Jesus was warning watch how you feed dogs and pigs

JESUS WAS WARNING-WATCH HOW YOU FEED DOGS AND PIGS
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
MATT. 7:6 New International Version
"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.
New Living Translation
“Don’twaste what is holy on peoplewho are unholy.
Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the
pearls, then turn and attack you.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pearls And Swine
Matthew 7:6
W.F. Adeney
At the first blush of it this reads more like a motto of the scribes than a
proverb from the large-heartedChrist. It is quite as important to see whatit

does not mean as to lay hold of its positive teaching, because we are all
tempted to abuse it in order to excuse our narrowness andselfishness.
I. MISAPPRENSIONS OF THE PROVERB.
1. In neglectof the poor. This is the most gross and insulting abuse of the
principle which canbe thought of. No one would venture to express it in so
many words when he was thus misdirecting it. Yet virtually such an
application of it is very common. It is thought that any coarse fare will be
goodenough for the poor; not only coarse foodand clothes, but coarse
treatment, coarse methods of religion, coarseamusements, and the
ministration of coarse men. To bring works of art and goodmusic to "the
lowerclasses" is thought to be wasteful. Refinedpeople are not to spend
themselves on the common people. This is Pharisaismwithout its religion - the
pride of the cultivated Romanwith the bitterness of the scornful Pharisee.
2. In contempt of the illiterate. The Gnostics reservedtheir choicestideas for
the inner circle of the initiated. Ignorant people might walk by faith; Gnostics
had attained to knowledge. This is not the religion of Christ. He rejoices that
God reveals his best truth to babes and sucklings.
3. In despair of the sinful. We are tempted to shrink from speaking ofChrist
to the very lowestpeople. It looks like a profanation to setthe treasures ofthe
gospelbefore them. They can hear the Law that condemns their sin; the
beautiful thoughts of God's grace in Christ are too goodfor them. This, too, is
unchristian. Christ brought his goodtidings to all men, and the first to leap up
and graspit were the publicans, the sinners, and the harlots.
II. THE TRUE APPLICATION OF THE PROVERB. Ifthese obvious uses of
it are all contrary to the mind and method of Christ, how does he wish us to
use it? Let us look at it on two sides - in regardto men and in regard to truth.

1. In regard to men. Who are the dogs and the swine? Notthe poor and the
illiterate; not only or always the abandoned and degraded.
(1) The cynical. Cynicism most effectually excludes the gospel. It is not best
conquered by being offered the gems of Divine grace. It needs to be made
ashamedof itself.
(2) The greedy. Dogs andswine are proverbially gluttonous. We must here
think of the former animals not as we know them in England - as man's true
friends and companions - but as they are in the East, pariahs of the animal
world, surly scavengersofthe streets. Low, selfishgreedprevents its victims
from appreciating Divine truth.
(3) The unclean. The animals named are typical of foulness. Now, we have
seenthat the gospelis for sinners. But it comes to their better selves. It has no
contactwith their corrupt imagination. Sensuous pictures of religious
experience lead the degraded to defile the very religion of holiness.
2. In regard to truth.
(1) In personalexperience. The Christian is not to hang his heart upon his
sleeve. There is a spiritual modesty, a decencyin religion. We need to be
careful how we unveil the choice experience ofcommunion betweenthe soul
and its Saviour.
(2) In revealedtruth. All men may have all truth, but not at all times and in all
ways. We must chooseanopportunity. There is a word in season. Some

aspects oftruth are best for publicity, others for private meditation, though
all are for every seeking soul. - W.F.A.
Biblical Illustrator
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs.
Matthew 7:6
Prudence necessaryin conversing upon religious subjects
J. Abernethy, M. A.
I. THE BAD CHARACTERS AND DISPOSITIONSOF SOME;MEN HERE
REPRESENTEDby the allusion of " dogs" and " swine."
1. We may be sure they are unworthy the powers and dignity of human
nature. There are in their character—
(1)Stupid impunity;
(2)Stubborn forwardness. Theysnarl at admonitions.
2. How deplorably human nature is capable of being corrupted.
3. Watchagainstall tendencies towards the beginnings of these evil
dispositions.

II. THE NECESSITYAND REASONABLENESSOF TREATING THE
AFFAIRS OF RELIGION WITH CAUTION AND PRUDENCE IN OUR
CONVERSING WITHOTHERS.
1. Since we know that sacredthings are so liable to be abused by profane
persons.
2. That it may be attended with bad consequencesofill treatment to ourselves
— "lestthey turn againand rend you."
(J. Abernethy, M. A.)
The dogs and the swine
D. Fraser, D. D.
The lessonis one of reverence and discretion.
I. As to the preaching of the gospel.
II. As to statements ofspiritual experience.
III. As to the admission to sacredprivileges. and functions in the Church.
(D. Fraser, D. D.)

COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(6) That which is holy.—The words point to the flesh which has been offered
for sacrifice, the “holy thing” of Leviticus 22:6-7; Leviticus 22:10; Leviticus
22:16, of which no un clean personor stranger, and à fortiori no unclean
beast, was to eat. To give that holy flesh to dogs would have seemedto the
devout Israelite the greatestofall profanations. Our Lord teaches us that
there is a like risk of desecrationin dealing with the yet holier treasure of
divine truth. Another aspectof the same warning is brought out in the second
clause. The fashion of the time had made pearls the costliestof all jewels, as in
the parable of Matthew 13:45 (comp. also 1Timothy 2:9), and so they too
became symbols of the preciousnessoftruth. The “dogs” andthe “swine,” in
their turn, representdistinct forms of evil, the former being here, as in
Philippians 3:2, Revelation22:15, the type of impurity, the latter (as in Psalm
80:13)of ferocity. The secondcomparisonmay possibly imply, as in a
condensedfable, the disappointment and consequentrage of the swine at
finding that what they took for grain was only pearls. We are to beware lest
we so present the truth, either in direct teaching or by an undiscerning
disclosure of the deeper religious emotions of the soul, to men, that we make
them worse and not better than before.
We are met by the questions, Are we, then, to class ourfellow-men under
these heads, and to think of them as dogs and swine? Is not this to forget the
previous teaching, and to judge with the harshestjudgment? The answerto
these questions must be found, we may believe, in thinking of the dogs and
swine as representing not men and women as such, but the passions ofthis
kind or that which make them brutish. So long as they identify themselves
with those passions, we must deal cautiously and wiselywith them. St. Paul
did not preach the gospelto the howling mob at Ephesus, or to the “lewd
fellows of the baser sort” at Thessalonica,and yet at another time he would
have told any member of those crowds that he too had been redeemed, and
might claim an inheritance among those who had been sanctified. We need, it

might be added, to be on our guard againstthe brute element in ourselves not
less than in others. There, too, we may desecratethe holiesttruths by dealing
with them in the spirit of irreverence, or passion, or may cynically jest with
our own truest and noblestimpulses.
BensonCommentary
Matthew 7:6. Give not, &c. — Even when the beam is castout of thine own
eye. Give not that which is holy unto dogs — That is, talk not of the deep
things of God to those whom you know to be wallowing in sin; neither declare
the greatthings God hath done for your soul, to the profane, furious,
persecuting wretches. Talk not of high degrees ofholiness, for instance, to the
former; nor of your own experience to the latter. But our Lord does in no wise
forbid us to reprove, as occasionis, both the one and the other. There is a
transpositionin the latter clauses ofthis verse, where, of the two things
proposed, the latter is first treatedof. The sense is, Give not — to dogs — lest,
turning, they rend you. Castnot — to swine, lest they trample them under
their feet.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
7:1-6 We must judge ourselves, and judge of our own acts, but not make our
word a law to everybody. We must not judge rashly, nor pass judgment upon
our brother without any ground. We must not make the worstof people. Here
is a just reproof to those who quarrel with their brethren for small faults,
while they allow themselves in greaterones. Some sins are as motes, while
others are as beams; some as a gnat, others as a camel. Not that there is any
sin little; if it be a mote, or splinter, it is in the eye; if a gnat, it is in the throat;
both are painful and dangerous, and we cannotbe easyor well till they are got
out. That which charity teaches us to callbut a splinter in our brother's eye,
true repentance and godly sorrow will teachus to call a beam in our own. It is
as strange that a man can be in a sinful, miserable condition, and not be aware
of it, as that a man should have a beam in his eye, and not considerit; but the
god of this world blinds their minds. Here is a goodrule for reprovers; first
reform thyself.

Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Give not that which is holy ... - By some the word "holy" has been supposed to
mean "flesh offeredin sacrifice,"made holy, or separatedto a sacreduse; but
it probably means here "anything connectedwith religion" - admonition,
precept, or doctrine. Pearls are precious stones found in shell-fish, chiefly in
India, in the waters that surround Ceylon. They are used to denote anything
especiallyprecious, Revelation17:4;Revelation18:12-16;Matthew 13:45. In
this place they are used to denote the doctrines of the gospel. "Dogs"signify
people who spurn, oppose, and abuse that doctrine; people of specialsourness
and malignity of temper, who meet it like growling and quarrelsome curs,
Philippians 3:2; 2 Peter2:22; Revelation22:15. "Swine" denote those who
would trample the precepts underfoot; people of impurity of life; those who
are corrupt, polluted, profane, obscene, and sensual;those who would not
know the value of the gospel, and who would tread it down as swine would
pearls, 2 Peter2:22; Proverbs 11:22. The meaning of this proverb, then, is, do
not offer your doctrine to those violent and abusive people who would growl
and curse you; nor to those especiallydebasedand profligate who would not
perceive its value, would trample it down, and would abuse you. This verse
furnishes a beautiful instance of what has been calledthe "introverted
parallelism." The usual mode of poetry among the Hebrews, and a common
mode of expressionin proverbs and apothegms, was by the parallelism, where
one member of a sentence answeredto another, or expressedsubstantiallythe
same sense with some addition or modification. See the Introduction to the
Book ofJob. Sometimes this was alternate, and sometimes it was introverted -
where the first and fourth lines would correspond, and the secondand third.
This is the case here. The dogs would tear, and not the swine;the swine would
trample the pearls under their feet, and not the dogs. It may be thus
expressed:
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs,
Neither castye your pearls before swine,

Lest they (that is, the swine) trample them under their feet,
And turn again(that is, the dogs)and rend you.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
6. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs—savageorsnarling haters of
truth and righteousness.
neither castye your pearls before swine—the impure or coarse, who are
incapable of appreciating the priceless jewelsofChristianity. In the East, dogs
are wilder and more gregarious, and, feeding on carrion and garbage, are
coarserand fiercerthan the same animals in the West. Dogs and swine,
besides being ceremoniallyunclean, were peculiarly repulsive to the Jews, and
indeed to the ancients generally.
lest they trample them under their feet—as swine do.
and turn againand rend you—as dogs do. Religionis brought into contempt,
and its professors insulted, when it is forcedupon those who cannotvalue it
and will not have it. But while the indiscriminately zealous have need of this
caution, let us be on our guard againsttoo readily setting our neighbors down
as dogs and swine, and excusing ourselves from endeavoring to do them good
on this poor plea.
Prayer (Mt 7:7-11). Enough, one might think, had been said on this subject in
Mt 6:5-15. But the difficulty of the foregoing duties seems to have recalledthe
subject, and this gives it quite a new turn. "How shall we everbe able to carry
out such precepts as these, of tender, holy, yet discriminating love?" might the
humble disciple inquire. "Go to God with it," is our Lord's reply; but He

expresses this with a fulness which leaves nothing to be desired, urging now
not only confidence, but importunity in prayer.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
By swine and dogs, our Saviour doubtless understandeth wickedmen of
severalsorts, either such as are more tame sinners, trampling upon holy
things, and with swine wallowing in the mire of lusts and corruptions,
Proverbs 26:11 2 Peter2:22; or, by dogs, more malicious, revengeful,
boisterous sinners may be meant, whose conscienceswill serve them to bark
and grin at the word of God, to mock at holy things, to persecute those that
bring them the gospel, and are their open enemies, becausethey tell them the
truth. The gospelis to be preachedto every creature, Mark 16:15. But when
the Jews were hardened, and spake evil of that waybefore the multitude, & c.,
Acts 19:9, the apostles left preaching to them. The precept doubtless is
general, directing the ministers of Christ to administer the holy things, with
which they are intrusted, only to such as have a right to them, and under
prudent circumstances, so as the holy name of God may not be profaned, nor
they run into needless danger.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Give not that which is holy to the dogs,....Dogswere uncleancreatures by the
law; the price of one might not be brought into the house of the Lord, for a
vow, Deuteronomy23:18 yea, these creatures were not admitted into several
temples of the Heathens (h). Things profane and unclean, as flesh torn by
beasts, were orderedto 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 consecratedto holy uses;to which is the allusion here. It is a common
maxim (i) with the Jews,
, "that they do not redeem holy things, to give to the dogs to eat".''

Here the phrase is used in a metaphoricalsense;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 comparedto "dogs";or to such, who are
scandalouslyvile, impure in their lives and conversations, and are therefore
compared to swine;
neither castye your pearls before swine. But since the subject Christ is upon is
reproof, it seems ratherto be the designof these expressions, that men should
be cautious, and prudent, in rebuking and admonishing such persons for their
sins, in whom there is no appearance orhope of success;yea, where there is
danger of sustaining loss;
lest they trample them under their feet, and turn againand 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. The Jews have some sayings
much like these, and will serve to illustrate them (k);
, "do not castpearls before swine", nor deliver wisdom to him, who knows not
the excellencyofit; for wisdom is better than pearls, and he that does not seek
after it, is worse than a swine.''
(h) Vid. Alex. ab. Alex. Gaeial. Dier. l. 2. c. 14. (i) T. Bab. Temura, fol. 17. 1. &
31. 1. & 33. 2. Becorot,fol. 15. 1. Hieros. Pesachim, fol. 27. 4. & MaaserSheni,
fol. 53. 3.((k) MischarHappeninim apud Buxtorf. Florileg. Heb. p. 306.
Geneva Study Bible

{2} Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither castye your {a} pearls
before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn againand rend
you.
(2) The stiff-neckedand stubborn enemies of the gospelare unworthy to have
it preachedunto them.
(a) A pearl is known among the Greeks forits oriental brightness: and a pearl
was in ancient times greatly valued by the Latins: for a pearl that Cleopatra
had was valued at two hundred and fifty thousand crowns:and the word is
now borrowedfrom that, to signify the most precious heavenly doctrine.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Matthew 7:6. The endeavour to correctthe faults of others must be confined
within its proper limits, and not allowedto become a casting of holy things to
the dogs. As is usual, however, in the case ofapophthegms, this progress in the
thought is not expressedby a particle (ἀλλά). To abandon the idea of
connection(Maldonatus, de Wette, Tholuck), or to suppose (Kuinoel,
Neander, Bleek;Weiss doubtful) that Matthew 7:6-11, at leastMatthew 7:6,
do not belong to this passage,is scarcelywarranted.
τὸ ἅγιον] the holy, not the holy flesh, ‫ב‬ ְּ‫ש‬ַׂ‫ר‬ ‫ק‬ ֹ‫ד‬ ֶ‫,ׁש‬ Jeremiah11:15, Haggai2:12,
the flesh of sacrifices(v. d. Hardt, Paulus, Tholuck), which, besides, would
require to be more preciselydesignated, otherwise there would be just as
much reasonto suppose that the holy bread, ‫םחל‬ ‫ששר‬ (1 Samuel21:5), or any
other meat-offering (Leviticus 22:2), was meant. Christ has in view the holy in
general, figuratively designating in the first clause only the persons, and then,
in the second, the holy thing. What is meant by this, as also by τοὺς
μαργαρίτας immediately after, is the holy, because divine evangelic, truth by
which men are converted, and which, by τοὺς μαργαρ. ὑμῶν, is describedas

something of the highest value, as the precious jewelwhich is entrusted to the
disciples as its possessors.ForArabian applications of this simile, comp.
Gesenius in Rosenm. Rep. I. p. 128.
Dogs and swine, these impure and thoroughly despised animals, represent
those men who are hardened and altogetherincapable of receiving evangelic
truth, and to whom the holy is utterly foreign and distasteful. The parallelism
ought to have precluded the explanation that by both animals two different
classesofmen are intended (the snappish, as in Acts 13:46;the filthy livers,
Grotius).
μήποτε καταπ., κ.τ.λ., καὶ στραφέντες, κ.τ.λ.]applies to the swine, who are to
be conceivedof as wild animals, as may be seenfrom αὐτούς and the whole
similitude, so that, as the warning proceeds, the figure of the dogs passesout
of view, though, as matter of course, it admits of a corresponding application
(Pricaeus, Maldonatus, Tholuck). But this is no reasonwhy the words should
be referred to both classesofanimals, nor why the trampling should be
assignedto the swine and στράφ. ῥήξ. to the dogs (Theophylact, Hammond,
Calovius, Wolf, Kuinoel). For the future καταπ. (see the critical remarks),
comp. note on Mark 14:2; Matthew 13:15.
ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτ.]instrumental.
στραφέντες] not: having changedto an attitude of open hostility (Chrysostom,
Euth. Zigabenus), or to savagery(Loesner), but manifestly, having turned
round upon you from the pearls, which they have mistaken for food, and
which, in their rage, they have trampled under their feet; the meaning of
which is, lest such men profane divine truth (by blasphemy, mockery,
calumny), and vent upon you their malicious feeling towardthe gospel. In how
many ways must the apostles have experiencedthis in their own case; for,

their preaching being addressedto all, they would naturally, as a rule, have to
see its effecton those who heard it before they could know who were “dogs
and swine,” so as then to entice them no further with the offer of what is holy,
but to shake off the dust, and so on. But the men here in view were to be found
among Jews andGentiles. It is foreign to the present passage(notso Matthew
15:26)to suppose that only the Gentiles as such are referred to (Köstlin,
Hilgenfeld).
Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 7:6. A complementary counsel. No connecting word introduces this
sentence. Indeedthe absence ofconnecting particles is noticeable throughout
the chapter: Matthew 7:1; Matthew 7:6-7; Matthew 7:13; Matthew 7:15. It is
a collectionof ethicalpearls strung looselytogether. Yet it is not difficult to
suggesta connecting link, thus: I have said, “Judge not,” yet you must know
people, else you will make greatmistakes, suchas, etc. Moralcriticism is
inevitable. Jesus Himself practised it. He judged the Pharisees,but in the
interest of humanity, guided by the law of love. He judged the proud,
pretentious, and cruel, in behalf of the weak and despised. All depends on
what we judge and why. The Pharisaic motive was egotism;the right motive is
defence of the downtrodden or, in certain cases,self-defence. So here.—
καταπατήσουσι:future well attested, vide critical note, with subjunctive,
ῥήξωσι, in last clause;unusual combination, but not impossible. On the use of
the future after μήποτε and other final particles, vide Burton, Syntax of the
Moods and Tenses in N. T. Greek, § 199.—τὸἅγιον, τοὺς μαργαρίτας:what is
the holy thing, and what are the pearls? In a moral aphorism special
indications are not to be expected, and we are left to our own conjectures. The
“holy” and the “pearls” must define themselves for eachindividual in his own
experience. They are the things which are sacredand precious for a man or
woman, and which natural feeling teaches us to be carefulnot to waste or
expose to desecration. Forthis purpose knowledge ofthe world,
discrimination, is necessary. We must not treat all people alike, and show our
valuables, religious experiences, bestthoughts, tenderestsentiments, to the
first comer. Shyness, reserve, goesalong with sincerity, depth, refinement. In
all shyness there is implicit judgment of the legitimate kind. A modest woman
shrinks from a man whom her instinct discerns to be impure; a child from all

hard-natured people. Who blames womanor child? It is but the instinct of
self-preservation.—κυσίν, χοίρων. The people to be fearedand shunned are
those representedby dogs and swine, regarded by Jews as shamelessand
unclean animals. There are such people, unhappily, even in the judgment of
charity, and the shrewd know them and fight shy of them; for no goodcan
come of comradeship with them. Discussions as to whether the dogs and the
swine represent two classesofmen, or only one, are pedantic. If not the same
they are at leastsimilar; one in this, that they are to be avoided. And it is
gratuitous to limit the scope of the gnome to the apostles and their work in
preaching the gospel. It applies to all citizens of the kingdom, to all who have a
treasure to guard, a holy of holies to protect from profane intrusion.—μήποτε,
lest perchance. Whatis to be feared?—καταπατήσουσιν, ῥήξωσιν:treading
under foot (ἐν τ. π., instrumental, with, de Wette;among, Weiss)your pearls
(αὐτους), rending yourselves. Here againthere is trouble for the
commentators as to the distribution of the trampling and rending between
dogs and swine. Do both do both, or the swine both, or the swine the
trampling and the dogs the rending? The latter is the view of Theophylact,
and it has been followedby some moderns, including Achelis. On this view the
structure of the sentence presents an example of ἐπάνοδος or ὑστέρησις, the
first verb referring to the secondsubjectand the secondverb to the first
subject. The dogs—streetdogs,without master, living on offal—rend, because
what you have thrown to them, perhaps to propitiate them, being of uncertain
temper at the best, is not to their liking; the swine trample under foot what
lookedlike peas or acorns, but turns out to be uneatable.
Before passing from these verses (Matthew 7:1-6) two curious opinions may
be noted. (1) That ἅγιονrepresents an Aramaic word meaning ear-ornaments,
answering to pearls. This view, once favoured by Michaelis, Bolten, Kuinoel,
etc., and thereafterdiscredited, has been revived by Holtzmann (H. C.). (2)
That ὀφθαλμός (Matthew 7:3; Matthew 7:5) means, not the eye, but a village
well. So Furrer. Strange, he says, that a man should need to be told by a
neighbour that he has a mote in his eye, or that it should be a fault to propose
to take it out! And what sense in the idea of a beam in the eye? But translate
the Aramaic word used by Jesus, well, and all is clearand natural. A

neighbour given to fault-finding sees a small impurity in a villager’s well and
tauntingly offers to remove it. Meantime his own boys, in his absence, throw a
beam into his ownwell (Zeitsch. für M. und R. vide also Wanderungen, p.
222).
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
(b) The Father’s love for the children of the Kingdom shewnby answering
prayer, 7–11.
6. The connectionbetweenthis verse and the preceding sectionis not quite
obvious. It seems to be this. Although evil and censorious judgment is to be
avoided, discrimination is needful. The Christian must be judicious, not
judicial.
that which is holy] i. e. “spiritual truths.” Some have seenin the expressiona
reference to the holy flesh of the offering (Haggai2:12). But this allusion is
very doubtful; see Meyeron this passage.
dogs … swine] Unclean animals; see the proverb quoted 2 Peter2:22; cp. Php
3:2, “Beware ofdogs, beware ofevil workers;” also Hor. Ep. i. 2. 25, “vel canis
immundus vel amica luto sus.” See note on ch. Matthew 15:26.
pearls] The only gems mentioned in the Gospels, twice namedby Jesus:here,
where they signify the deepestspiritual thoughts of God and heaven, and ch.
Matthew 13:46, where “the pearl of greatprice” is the kingdom of heaven
itself. The generalsense is “use discrimination, discern betweenholy and
unholy, betweenthose who are receptive of these high truths and those who
are not.” The profane will despise the gift and put the giver to shame. Want of
common sense does greatharm to religion.
Bengel's Gnomen

Matthew 7:6. Μὴ δῶτε, give not) Here we meet with the other extreme; for
the two extremes are, to judge those who ought not to be judged, and to give
holy things to the dogs. Too much severity and too much laxity.[303]—κυσὶ,
χοίρων, dogs, swine)Dogs feedon their own filth, swine on that of others. See
Gnomon on 2 Peter2:22; Php 3:2. The holy and dogs are put in opposition to
eachother in Exodus 22:30;[304]a dog is not a wild beast, but yet it is an
unclean animal.—ὑμῶν, your) An implied antitheton.[305]Thatwhich is holy
is the property of GOD; pearls are the secrettreasures ofthe faithful,
intrusted to them by GOD.—ῥήξωσιν, rend) This also appears to refer to the
swine.[306]—ὑμᾶς, you)From whom they expectedsomething else, husks, etc.
[303]This admonition especiallyhas regard to our daily conversation. When
such things are setbefore them in public, such persons lightly pass over
them.—V. g.
[304]This is the Hebrew notation. In the Septuagint, Vulgate, and English
Version it is reckonedas the thirtieth. It runs thus—“And ye shall be HOLY
men unto me; neither shall ye eatany flesh that is torn of beasts in the field:
ye shall castit to the DOGS.”—(I. B.)
[305]Sc. betweenyou and swine.—(I. B.)
[306]Swine attack the pearls with their feet, the saints with their tusk. A well-
disposedman is more than once apt to suppose, that what seems sacredand
precious to him, ought to seemso to others also, until he learns, by experience
of the contrary, to actwith more caution.—V. g.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 6. - Matthew only. Give not that which is holy, etc. While you are not to
be censorious towards brethren (vers. 1-5), you must recognize the greatand

fundamental differences that there are betweenmen. You must not treat those
who are mere dogs and swine as if they were able to appreciate either the
holiness or the beauty and wealth of spiritual truth. Give Observe that "give,"
"cast," are naturally used of feeding dogs and swine respectively. That which
is holy (τὸ ἅγιον). The metaphor is taken from the law that the things offered
in sacrifice were no longerto be treatedas common food (Leviticus 22:1-16,
especiallyver. 14, τὸ ἅγιον). Unto the dogs. The scavengers ofEasterncities,
which by nature and habit love and greedily devour the most unholy of things
(cf. Exodus 22:31). Neither castye your pearls, Pearls. Only here and
Matthew 13:45, 46 in the Gospels. In form not so very unlike swine's foodof
beans or nuts, they here representthe beauty and precious wealthof the
various parts of the Gospel, in which Christ's disciples are accustomedto
delight (ὑμῶν). Ignatius ('Ephesians,'§ 11)calls his bonds his "spiritual
pearls." Before swine; before the swine (RevisedVersion). Probably in both
casesthe article is used with the objectof bringing the particular dogs and
swine to whom these are given more vividly before us. Swine. Which have no
care for such things, but rather wallow in filth (2 Peter2:22). Dogs... swine.
The terms seemto so far indicate different classesofmen, or more truly
different characters in men, as that the one term points to the greedy
participation of the wickedin open profanation, the ether to the sottish
indifference of sinners to that which is most attractive. Lest they; i.e. the
swine. Dogs, eventhough wild in the East, would not "treaddown" the food.
Trample them under their feet(Matthew 5:13). In ignorance of their real
worth and in disappointment that they do not afford them satisfaction(For
the future, καταπατήσουσιν, cf. Matthew 5:25, note.) It here expressesthe
greatercertainty of the trampling than of the rending (aorist subjective). And
turn again- RevisedVersion omits "again" - and rend you. In rage at the
disappointment experienced. The clause expressesthe personalenmity which
those who wilfully rejectthe gospeloftenfeel towards those that have offered
it to them. It might be thought difficult to carry out this command, as it is
evident that we cannot know beforehand who will acceptthe gospelornot.
But in caseswhere the characterof the person is not known(e.g. as when St.
Paul preachedat Athens, etc.), the command does not apply. Our Lord
supposes the case where the characteris apparent (cf. 1 Timothy 5:24).
Theodoret(vide Resch, 'Agrapha,'pp. 103, 168), in quoting this verse, adds,

"My mysteries are tot me and mine," which, clearlyan adaptation of
Symmachus and Theodotion's rendering of Isaiah 24:16, ‫יזק‬ ‫יל‬ (cf. also Targ.
Jon.), seems to have become almostan authorized, and certainly a true,
interpretation of our verse.
Vincent's Word Studies
That which is holy (τὸ ἅγιον)
The holy thing, as of something commonly recognizedas sacred. The
reference is to the meat offered in sacrifice. The picture is that of a priest
throwing a piece of flesh from the altar of burnt-offering to one of the
numerous dogs which infest the streets of Easterncities.
Pearls before swine (μαργαρίτας ἔμπροσθεντῶν χοίρων)
Another picture of a rich man wantonly throwing handfuls of small pearls to
swine. Swine in Palestine were atbest but half-tamed, the hog being an
unclean animal. The wild boar haunts the Jordan valley to this day. Small
pearls, calledby jewellers seed-pearls, wouldresemble the pease ormaize on
which the swine feed. They would rush upon them when scattered, and,
discovering the cheat, would trample upon them and turn their tusks upon the
man who scatteredthem.
Turn (στραφέντες)
The Rev. properly omits again. The word graphically pictures the quick,
sharp turn of the boar.
Rend (ῥήξωσιν)

Lit., break;and well chosento express the peculiar characterof the wound
made by the boar's tusk, which is not a cut, but a long tear or rip.
STUDYLIGHTRESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
Give not that which is holy - Το αγιον, the holy or sacredthing; i.e. any thing,
especially, ofthe sacrificialkind, which had been consecratedto God. The
members of this sentence should be transposedthus: -
Lest they turn againand rend you:
Lest they trample them under their feet
The propriety of this transposition is self-evident. There are many such
transpositions as these, both in sacredand profane writers. The following is
very remarkable: -

"I am black but comely;
"As the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon."
That is,
"I am black as the tents of Kedar,
"Comelyas the curtains of Solomon."
See many proofs of this sort of writing in Mr. Wakefield's Commentary.
As a generalmeaning of this passage,we may just say: "The sacramentof the
Lord's supper, and other holy ordinances which are only instituted for the
genuine followers ofChrist, are not to be dispensed to those who are
continually returning like the snarling ill-natured dog to their easily
predominant sins of rash judgment, barking at and tearing the characters of
others by evil speaking, back biting and slandering; nor to him who, like the
swine, is frequently returning to wallow in the mud of sensualgratifications
and impurities."
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.

Bibliography
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Matthew 7:6". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/matthew-
7.html. 1832.
Return to Jump List return to 'Jump List'
Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
Give not that which is holy … - By some the word “holy” has been supposed
to mean “flesh offered in sacrifice,”made holy, or separatedto a sacreduse;
but it probably means here “anything connectedwith religion” - admonition,
precept, or doctrine. Pearls are precious stones found in shell-fish, chiefly in
India, in the waters that surround Ceylon. They are used to denote anything
especiallyprecious, Revelation17:4;Revelation18:12-16;Matthew 13:45. In
this place they are used to denote the doctrines of the gospel. “Dogs”signify
people who spurn, oppose, and abuse that doctrine; people of specialsourness
and malignity of temper, who meet it like growling and quarrelsome curs,
Philemon 3:2; 2 Peter2:22; Revelation22:15. “Swine” denote those who
would trample the precepts underfoot; people of impurity of life; those who
are corrupt, polluted, profane, obscene, and sensual;those who would not
know the value of the gospel, and who would tread it down as swine would
pearls, 2 Peter2:22; Proverbs 11:22. The meaning of this proverb, then, is, do
not offer your doctrine to those violent and abusive people who would growl
and curse you; nor to those especiallydebasedand profligate who would not
perceive its value, would trample it down, and would abuse you. This verse
furnishes a beautiful instance of what has been calledthe “introverted
parallelism.” The usual mode of poetry among the Hebrews, and a common
mode of expressionin proverbs and apothegms, was by the parallelism, where
one member of a sentence answeredto another, or expressedsubstantiallythe
same sense with some addition or modification. See the Introduction to the
Book ofJob. Sometimes this was alternate, and sometimes it was introverted -
where the first and fourth lines would correspond, and the secondand third.
This is the case here. The dogs would tear, and not the swine;the swine would

trample the pearls under their feet, and not the dogs. It may be thus
expressed:
Lest they (that is, the swine) trample them under their feet,
And turn again(that is, the dogs)and rend you.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Barnes, Albert. "Commentaryon Matthew 7:6". "Barnes'Noteson the Whole
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/matthew-7.html.
1870.
The Biblical Illustrator
Matthew 7:6
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs.

Prudence necessaryin conversing upon religious subjects
I. The bad characters and dispositions of some;men here representedby the
allusion of “ dogs” and “ swine.”
1. We may be sure they are unworthy the powers and dignity of human
nature. There are in their character-
2. How deplorably human nature is capable of being corrupted.
3. Watchagainstall tendencies towards the beginnings of these evil
dispositions.
II. The necessityand reasonablenessoftreating the affairs of religion with
caution and prudence in our conversing with others.
1. Since we know that sacredthings are so liable to be abused by profane
persons.
2. That it may be attended with bad consequencesofill treatment to
ourselves-“lestthey turn againand rend you.” (J. Abernethy, M. A.)

The dogs and the swine
The lessonis one of reverence and discretion.
I. As to the preaching of the gospel.
II. As to statements ofspiritual experience.
III. As to the admission to sacredprivileges and functions in the Church. (D.
Fraser, D. D.)
Copyright Statement
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Exell, JosephS. "Commentary on "Matthew 7:6". The Biblical Illustrator.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tbi/matthew-7.html. 1905-
1909. New York.

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither castye your pearls before
swine, lest haply they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you.
Dummelow thinks this passagemeans "that the most holy things ought not to
be offered indiscriminately to all persons."[1]In such a view, the dogs and
swine would refer to mean and vicious persons who have no desire to
apprehend spiritual things. This interpretation has come down from very
ancient times. Clement of Alexandria said, "It is difficult to exhibit the true
and transparent words respecting the true light to swinishand untrained
hearers."[2]Another view is that the sacredabilities and powers of life should
not be squandered upon the appetites and lusts of the flesh which can never be
satisfiedbut which end by "rending" the giver. This, of course, is true, but is
not necessarilywhat Jesus saidhere.
[1] J. R. Dummelow, One Volume Commentary (New York: Funk and
Wagnalls Company, 1932), p. 649.
[2] Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Grand Rapids, Michigan:William
B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1951), The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. II, p.
312.
Copyright Statement
James Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliography

Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on Matthew 7:6". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/matthew-7.html. Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
Give not that which is holy to the dogs,....Dogswere uncleancreatures by the
law; the price of one might not be brought into the house of the Lord, for a
vow, Deuteronomy23:18 yea, these creatures were not admitted into several
temples of the HeathensF8. Things profane and unclean, as flesh torn by
beasts, were orderedto 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 consecratedto holy uses;to which is the allusion here. It is a common
maximF9 with the Jews,
ot ,sgniht yloh meeder ton od yeht taht" ,‫לכלבים‬ ‫להאכילן‬‫הרששים‬ ‫את‬ ‫פושין‬ ‫שאין‬
give to the dogs to eat".'
Here the phrase is used in a metaphoricalsense;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 comparedto "dogs";or to such, who are
scandalouslyvile, impure in their lives and conversations, and are therefore
compared to swine;
neither castye your pearls before swine. But since the subject Christ is upon is
reproof, it seems ratherto be the designof these expressions, that men should

be cautious, and prudent, in rebuking and admonishing such persons for their
sins, in whom there is no appearance orhope of success;yea, where there is
danger of sustaining loss;
lest they trample them under their feet, and turn againand 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. The Jews have some sayings
much like these, and will serve to illustrate themF11;
reviled ron,"eniws erofebslraeptsac tonod" ,‫החזיקים‬ ‫לפני‬‫הפנינים‬ ‫תשליכו‬ ‫אל‬
wisdom to him, who knows not the excellencyof it; for wisdom is better than
pearls, and he that does not seek afterit, is worse than a swine.'
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on Matthew 7:6". "The New John Gill Exposition
of the Entire Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/matthew-7.html. 1999.
Geneva Study Bible

2 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither castye your a pearls
you.
(2) The stiff-neckedand stubborn enemies of the gospel are unworthy to have
it preachedunto them.
(a) A pearl is known among the Greeks forits oriental brightness: and a pearl
was in ancient times greatly valued by the Latins: for a pearl that Cleopatra
had was valued at two hundred and fifty thousand crowns:and the word is
now borrowedfrom that, to signify the most precious heavenly doctrine.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Beza, Theodore. "Commentaryon Matthew 7:6". "The 1599 Geneva Study
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsb/matthew-7.html.
1599-1645.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Prostitution of Holy Things. The opposite extreme to that of censoriousnessis
here condemned - want of discrimination of character.
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs — savage orsnarling haters of truth
and righteousness.

neither castye your pearls before swine — the impure or coarse,who are
incapable of appreciating the priceless jewelsofChristianity. In the East, dogs
are wilder and more gregarious, and, feeding on carrion and garbage, are
coarserand fiercerthan the same animals in the West. Dogs and swine,
besides being ceremoniallyunclean, were peculiarly repulsive to the Jews, and
indeed to the ancients generally.
lest they trample them under their feet — as swine do.
and turn againand rend you — as dogs do. Religionis brought into contempt,
and its professors insulted, when it is forcedupon those who cannotvalue it
and will not have it. But while the indiscriminately zealous have need of this
caution, let us be on our guard againsttoo readily setting our neighbors down
as dogs and swine, and excusing ourselves from endeavoring to do them good
on this poor plea.
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text
scannedby Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-BrownCommentary is in the
public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on
Matthew 7:6". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfb/matthew-7.html. 1871-8.

People's New Testament
Give not that which is holy unto dogs. The dog was regardedan unclean
animal by the Jewishlaw. They probably representsnarling, scoffing
opposers. The characteristic ofdogs is brutality. To try to instill holy things
into such low, unclean, and sordid brutal minds is useless.
Neither castpearls before swine. The swine were also unclean. They would
have no use for pearls, and perhaps would rush upon those who scatteredthe
pearls. So, too, there are men so dull, imbruted and senseless, as to reject the
pearls of truth. It is our duty to help and to try to save others, but we must use
common sense.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Original work done by Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 atThe
RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
Johnson, BartonW. "Commentary on Matthew 7:6". "People'sNew
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pnt/matthew-
7.html. 1891.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament

That which is holy unto the dogs (το αγιοντοις κυσιν — to hagion tois kusin).
It is not clearto what “the holy” refers, to ear-rings or to amulets, but that
would not appeal to dogs. Trench(Sermon on the Mount, p. 136)says that the
reference is to meat offeredin sacrifice that must not be flung to dogs:“It is
not that the dogs would not eat it, for it would be welcome to them; but that it
would be a profanation to give it to them, thus to make it a skubalon, Exodus
22:31.” The yelping dogs would jump at it. Dogs are kin to wolves and infest
the streets oforiental cities.
Your pearls before the swine (τους μαργαριτας μωνεμπροστεν των χοιρων —
tous margaritas hūmōn emprosthen tōn choirōn). The word pearl we have in
the name Margarita (Margaret). Pearls look a bit like peas or acorns and
would deceive the hogs until they discoveredthe deception. The wild boars
haunt the Jordan Valley still and are not far removed from bears as they
trample with their feet and rend with their tusks those who have angered
them.
Copyright Statement
The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on Matthew 7:6". "Robertson's Word
Pictures of the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/matthew-7.html.
Broadman Press 1932,33.Renewal1960.
Vincent's Word Studies

That which is holy ( τὸ ἅγιον)
The holy thing, as of something commonly recognizedas sacred. The
reference is to the meat offered in sacrifice. The picture is that of a priest
throwing a piece of flesh from the altar of burnt-offering to one of the
numerous dogs which infest the streets of Easterncities.
Pearls before swine ( μαργαρίτας ἔμπροσθεντῶν χοίρων)
Another picture of a rich man wantonly throwing handfuls of small pearls to
swine. Swine in Palestine were atbest but half-tamed, the hog being an
unclean animal. The wild boar haunts the Jordan valley to this day. Small
pearls, calledby jewellers seed-pearls, wouldresemble the pease ormaize on
which the swine feed. They would rush upon them when scattered, and,
discovering the cheat, would trample upon them and turn their tusks upon the
man who scatteredthem.
Turn ( στραφέντες )
The Rev. properly omits again. The word graphically pictures the quick,
sharp turn of the boar.
Rend ( ῥήξωσιν )
Lit., break;and well chosento express the peculiar characterof the wound
made by the boar's tusk, which is not a cut, but a long tear or rip.

Copyright Statement
The text of this work is public domain.
Bibliography
Vincent, Marvin R. DD. "Commentaryon Matthew 7:6". "Vincent's Word
Studies in the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/vnt/matthew-7.html. Charles
Schribner's Sons. New York, USA. 1887.
Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither castye your pearls before
swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn againand rend you.
Here is another instance of that transposition, where of the two things
proposed, the latter is first treated of.
Give not — to dogs - lest turning they rend you: Castnot - to swine - lest they
trample them under foot. Yet even then, when the beam is castout of thine
own eye, Give not - That is, talk not of the deep things of God to those whom
you know to be wallowing in sin. neither declare the greatthings God hath
done for your soulto the profane, furious, persecuting wretches. Talk not of
perfection, for instance, to the former; not of your experience to the latter.
But our Lord does in nowise forbid us to reprove, as occasionis, both the one
and the other.
Copyright Statement

is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Bibliography
Wesley, John. "Commentary on Matthew 7:6". "John Wesley's Explanatory
Notes on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/matthew-7.html. 1765.
The Fourfold Gospel
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither castyour pearls before the
swine1, lesthaply they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you.
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither castyour pearls before the
swine. The connectionhere is not obvious. This saying, however, appears to be
a limitation of the law againstjudging. The Christian must not be censoriously
judicial, but he should be discriminatingly judicious. He must know dogs and
swine when he sees them, and must not treat them as priests and kings, the fit
objects for the bestowalofholy food and goodlyornaments. Dogs and swine
were unclean animals. The former were usually undomesticatedand were
often fierce. In the Eastthey are still the self-appointedscavengersofthe
street. The latter were undomesticatedamong the Jews, and hence are spoken
of as wild and liable to attack man. Meats connectedwith the sacrificial
service of the altar were holy. Even unclean men were not permitted to eat of
them, much less unclean brutes. What was left after the priests and clean
persons had eatenwas to be burned with fire (Leviticus 6:24-30;Leviticus
7:15-21). To give holy things to dogs was to profane them. We are here
forbidden, then, to use any religious office, work, or ordinance, in such a
manner as to degrade or profane it. Saloons ought not to be opened with
prayer, nor ought adulterous marriages to be performed by a man of God. To
give pearls to swine is to press the claims of the gospelupon those who despise

it until they persecute you for annoying them with it. When such men are
known, they are to be avoided. Jesus actedon this principle in refusing to
answerthe Pharisees, andthe apostles did the same in turning to the Gentiles
when their Jewishhearers would begin to contradictand blaspheme.
Compare Leviticus 15:2,3;Leviticus 21:23-27;Acts 13:46; Acts 19:9.
Copyright Statement
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website. These files
were made available by Mr. Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 at
The RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
J. W. McGarveyand Philip Y. Pendleton. "Commentaryon Matthew 7:6".
"The Fourfold Gospel".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tfg/matthew-7.html. Standard
Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1914.
Abbott's Illustrated New Testament
By that which is holy, and pearls, are meant the truths and doctrines of the
gospel;by dogs, and swine, debasedand utterly profligate men. The sentiment
is, that religious instruction is not to be urged upon men who are so sunk in
depravity that they will receive it with imprecations and blasphemy.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Abbott, John S. C. & Abbott, Jacob. "Commentaryon Matthew 7:6".
"Abbott's Illustrated New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ain/matthew-7.html. 1878.
Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
6.Give not that which is holy It is unnecessaryto repeatoftener, that Matthew
gives us here detached sentences, whichought not to be viewedas a continued
discourse. The present instruction is not at all connectedwith what came
immediately before, but is entirely separate from it. Christ reminds the
Apostles, and, through them, all the teachers ofthe Gospel, to reserve the
treasure of heavenly wisdom for the children of God alone, and not to expose
it to unworthy and profane despisers of his word.
But here a question arises:for he afterwards commanded to preach the
Gospelto every creature, (Mark 16:15;) and Paul says, that the preaching of it
is a deadly savorto wickedmen, (2 Corinthians 2:16;) and nothing is more
certain than that it is every day held out to unbelievers, by the command of
God, for a testimony, that they may be rendered the more inexcusable. I
reply: As the ministers of the Gospel, and those who are called to the office of
teaching, cannotdistinguish betweenthe children of God and swine, it is their
duty to present the doctrine of salvationindiscriminately 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 clearevidences, have manifested a
hardened contempt of God, so that their disease appears to be incurable. In
another passage, Christplaces the dogs in contrastwith the electpeople of
God and the household of faith, It is not proper to take the children’s bread,

and give it to dogs, (Matthew 15:27.)But by dogs and swine he means here
those who are so thoroughly imbued with a wickedcontempt of God, that they
refuse to acceptany remedy.
Hence it is evident, how grievously the words of Christ are tortured by those
who think that he limits the doctrine of the Gospelto those only who are
teachable and well-prepared. Forwhat will be the consequence,if nobody is
invited by pious teachers, until by his obedience he has anticipated the grace
of God? On the contrary, we are all by nature unholy, and prone to rebellion.
The remedy of salvationmust be refusedto none, till they have rejectedit so
baselywhen offeredto them, as to make it evident that they are reprobate and
self-condemned, ( αὐτοκατάκριτοι,) as Paul says of heretics, (Titus 3:11.)
There are two reasons, whyChrist forbade that the Gospelshould be offered
to lost despisers. It is an open profanation of the mysteries of God to expose
them to the taunts of wickedmen. Another reasonis, that Christ intended to
comfort his disciples, that they might not ceaseto bestow their labors on the
electof God in teaching the Gospel, though they saw it wantonly rejectedby
wickedand ungodly men. His meaning is lest this inestimable treasure should
be held in little estimation, swine and dogs must not be permitted to approach
it. There are two designations which Christ bestows onthe doctrine of
salvation:he calls it holy, and compares it to pearls. Hence we learn how
highly we ought to esteemthis doctrine.
Lest these trample them under their feetChrist appears to distinguish
betweenthe swine and the dogs:attributing brutal stupidity to the swine, and
rage to the dogs And certainly, experience shows, thatthere are two such
classesofdespisers ofGod. Whateveris taught in Scripture, for instance,
about the corrupt nature of man, free justification, and eternalelection, is
turned by many into an encouragementto sloth and to carnalindulgence.
Such persons are fitly and justly pronounced to be swine Others, again, tear

the pure doctrine, and its ministers, with sacrilegious reproaches,as if they
threw away all desire to do well, all fear of God, and all care for their
salvation. Although he employs both names to describe the incurable
opponents of the Word of God, yet, by a twofold comparison, he points out
briefly in what respectthe one differs from the other.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Calvin, John. "Commentary on Matthew 7:6". "Calvin's Commentary on the
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cal/matthew-7.html.
1840-57.
James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary
THAT WHICH IS HOLY
‘Give not that which is holy unto the dogs.’
Matthew 7:6
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs—thatis to say, never surrender the
higher to the lower, never sink the celestialto the terrestrial;never desecrate
that which has been consecrated. Thatwas the sound piece of advice that our
Lord gave to men and women who were trying to aim at a higher life while

they were living in and mixing with the world. As they neededthe lessonthen,
we want it now, when hardly anything is regarded as holy. What shall we say
then that we speciallyneed to remember is in dangerof losing its sacred
character?
I. The holiness of manhood.—Manhoodis holy, and yet men desecrate their
manhood. I take up some novel, some book, and I read there a characterso
true to life, a man who carries an atmosphere of unholiness whereverhe goes,
a man whose charactermen shudder at when he goes into their clubs, a man
whose presence womenfearwhen he goes into their drawing-rooms. It is hard
to keepour manhood holy in these days, and as we face the real true facts of
life we think perhaps of some one man from that greatmass of middle-class
men who are the real strength of England, and we think what his manhood is
exposedto. He is living, perhaps, in lodgings, he gets home from his work
tired and weary, he has his meal alone, and then he goes out through the open
door into the streets, and then, to use Bible language, sinlieth at the door.
There it is curled up like a dog on the doorstepall ready to meet him. There is
the testto his manhood.
II. The holiness of womanhood.—And the same is true of womanhood. We
know there are women who in one mad moment have thrown their holiest and
their best to the dogs. We know their temptations, we know what it means to
them. They have loweredthe level of womanhood. They have desecratedthe
consecrated. Theyhave made themselves a sort of right of way for the public
to walk over. To them the Mastersays, as to the men, ‘Give not that which is
holy to the dogs.’
III. The holiness of childhood.—The children are holy; if ever there is a time
in life when men and womenhave been holy it is when they were children.
And yet look how children are by their parents literally thrown to the dogs,

sent out into life unwarned of everything. What wonder that they go when
they are sent to the dogs!
IV. The holiness of health.—Health is holy. Don’t fling awayhealth as men
and women do so wildly, so recklessly. Takecare ofthe drugs, take care of the
stimulants that are so easily to be had. Take care ofthe way you spend your
recreationhours. Life is in that sense holy, and it is to be treated as you would
treat a church or churchyard. Fence it in from the dogs, fence it in from all
that desecrates it. All life really is sacredand holy. Your interest, your work in
life is holy.
—CanonHolmes.
Illustrations
(1) ‘The picture is of a glorious and a greattemple, the priests sacrificing some
spotless lamb, and as they stand at the altar the picture is that of an Eastern
dog—a coarse,cruelscavenger—creeping up the distance of the temple, and
then the priest taking a piece of this pure spotless lamb and throwing it to the
dog. Every Jew would regard it as a scandal, every one to whom our Lord was
speaking would know to what He referred.’
(2) ‘I have read the story of a child whose afterlife was the life of many a man.
He was a judge’s son, and he stood at last in a felon’s dock, and the judge who
was trying the case knew, andknew well, the man’s father. And he said to the
prisoner at the dock:“Don’t you remember your father as you stand in that
dock?” “Yes,”was the reply, “I do remember my father, and the greatest
remembrance that I have of him is that whenever I wanted a word of advice,
wheneverI wanted him to enter into my boy life, he replied, ‘Go away, and

don’t worry or bother.’” And the result was that an Englishjudge was
enabled to complete a great work that he was writing upon the law of trusts,
when there in the dock was his ownson, an example of the way in which he
had failed to keepthat most sacredtrust of all—the trust of bringing up a
child that he had brought into the world.’
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Nisbet, James. "Commentaryon Matthew 7:6". Church Pulpit Commentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cpc/matthew-7.html. 1876.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither castye your pearls before
swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn againand rend you.
Ver. 6. Give not that which is holy to dogs, &c.]Having shown how, here our
Saviour shows whom {a} we should admonish. Give not holy things,
wholesome counselsorrebukes (called elsewhere"reproofs oflife," Proverbs
15:31, precious balms, excellentointments, which may heal a wound but make
none, Psalms 141:1)to dogs, that will not be taken by the ears;or swine, that
if they light upon such a pearl, will only grunt and go their ways. "Bewareof
dogs, beware of evil workers," Philippians 3:2, such especially as have

wrought so hard, walkedso far and so fast, that now they are set down to rest
in the seatof the scornful. {b} Beware ofsuch botches;there is no goodto be
done upon them, or to be gottenby them, but a greatdeal of danger. The
Cynics admonished all they met; if men would not hearken, they counted it an
easyloss to castawaya few words upon them. But our Saviour prescribeth us
prudence and caution. He will not have holy speeches spentand spilt upon
despisers, his pearls trampled on by swinish epicures. Mourn we may, with
Jeremiah, {Jeremiah 9:1} for such mad dogs as furiously fly in the face of
them that fairly tell them of their faults. Pray we must and pity such sensual
swine, such sottish and scurrilous wretches, as grunt againstgoodness, and
feed insatiably upon the garbage ofcarnal contentments. {c} As dogs and
swine were unclean creatures and unfit for sacrifice, so are those for
admonition that would entertain it with cruelty or scurrility. "Speak notin
the ears of a fool," saith Solomon, "forhe will despise the wisdom of thy
words," Proverbs 23:9. And again, "Reprove not a scorner, lesthe hate thee;
rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee," Proverbs 9:8. David prays for a
friendly reprover, Psalms 141:5. Jobcries, {Job 13:23}"Make me to know my
transgressionand my sin." Hezekiah stormed not at that sharp and sad
message, Isaiah39:8. Jonah, though testy enough, lays his hand upon his
mouth, and seals up his prophecy with silence after God’s reprehension.
Tacuit virgo licet publice perstricta. The Virgin Mary held her peace, John
2:4, when her Son took her up so short for her forwardness, before all the
company. So did St Peter, when St Paul took him up for halting at Antioch,
Galatians 2:14, and commendeth that epistle whereinSt Paul had witnessed
that reproof, among the rest, 2 Peter3:16. The two disciples going to Emmaus
constrainedthat strangerthat had chided them for their unbelief, to abide
and eatwith them, Luke 24:29. And lukewarm Laodicea, so roundly reproved
and sorelythreatened with shameful spewing out, repented, and was
reformed; as some ground and gatherfrom that title our Saviour assumes in
the preface to the epistle, "the beginning of the creationof God." Eusebius
also testifieth that there was a flourishing Church there in his days. {d} Next
to the not deserving of a reproof, is the well taking of it. No sugarcan deprive
a pill of its bitterness. None but the gracious cansay, "Let the righteous smite
me." Bees onlypass by roses and violets, and sit upon thyme, which is hot and
biting. Mostmen, when we seek to fetch them out of their sins, to awaken

them out of the snare of the devil, they fret and snarl, as those that are
wakenedout of sleepare apt to do. They snuff and take scorn, are as horse
and mule, untameable, untractable; the more you rub their galledbacks the
more they kick. These strayasses willnot be brought home, Exodus 23:4-5.
These old bottles will break with such new wine. The more you touch these
toads, the more they swell; the more you meddle with these serpents, the more
they gatherpoison to spit at you. Go about to coolthem, you shall but add to
their heat, as the smith’s forge fries when coldwater is castupon it; and as hot
waterif stirred castethup the more fume. Josephis for his goodwill in this
kind hated of his brethren; Jonathan of Saul, who casta javelin at him;
Micaiahof Ahab, Amos of Amaziah, Jeremiahof his flagitious countrymen,
Christ of the Jews, Paulof the Galatians, JohnBaptist of Herod. If John touch
his white sin (and who will stand still to have his eyes pickedout?) John must
to prison. In other things he will dance after John’s pipe; but if his incestbe
meddled with, John must hop headless. Stayto wrestthat string in tune, and it
will snap and break upon you. Now for such scoffing Ishmaels and furious
opposites, that refuse to be reformed, hate to be healed, let them read their
doom, Psalms 50:21-22, andsee here their destiny. Every goodman is bound
in conscienceto pass by them as incorrigible, irreformable, and not to afford
them so much as a pull out of the fire, so much as a caveatto prevent those
curses that are coming upon them. But he that is filthy must be filthy still; he
must wallow as a swine, and perish in his own corruptions; he must rage as a
mad dog, and run into the pit of hell, nobody must offer to stop or stay him in
his career.
{a} Hinc illud monitum, Pythag. σιτιον εις αμισθα μη εμβαλλειν. Plut.
{b} Psalms 1:1, εν καθεδρα τωνλοιμων. Sept.
{c} χοιρος, ofχερας, filth. So porcus; quasi spurcus.

{d} Posttam gravem επιτιμιανhaud dubie resipuit. Pareus.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on Matthew 7:6". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/matthew-
7.html. 1865-1868.
The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann
An additional counsel:
v. 6. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither castye your pearls
you.
Moralcriticism is necessary, religious teaching cannotbe discarded. But it
would be the height of folly and the very contrary of unauthorized judging to
unload one's religious beliefs and experiences, tendersentiments, moral
convictions, on any one that comes along, no matter in what condition he
might be. For Christians especiallythe sacreddoctrines of Christ are the
precious pearls on the ring of His mercy. To castthese before dogs and swine,
before people to whom nothing is sacred, that blaspheme everything holy, is to
expose the most sacredbeauty to coarseness.And the result is that those very

people are encouragedto profane the holy name of God, to think it a proper
subject of blasphemous attacks. And it cannotfail: some of the mud will
spatter on him that lackedjudgment; he will be responsible for the
desecration, andtherefore also guilty before God. Note the figure of speech
used by the Lord, the secondverb referring to the first subject, and the first
verb to the secondsubject.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Kretzmann, Paul E. Ph. D., D. D. "Commentary on Matthew 7:6".
"Kretzmann's Popular Commentary".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/kpc/matthew-7.html. 1921-23.
Sermon Bible Commentary
Matthew 7:6, Matthew 7:12
Consider:—
I. The reserve which will not give things holy to dogs. The dog was reckoned,
with the swine, among the unclean animals. They were both of them types of
the grosslysensualkind of sinners, given over to mere brute appetite, and
insensible to any higher life. Hence it was a common saying, "Without are
dogs," to indicate the generalcarnality of the Gentile world. Things holy

belong to the holy, or at any rate to those who recognize them to be holy, and
will treat them, therefore, with the reverence which is their due. We are
bound to actso that these sacredthings shall not be despised, and that our
goodshall not be evil spokenof, and that we shall not needlesslyarouse the
opposition and hatred to spiritual concerns which these carnal minds are so
ready to indulge in.
II. There is also a similar reserve with regardto things precious:"Neithercast
your pearls before swine." The things precious, indicated by pearls, may be
also, no doubt, very sacred, but they do not belong to the holy privacies of
religious life. On the contrary, they are meant for use and free circulation; for
by the pearls I understand chiefly the truths of the Gospel. This second
proverb implies that even in the performance of the great Christian duty of
preaching the Gospelthere is still left room for some discretion and reserve,
lest by unwise speechwe bring dishonour on the truth and needless
persecutionon ourselves. These two things must combine ere we shall be
justified in keeping silence.
III. For our practicalguidance in such matters it seems to me we must always
read these words in the light of the greatprinciple, "Whatsoeverye would
that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them." That is to say, it is our
duty in certain casesto considerhow we ourselves wouldlike it if the truth
were forced on our attention at such a time, or in such a way, as to provoke
our oppositionto it, and lead us into sinful rejection of its claims.
W. C. Smith, The Sermon on the Mount, p. 292.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Nicoll, William R. "Commentary on Matthew 7:6". "SermonBible
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/sbc/matthew-
7.html.
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible
Matthew 7:6. Give not that which is holy, &c.— Lest these trample,—and
those turn againand tear you. There is a similar maxim to this in the
Talmudical writings: "Do not castpearls before swine;" to which is added, by
way of explanation, "Do not offer wisdom to one who knows not the price of
it." This was one reasonwhy our Saviour taught in parables. Compare Acts
13:45-46.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Coke, Thomas. "Commentaryon Matthew 7:6". Thomas Coke Commentary
on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tcc/matthew-7.html. 1801-
1803.

Expository Notes with PracticalObservations onthe New Testament
By that which is holy, understand the word and ordinances in general, but
admonition and reproof in particular: By dogs and swine, incorrigible and
unreclaimable sinners, hardened scorners ofholy things: It is a proverbial
speech, expressing how sure charitable reprehensions are to be castaway
upon incorrigble sinners.
Learn, 1. That it is possible for sinners to arrive at such a height and pitch in
wickednessand sin, that it may be a Christian's duty not to admonish or
reprove them.
Observe, 2. How Christ provides, as for the honour of his word, so for the
safetyof those that publish it. As Christ will not have his word offered to some
sinners, lest they should abuse it, so also lestthey should abuse those that
bring it: When sinners turn swine, and we are in dangerof being rent by
them, Christ himself gives us a permission to ceasereproving of them.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Burkitt, William. "Commentary on Matthew 7:6". Expository Notes with
PracticalObservations onthe New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wbc/matthew-7.html. 1700-
1703.

Golden Chain Commentary on the Gospels
"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither castye your pearls before
swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn againand rend you."
Aug.: Becausethe simplicity to which He had been directing in the foregoing
precepts might lead some wrongly to conclude that it was equally wrong to
hide the truth as to utter what was false, He well adds, "Give not that which is
holy to the dogs, and castnot your pearls before swine."
Pseudo-Chrys.:Otherwise;The Lord had commanded us to love our enemies,
and to do goodto those that sin againstus. That from this Priests might not
think themselves obliged to communicate also the things of Godto such, He
checkedany such thought saying, "Give not that which is holy to the dogs;" as
much as to say, I have bid you love your enemies, and do them goodout of
your temporal goods, but not out of My spiritual goods, without distinction.
For they are your brethren by nature but not by faith, and Godgives the good
things of this life equally to the worthy and the unworthy, but not so spiritual
graces.
Aug., Serm. in Mont., ii, 20:Let us see now what is the holy thing, what are
the dogs, whatthe pearls, what the swine? The holy thing is all that it were
impiety to corrupt; a sin which may be committed by the will, though the
thing itself be undone. The pearls are all spiritual things that are to be highly
esteemed. Thus though one and the same thing may be called both the holy
thing and a pearl, yet it is calledholy because it is not to be corrupted; and
calleda pearl because it is not be contemned.

Pseudo-Chrys.:Otherwise;"That which is holy" denotes baptism, the grace
of Christ"s body, and the like;but the mysteries of the truth are intended by
the pearls. Foras pearls are inclosedin shells, and such in the deeps of the sea,
so the divine mysteries inclosedin words are lodged in the deep meaning of
Holy Scripture.
Chrys.: And to those that are right-minded and have understanding, when
revealedthey appear good;but to those without understanding, they seemto
be more deserving reverence because theyare not understood.
Aug.: The dogs are those that assaultthe truth; the swine we may not
unsuitably take for those that despise the truth. Therefore because dogs leap
forth to rend in pieces, andwhat they rend, suffer not to continue whole, He
said, "Give not that which is holy to the dogs;" because they strive to the
utmost of their powerto destroythe truth. The swine though they do not
assaultby biting as dogs, yet do they defile by trampling upon, and therefore
He said, "Castnot your pearls before swine."
Rabanus:Or; The dogs are returned to their vomit; the swine not yet
returned, but wallowing in the mire of vices.
Pseudo-Chrys.:Otherwise;The dog and the swine are unclean animals; the
dog indeed in every respect, as he neither chews the cud, nor divides the hoof;
but swine in one respectonly, seeing they divide the hoof, though they do not
chew the cud. Hence I think that we are to understand by the dog, the Gentiles
who are altogetherunclean, both in their life, and in their faith; but by the
swine are to be understood heretics, because they seemto call upon the name
of the Lord.

"Give not therefore that which is holy to the dogs," for that baptism and the
other sacraments are not to be given but to them that have the faith. In like
manner the mysteries of the truth, that is, the pearls, are not to be given but to
such as desire the truth and live with human reason. If then you castthem to
the swine, that is, to such as are grovelling in impurity of life, they do not
understand their preciousness,but value them like to other worldly fables,
and tread them under foot with their carnal life.
Aug.: That which is despised is saidto be trodden under foot: hence it is said,
"Lestperchance they tread them under foot."
Gloss. interlin.: He says, "Lestperchance," becauseit may be that they will
wiselyturn from their uncleanness. [ed. note: the gloss. has "guia non
possunt."]
Aug.: That which follows, "Turn againand rend you," He means not the
pearls themselves, for these they tread under foot, and when they turn again
that they may hear something further, then they rend him by whom the pearls
on which they had trode had been cast. For you will not easilyfind what will
please him who has despisedthings god by great toil. Whoeverthen undertake
to teachsuch, I see not how they shall not be trode upon and rent by those
they teach.
Pseudo-Chrys.:Or; The swine not only trample upon the pearls by their
carnallife, but after a little they turn, and by disobedience rend those who
offend them. Yea often when offended they bring false accusationagainst
them as sowers ofnew dogmas. The dogs also having trode upon holy things
by their impure actions, by their disputings rend the preacherof truth.

Chrys.: Well is that said, "Lestthey turn;" for they feign meekness thatthey
may learn; and when they have learned, they attack.
Pseudo-Chrys.:With goodreasonHe forbade pearls to be given to swine. For
if they are not to be setbefore swine that are the less unclean, how much more
are they to be withhold from dogs that are so much more unclean. But
respecting the giving that which is holy, we cannot hold the same opinion;
seeing we often give the benediction to Christians who live as the brutes; and
that not because they deserve to receive it, but lest perchance being more
grievously offended they should perish utterly.
Aug.: We must be careful therefore not to explain ought to him who does not
receive it; for men the rather seek that which is hidden than that which is
opened. He either attacks from ferocity as a dog, or overlooks fromstupidity
as swine.
But it does not follow that if the truth be kept hid, falsehoodis uttered. The
Lord Himself who never spoke falsely, yet sometimes concealedthe truth, as
in that, "I have yet many things to sayunto you, the which ye are not now able
to bear." [John 16:12]But if any is unable to receive these things because of
his filthiness, we must first cleanse him as far as lays in our power either by
word or deed.
But in that the Lord is found to have said some things which many who heard
Him did not receive, but either rejectedor contemned them, we are not to
think that therein He gave the holy thing to the dogs, or castHis pearls before
swine. He gave to those who were able to receive, and who were in the
company, whom it was not fit should be neglectedfor the uncleanness ofthe
rest. And though those who tempted Him might perish in those answers which

He gave to them, yet those who could receive them by occasionofthese
inquiries heard many useful things.
He therefore who knows whatshould be answeredought to make answer, for
their sakes atleastwho might fall into despair should they think that the
question proposedis one that cannot be answered. But this only in the case of
such matters as pertain to instruction of salvation; of things superfluous or
harmful nothing should be said; but it should then be explained for what
reasonwe ought not to make answerin such points to the enquirer.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Aquinas, Thomas. "Commentaryon Matthew 7:6". "GoldenChain
Commentary on the Gospel".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gcc/matthew-7.html.
Greek TestamentCriticalExegeticalCommentary
6.] The connexion, see below.
τὸ ἅγιον] Some have thought this a mistranslation of the Chaldee, ‫א‬ ָ‫ב‬ ָ‫ש‬ָ‫,ר‬ an
earring, or amulet; but the connexionis not at all improved by it. Pearls bear
a resemblance to peas or acorns, the foodof swine, but earrings none
whateverto the food of dogs. The similitude is derived from τὸ ἅγιον, or τὰ

ἅγια, the meat offered in sacrifice, ofwhich no unclean person was to eat
(Leviticus 22:6-7 ; Leviticus 22:10; Leviticus 22:14 (where τὸ ἅγ. is used), 15,
16). Similarly in the ancient Christian Liturgies and Fathers, τὰ ἅγια are the
consecratedelements in the Holy Communion. The fourteenth canonof the
Council of Laodicæa orders μὴ τὰ ἅγια … εἰς ἑτερας παροικίας διαπέμπεσθαι.
Again, Cyril of Jerus.: μετὰ ταῦτα λέγει ὁ ἱερεύς τὰ ἅγια τοῖς ἁγίοις. ἅγια, τὰ
προκείμενα, ἐπιφοίτησινδεξάμενα ἁγίου πνεύματος. (See Suiceron the word.)
Thus interpreted, the saying would be one full of meaning to the Jews. As
Abp. Trenchobserves (Serm. Mount, p. 136), “It is not that the dogs would
not eatit, for it would be welcome to them; but that it would be a profanation
to give it to them, thus to make it a σκύβαλον, Exodus 22:3.” The other part of
the similitude is of a different character, andbelongs entirely to the swine,
who having castto them pearls, something like their natural food, whose value
is inappreciable by them, in fury trample them with their feet, and turning
againstthe donor, rend him with their tusks. The connexionwith the
foregoing and following verses is this: “Judege not,” &c.;“attempt not the
correctionof others, when you need it far more yourselves:” still, be not such
mere children, as not to distinguish the characters ofthose with whom you
have to do. Give not that which is holy to dogs,” &c. Then, as a humble hearer
might be disposedto reply, ‘If this last be a measure of the divine dealings,
what bounties can I expectat God’s hand?’ (This, to which Stier objects, R.
Jesu, i. 233, edn. 2, I must still hold to be the immediate connexion, as shewn
by the knowing how to give goodgifts, and the instances adducedbelow.)—
(Matthew 7:7), ‘Ask of God, and He will give to eachof you: for this is His
own will, that you shall obtain by asking (Matthew 7:8),—goodthings, good
for eachin his place and degree (Matthew 7:10-11), not unwholesome or
unfitting things. Therefore (Matthew 7:12) do ye the same to others, as ye
wish to be done, and as God does, to you: viz. give that which is goodfor each,
to each, not judging uncharitably on the one hand, nor casting pearls before
swine on the other.’
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Alford, Henry. "Commentary on Matthew 7:6". Greek TestamentCritical
ExegeticalCommentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hac/matthew-7.html. 1863-
1878.
Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae
DISCOURSE:1327
CAUTION TO BE USED IN REPROVING
Matthew 7:6. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither castye your
pearls before swine, lestthey trample them under their feet, and turn again
and rend you,
IN the holy Scriptures there are not only such directions as are necessaryfor
the saving of the soul, but such also as are of a prudential nature, calculated
for the rectifying of our judgment, and the regulating of our conduct, in less
important matters. A pious personwould obtain salvation, though he should
not be discreetin his mode of communicating instruction or reproof to others.
But it is desirable that “the man of God should be perfect, throughly
furnished unto all goodworks:” and therefore he should attend as well to
those admonitions which are of secondaryimportance, as to those which
relate to the fundamental points of faith or practice. The words before us are
connectedwith the prohibition respecting the judging of others. To judge

others uncharitably will expose us to similar treatment from them, as well as
to the displeasure of Almighty God. Before we presume to judge others at all,
we ought to be diligent in searching out and amending our ownfaults; without
which we are but ill qualified to reprove the faults of others. We ought also to
considerthe state of the person whom we undertake to reprove: for if he be
hardened in his wickedness, and disposedto resentour well-meant
endeavours, it will be more prudent to let him alone, and to wait for some
seasonwhenwe may speak to him with a better prospectof success. Suchis
the import of the caution in our text; from whence we may observe,
I. That religious instruction is often most unworthily received—
The value of religious instruction is but little known—
[Education in generalis esteemedone of the greatestblessingswe canenjoy;
nor is any sacrifice, whetheroftime or money, deemed too great for the
obtaining of the benefits arising from it. A richly-furnished mind, a cultivated
taste, a polished manner, are distinctions which the richer part of the
community particularly affect:and they are most envied who possessin the
highest measure such accomplishments. But divine knowledge is consideredas
of little worth: though it would enrich the soul beyond all conception, and
adorn it with all the most amiable graces, andis therefore most fully
characterizedby the name of “pearls,” yethas it no beauty, no excellency, in
the eyes of carnalmen: the generalityare as insensible of its value as swine are
of the value of pearls, which they would “trample under their feet” as mire
and dirt. Of this howeverwe may be assured, that instruction, even though it
be in a wayof reproof, lays us under the deepestobligation to him who gives it
[Note:Proverbs 25:11-12.].]
Many, instead of being pleased, are only irritated and offended at it—

[Nothing under heavenhas ever given more offence than this. Men may utter
lewdness and blasphemy, and create but little disgust: but let them bear their
testimony againstsin, or proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ, and
instantly an indignation is excitedin every bosom. In the house of Godindeed
a certain licence is allowed, provided the preacherbe not too faithful: but in a
private company the mention of such things is consideredas a death-blow to
socialcomfort, and is reprobated as an insufferable nuisance. Even in the
public ministry those who “labour with fidelity in the word and doctrine” are
not unfrequently treated with every species ofindignity. No name is too odious
for them to bear, no opposition too violent to be raised againstthem.
It is supposed indeed by some, that the offence excitedby ministers arises
from the erroneousness oftheir statements, orthe injudiciousness of their
manner. But what then shall we sayto the treatment which Christ and his
Apostles met with? Did our blessedLord want any qualification that could
recommend his doctrine? Did he not exhibit “the meekness ofwisdom,” and
“speak as neverman spake?” And was not Paul guided and instructed by God
himself in his ministrations? Yet were both he and his Divine Master
representedas babblers and deceivers;and one cry was raisedagainstthem
both, “Awaywith them; it is not fit that they should live.”
Nor is it more againstthe doctrines of Christianity that this prejudice exists,
than it does againstits practice. The doctrine of “Christ crucified is still to
some a stumbling-block, and to others foolishness:” and the same anger that
rankled in the bosoms of Herod and Herodias againstJohn, who condemned
their incestuous connexion, is calledforth at this time againstany one who
shall condemn the customs of the world [Note:It is said of Herodias, ἐνεῖχεν
αὺτῷ, which we translate “She had a quarrel againsthim” but the idea seems
to be, “She fastenedon him, like a dog,” that would tear him to pieces. Mark
6:19.]. Our Lord’s words may still be used by all his faithful followers, “The
world hateth me, because I testify of it that the works thereofare evil [Note:

John 7:7.].” Doubtless the inveteracyof wickedmen will shew itself in
different ways and different degrees, according to the different circumstances
under which it is calledforth: but no times or circumstances have ever
supersededthe necessityof attending to the caution in the text: there ever
have been multitudes who would take offence at the kindestefforts for their
welfare [Note:Proverbs 9:7-8.], and, like ferocious “dogs, wouldturn again
and rend you.” Reprove iniquity, and you will still be deemed“the troublers
of Israel;” and those who are reproved will sayof you, “I hate Micaiah, for he
doth not speak goodofme, but evil.”]
From this aversionwhich men feel to religious instruction, it appears,
II. That greatcaution is to be used in administering it—
The direction in our text was given to the whole multitude of those who heard
our Lord’s discourse;and therefore may be consideredas applicable,
1. To ministers—
[Though it is not to be confined to them, it does not exclude them. Doubtless
where numbers of persons are assembledto hear the word of God, it is not
possible to suit oneselfto the disposition and taste of every individual. The
rule which God himself has laid down must in such casesbe followed: “He
that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully [Note:Jeremiah
23:28.].” A minister must “warn men, whether they will hear, or whether they
will forbear:” he must “commendhimself to every man’s consciencein the
sight of God,” “keeping back nothing that is profitable unto them,” but
“declaring unto them the whole counselof God.” Still, however, the cautionin
the text is necessaryforhim. He should considerthe state of his hearers, and

should adapt his discourses to their necessities. Our blessedLord, knowing
how full of prejudice the Jews were, “spakethe word to them in parables, as
they were able to hear it.” In like manner, though we must not seek the
applause of man, (for “if we please men, we cannot he the servants of Jesus
Christ;”) yet we should endeavour to “please allmen for their goodto
edification:” we should argue with them on principles which they
acknowledge;we should be content to give “milk to babes,” and to reserve the
“strong meat” for such as are able to digestit. We should pay attention to
every thing that may lessenprejudice and conciliate regard:and, though we
must not affect“the wisdom of words, which would only make void the cross
of Christ,” we should “searchoutacceptable words,” andbe especiallycareful
to “speak the truth in love.” Our greatobjectshould be not to “deliver our
own souls,” (though doubtless we must be careful to do that,) but principally
to “win the souls” of others.]
2. To Christians in general—
[As “men do not light a candle, to put it under a bed or under a bushel, but to
give light to those who are in the house,” so God, when he illuminates any
soul, expects that the light he has imparted should be diffused for the goodof
others. But in endeavouring to instruct others, we should considerthe tune,
the manner, the measure of instruction, that will be most likely to ensure
success. In particular, we should not press matters when our exhortations are
contemned as foolish, or resentedas injurious. Not that our concernshould be
about ourselves, as though we fearedeither the contempt of men, or their
resentment; but we should be afraid of hardening them, and thereby
increasing their guilt and condemnation. As to ourselves, we should gladly
“suffer all things for the elect’s sake:” but for them we should “weep, as it
were, in secretplaces [Note:Jeremiah13:17.],” and “gladly spend and be
spent for them, though the more abundantly we love them the less we be
loved.” If, indeed, after all our labour, we find that our efforts are only
rejectedby them with disdain, we may then with propriety leave them to

themselves, and, like the Apostles, bestow our attention on more hopeful
subjects [Note:Acts 13:45-46. 2 Chronicles 25:14-16.]. As the priests imparted
of the holy food to every member of their families, but gave none of it to dogs,
so may you give your holy things to others, and withhold it from those who
have shewn themselves so unworthy of it.]
We will now apply the subject,
1. To those who are strangers to the truth—
[From the indifference which is usually shewn to divine things, it is evident
that the value of religious knowledge is but little known. If we could inform
persons how to restore their health, or how to recoveran estate, or how to
obtain any greattemporal benefit, they would hear us gladly, and follow our
advice with thankfulness; but when we speak of spiritual benefits, they have
no ears to hear, no hearts to understand: they are ready to say to us, as the
demoniac to Christ, “Art thou come to torment us before our time?” But let it
not be so with you. Think in what light God represents such conduct [Note:
Proverbs 12:1; Proverbs 15:31-32.]— — — what regretyou will hereafter
feel [Note:Proverbs 5:12-13.]— — — and what augmented punishment you
will endure [Note: Matthew 10:14-15.]— — — And may God “openyour
hearts, that you may attend to the things” that belong unto your peace, before
they be for ever hid from your eyes!]
2. To those who know it—
[Whilst we exhort you to be cautious in admonishing others, we would caution
you also againstbeing soondiscouraged. Think not every one assimilatedto
dogs or swine because he resists the truth for a season;but give “line upon

line, and precept upon precept,” and “instruct in meekness them that oppose
themselves, if Godperadventure will give them repentance, and that they may
recoverthemselves out of the snare of the devil, by whom they have been led
captive at his will.”
And whilst you take upon you to admonish others, be willing to receive
admonition also yourselves. It is not every religious professorthat is so open
to conviction as he ought to be [Note: Galatians 4:16.], and that will receive
reproof like David, esteeming it as “an excellentoil, that shall not break his
head [Note: Psalms 141:5.]. Watchover your ownspirit, therefore, and
exemplify in yourselves the conduct you require in others.]
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Simeon, Charles. "Commentary on Matthew 7:6". Charles Simeon's Horae
Homileticae. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/shh/matthew-
7.html. 1832.
Heinrich Meyer's Critical and ExegeticalCommentaryon the New Testament
Matthew 7:6. The endeavour to correctthe faults of others must be confined
within its proper limits, and not allowedto become a casting of holy things to

the dogs. As is usual, however, in the case ofapophthegms, this progress in the
thought is not expressedby a particle ( ἀλλά). To abandon the idea of
connection(Maldonatus, de Wette, Tholuck), or to suppose (Kuinoel,
Neander, Bleek;Weiss doubtful) that Matthew 7:6-11, at leastMatthew 7:6,
do not belong to this passage,is scarcelywarranted.
τὸ ἅγιον]the holy, not the holy flesh, ‫ב‬ ְּ‫ש‬ַׂ‫ר‬ ‫ק‬ ֹ‫ד‬ ֶ‫,ׁש‬ Jeremiah11:15, Haggai2:12,
the flesh of sacrifices(v. d. Hardt, Paulus, Tholuck), which, besides, would
require to be more preciselydesignated, otherwise there would be just as
much reasonto suppose that the holy bread, ‫םחל‬ ‫ששר‬ (1 Samuel21:5), or any
other meat-offering (Leviticus 22:2), was meant. Christ has in view the holy in
general, figuratively designating in the first clause only the persons, and then,
in the second, the holy thing. What is meant by this, as also by τοὺς
μαργαρίτας immediately after, is the holy, because divine evangelic, truth by
which men are converted, and which, by τοὺς μαργαρ. ὑμῶν, is describedas
something of the highest value, as the precious jewelwhich is entrusted to the
disciples as its possessors.ForArabian applications of this simile, comp.
Gesenius in Rosenm. Rep. I. p. 128.
Dogs and swine, these impure and thoroughly despised animals, represent
those men who are hardened and altogetherincapable of receiving evangelic
truth, and to whom the holy is utterly foreign and distasteful. The parallelism
ought to have precluded the explanation that by both animals two different
classesofmen are intended (the snappish, as in Acts 13:46;the filthy livers,
Grotius).
μήποτε καταπ., κ. τ. λ., καὶ στραφέντες, κ. τ. λ.] applies to the swine, who are
to be conceivedofas wild animals, as may be seenfrom αὐτούς and the whole
similitude, so that, as the warning proceeds, the figure of the dogs passesout
of view, though, as matter of course, it admits of a corresponding application
(Pricaeus, Maldonatus, Tholuck). But this is no reasonwhy the words should

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