Matthew 7:6 (Discernment)

"Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you."

There are times when we read God's Word and a verse stops us dead in our tracks, leaving us confused or bewildered as to what it means.

Matthew 7:6 is a prime example. It is contained within the same subheading as "judging others" in Matthew 7:1-5, but is rarely quoted as such.

Most people within the church are familiar with the notion of throwing pearls to pigs, but how well do we understand the true meaning and purpose Matthew 7:6 conveys in its entirety?

Could it be we have fallen victim to brushing past, skipping over, or disregarding this verse altogether because it seems too metaphorical to comprehend?

Keep in mind, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Therefore, we are without excuse if we do not give proper consideration to what the Bible says, even when it's difficult to comprehend the true meaning of a particular verse or passage. The key is determining the context to which a verse is spoken.

When we consider that Matthew 7:6 immediately follows five verses admonishing the right and wrong ways to judge others, we begin to see that Jesus shifts His attention from judgment to discernment in this verse.

In many ways, discernment is the thread woven throughout all six verses, for how can we know how to respond to others if we are not weighing every circumstance, motivation and intent?

Therefore, we must be wise and heed the warning Jesus gives to avoid being misled by poor discernment. For we are warned, "Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment" (John 7:24).

Undoubtedly, there are many in this world who not only mock, ridicule and scoff Christians, but use our doctrine as ammunition for their evil intent. They have no respect for God's omnipotence nor believe the Bible is absolute truth and inerrant, but will aim to discredit our faith by labeling us as hypocrites.

That is why the majority of atheists are more than familiar with Matthew 7:1-5 and use, "Judge not, that you be not judged" (Matthew 7:1), in order to silence our convictions. Is it no wonder then that Jesus would metaphorically refer to those who maliciously reject God's sovereignty and the authority of His Word as "dogs?"

Culturally speaking, dogs were scavengers that roamed the streets and countryside when Jesus preached His sermon. They were dirty and rabid, resembling behavior similar to a wolf rather than the cuddly pets of present-day, Western civilization.

Moreover, dogs represented those who have no spiritual compass but merely react to the world around them by animal instinct rather than reason. Therefore, there was no confusion or offense taken when Jesus referred to those who would rather pollute the Gospel than receive it as dogs.

No man would consider giving away what he holds most sacred to him, knowing it would be rejected as invaluable and destroyed without the slightest hesitation. That would be foolish, and Jesus knew His audience would comprehend this illustration and understand the greater theological point He was trying to make regarding discernment.

Jesus also knew his audience would not be confused discerning what was considered holy. Holiness was a familiar term regarding the goal of spirituality, yet many today would have difficulty painting a clear picture as to its attributes and meaning.

Thankfully, Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines holiness as "the state of being holy; purity or integrity of moral character; freedom from sin; sanctity. Applied to the Supreme Being, holiness denotes perfect purity or integrity of moral character, one of his essential attributes."

Knowing this, we can begin to comprehend why Jesus instructed His followers not to give to dogs what is holy. Holiness is reserved for the righteous who discipline themselves for the sake of the Gospel and strive to live wisely.

In contrast, Scripture reminds us, "Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly" (Proverbs 26:11), because wisdom is gained when we learn from our mistakes and the spiritual ramifications and consequences associated.

Dogs were not created to spiritually discern what is holy and what is not. They simply react to their environment through carnal instincts regardless of how gross or sacred the affection of their appetite may be.

We are different though, and as such have the unique ability to discern and make educated decisions in life because we are not bound by our flesh to obey its desires.

"For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do" (Galatians 5:17).

Moreover, we must discern when the Spirit is leading us to shift gears. Undoubtedly, as Christians we are called to fulfill the Great Commission and "go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19).

However, we are also instructed by Jesus in Matthew 7:6 to not throw pearls to pigs. How then do we reconcile these two passages? The key is discernment.

When Jesus sent out His disciples at the beginning of His ministry into the Jewish community to proclaim that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, He said, "And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. As you enter the house, greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town" (Matthew 10:11-15).

In other words, proclaim the Gospel without ceasing but invest your time and energy wisely, spreading seeds of righteousness upon fertile soil rather than rocky ground. In turn, does that mean we avoid any opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus Christ? Absolutely not, but it does guide us in discerning where to focus our time and attention.

Keep in mind, throwing pearls to pigs invites retribution for which we may not be prepared to endure. Therefore, we are wise to avoid those whose hearts are determined to cause division and administer persecution in order to minister to those whose hearts are open to receiving the truth of God's Word.

Jesus said, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it" ("Matthew 13:45-46).

It is important we understand how Matthew 13:45-46 correlates to Matthew 7:6. When we consider the context Jesus conveys, we quickly realize why He admonishes us to never throw pearls to pigs.

No man who values his salvation would ever trade his security and assurance for eternal separation from God. Therefore, we must guard our salvation by not allowing seeds of dissension to choke the joy out of our identity in Christ when we share the Gospel with others.

Yes, some will receive our message but others will not, and Jesus warns us to wisely discern between those who would seek opportunity and forum to discredit our faith and attack our theology.

Moreover, just as there is no reason to judge others outside the faith of Christ, there is no reason to invest all our time and effort attempting to convince those who vehemently reject truth spoken in love at the expense of those whose hearts are teachable.

We must discern to whom we speak in order to preserve what is holy, that the pearls we share regarding the kingdom of heaven are given to hearts tender and broken enough to receive and appreciate their infinite value.

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths" (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Therefore, may we who have experienced the power of salvation share the Gospel message boldly and without fear, discerning the true character and intent of those who receive our message so that our time is utilized wisely in fulfilling the Great Commission.