dogs. Similarly, one doesn't feed pigs -- which were unclean animals for Jews -- with precious things like pearls.You don't give Temple offerings to the dogs, nor do you toss your pearls in front of pigs. They might run wild and turn on you and tear you up.
So the doublet appears to be a bit of folk wisdom that advises people to be careful with what they share with others. Some people are simply not suited to share in your advice. Most of us have experienced this sort of situation. You give kindly advice about your friend's spouse and he turns and is ever after implacably against you. Or, sometimes experts in Jewish law would not recount their interpretations with certain people who were deemed unfit.
MT 7:6 comes right after the saying about getting the two-by-four out of your own eye before trying to remove the speck from your brother's eye. So MTSerm likely saw the saying as easily relating to that matter. Don't be critical of others, even if seemingly well-intentioned, or you may get trouble.
Yet I wonder whether Jesus was being quite so simple. It seems to me very possible that the saying fits with the sayings (and parables elsewhere) about the cost of following Jesus. When your gospel light shines from you, everyone can see it. Some of them can't stand it, even if you don't evangelize, and they are bound to cause you trouble. Isn't that exactly what happened to Jesus? Bestial people turned and tore him when he offered spiritual food to the desperate. And Jesus warns his followers to expect persecution. Why? Because the world and the spirit of this world -- Mammon/Satan -- hates their very presence.
Of course it is apparent to anyone that those persons who are altogether in the flesh (ruled by the animal self = the body), who are not at all seeking God, do not want to hear your spiritual gems. The more you try to talk God to them, the more they will resent you, and may very well do you harm, one way or another. For example, suppose you see a drug deal in progress and you urge the parties to desist in order that they not continue hurting themselves. A very possible result is that you will be shot by some money-crazed or drug-crazed gunman.
Of course, that is an extreme example. More usual is the case of the superior who passes you over for promotion while snickering at you behind your back for being a "Jesus freak."
The more a Christian lets his light shine in the world, the more the tendency of the dogs and swine to turn and rend him.
So one interpretation of this couplet might be that those who follow Christ will face persecution. The more their light shines before men, the more some will want to blot out that light. Although it is good advice not to talk to certain people about spiritual matters because they may become enraged and bring about harm, it remains true that the more focused a Christian is on the things of God, the more he stands out like a sore thumb among worldlings, no matter that he tries to be meek and lowly. In particular, people in authority tend to wield power by taking advantage of fear and lack of knowledge. But the Christ in the Christian is not a spirit of fear. And the Spirit provides knowledge that the wordly controllers may wish to conceal.
A Christian who shows little fear and does not respond to the secretive behaviorist "animal training" techniques of oppressors is seen as a major threat. What if others start marching to the beat of a different drummer? The oppressors fear losing their sway (recall the reaction of the Sanhedrin to Jesus words and deeds). And, even worse, many an unregenerate "self" fears its annihilation and is terrorized that the Christian light will cause it to shrivel up and die (which, in fact, is a valid fear, the natural self being an unclean spirit). Oppressors need not be national dictators and their minions; they are often people at school, on the job, or in the family who are unconscious of their true motives.
Yet, persecution helps the Christian and helps to spread God's kingdom, whatever Satan's motives. Persecution is often thought of as "hard testing." One's faith is sorely tried. It may be very tempting to turn away from identifying with Christ when the devil strikes. How deeply rooted is your faith? Would you be able to accept your own murder, and possibly the deaths of loved ones, rather than publicly renounce Christ and his teaching?
Here the Christian enters the Valley of Decision. The true Christian will be delivered out of such trials, though we have the example of the cross to show us how severe the testing can become. I don't say that all real Christians will face being murdered -- though in some parts of the world today Christians do indeed pay with their lives for their faith. But persecution sifts the wheat from the chaff. It tests your mettle. It refines off the dross from your being, and helps you to be more purely committed to God. If you are a real Christian, it makes you a better person even though you have no desire to go through this suffering and temptation.
So, please Lord, lead us not into any temptation that we cannot withstand; and deliver us out of the troubles inflicted by the adversary.
Appendix to commentary on MT 7:6:
Why speak in parables?
The "pearls before swine" saying fits with Jesus telling the disciples that he teaches in parables -- dark sayings -- so that only some will understand. The parables make sense to the disciples, perhaps with explanation, because they are earnestly seeking the things of God. But others, with no such interest, will blow off such teaching as "crazy talk" and go their way, as we see when many followers turned away from Jesus when he told them he was the bread of life and they should consume him (JN 6:44-66).
Not everyone is ready to receive God's kingdom. Some never will be. So a "strong delusion" is sent to them, blinding them to the way out.
MK doesn't explain why some people must be excluded, but notes it. MT seems to have amplified MK, quoting Isaiah to establish what Jesus was saying. It is possible the additional information attributed to Jesus came from an independent source because the amplification tells the truth about the difference between the born-again believer and the unregenerate disbeliever. The born-again person has everything already, and he is going to get a lot more. The person not born again has nothing, and, if he doesn't turn to God. will lose what he has.
According to MT, many are not selected to receive the gospel because they are too hard-hearted. God can't get through to them right now, and perhaps does not even try -- although the call still goes out to them, but, again, they cannot really hear it.
The Purpose of Jesus' Parables
MK 4:10-12
10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
MT 13:10-16
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
JN 6:44-66 (with some verses skipped)
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
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