What does Matthew 7:6 mean?

[Gregory Thompson]

Matthew 7:6 reads:

"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."


What exactly does this mean? Can somebody help me understand what this verse means? Because I haven't the foggiest idea.

It means to not waste your time explaining yourself to those committed to misunderstanding you.

 

[Deadworm]

The Didache is structured as the Christian equivalent of Qumran's Essene Manual of Discipline. Its first section ("The Two Ways") was composed in the 60s or earlier and the completed document was probably written around 95 AD. It dates to the New Testament. era, and so, its understanding of Gospel texts needs to be taken seriously in in interpreting Jesus's intended meaning. With this in mind, lets look at how it interprets Jesus' saying in Matthew 7:6 in 9:1-12:

"10 But let no one eat or drink of this eucharistic thanksgiving, but they that have been baptized into the name of the Lord; 11 for concerning this also the Lord hath said:
12 Give not that which is holy to the dogs."

Communion must be reserved for baptized believers. To our mind the use of "dog" seems harsh. But it is a Jewish slang reference to Gentiles. Thus, Jesus initially rebuffs the Syrophoenician woman by saying, "It is not right to take the children's bread and give it to the dogs (Mark 7:23-28)." But this is just one application of Jesus' policy not to explain the meaning of His parables to outsiders (Mark 4:10-12). Jesus believes that spiritual truth is better caught than taught; and so, one must be spiritually ready and open to grasp and apply it.

 

[Truthfrees]

Matthew 7:6 reads:

"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."


What exactly does this mean? Can somebody help me understand what this verse means? Because I haven't the foggiest idea.

imo it means don't share valuable information with people who are not interested or not trustworthy or mockers - they won't appreciate it and probably throw it in the garbage at best - they will use it to attack you or destroy you at worst

this important information can be spiritual truths - or personal information - or things you hold dear - or secrets that you don't want to go public

one mistake i made is to have God show me really exciting things in the Bible - things that were really precious to me and my faith - and when i shared the information with others they tore my happy info apart - and i lost the joy i had over something very special to me

 

[Guide To The Bible]

In the original Greek the words used:

Do not give that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/NTpdf/mat7.pdf

This was one of Jesus' most cutting lines; "Do not give your pearls 'of wisdom' to the pig 'ignorant' " is in effect what Jesus was saying. Jesus knew his scriptures:

Proverbs 23:9
Do not speak to fools, for they will scorn your prudent words.

 

[riesie]

If you post or quote or speak God's Word in the midst of the enemies of God,
they will mock you and gnash their teeth and trample you
and no good (for most present there) will result. i.e. "they win", like on open forums open to the public and to groups that do not trust God.

Thanks a lot for this reply. It made me see some things regarding some parts of this forum more clearly.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

In the original Greek the words used:

Do not give that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/NTpdf/mat7.pdf

This was one of Jesus' most cutting lines; "Do not give your pearls 'of wisdom' to the pig 'ignorant' " is in effect what Jesus was saying. Jesus knew his scriptures:

Proverbs 23:9
Do not speak to fools, for they will scorn your prudent words.

This is somewhat difficult to practice here (on the internet),
since unlike in the assemblies, here the wicked are not restricted, and cannot be silenced.
i.e. so sometimes we might continue posting to expose grievous abominations or errors, and not because we "ought to" (as it would be best just to ignore them),
but , at least with the hope , that outsiders who are UNaware that a post or even topic is an abomination/ error/ heresy,
we continue posting as a reminder (as written in Peter, though JUST for believers in the midst of believers, not in the midst of nor for unbelievers, there)
even though in running threads the enemy ("of the world") outnumbers us and wears us out.