Matthew 7:6 Do not give what is Holy

[Hanna222]

Greetings in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ;
I find this passage of scripture interesting.
Jesus said not to give what is Holy to the dogs.
Now everyone knows a dog can get vicious, and that a swine can be mean and dangerious, eats garbage.
Sheep however are usually sweet, loving, and follow their sheppard.
It doesnt take an IQ of 180 to know that all three of these creatures eat differently :)
Now this is the question, if we are to spread the message to "all the world", how does this apply?
I find too many people quoting this passage as NOT to spread it.

[JohnStevenson]

"Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." (Matthew 7:6).

When we first read this passage, it is difficult to see how it is linked to the previous verses. Jesus has just finished speaking about judgment and how we are not to judge others. By contrast, this statement seems to be implying that we ARE to judge others.

A further examination of this passage leads me to believe that Jesus is further explaining His earlier instructions about judging. He has said that you will be accountable to the same degree of judgment with which you have judged others. He has ordered that you judge yourself before you judge others. And now, He says that there are some people whom you should not bother to judge.

The principle is that you don't give pearls to people who are happy with costume jewelry. We are called to be careful to whom we entrust the truths of God. We don't give God's truths to people with critical spirits.

Some people ahve a vested interest in believing a lie. You know people like that. They are people who have heard the gospel and who have rejected it. They don't want to believe because it would interefer with their lifestyle. When they are confronted with God's truth, their reaction is to mock it and to make fun of it.

What do you tell people like that? Nothing. You don't sing your song to people who hate music. You don't waste your time giving answers to peopl who only want echoes.

There is a warning here. It is that if you do not accept the truths of God, there there is no guarantee that He will continue to give those truths to you. You may have heard someone say, "I'm going to wait until I have sowed all of my wild oats and settled down and then I will turn to God." This principle says it won't happen. God does not continue giving his precious truths to those who ignore Him.

You cannot afford to ignore the Lord. Is He speaking to you today? Listen up! He may not repeat Himself tomorrow if you refuse to listen to Him today.

[Tertius]

Now this is the question, if we are to spread the message to "all the world", how does this apply? I find too many people quoting this passage as NOT to spread it.
Hello. Here's Charles F. Baker's comments on Matthew 7:6 from "Understanding the Gospels: A Different Approach"

In the figure which the Lord uses, the word "holy" refers to the meat of the animal sacrifice of which no unclean person could eat (Lev. 22:6,7,10,14,15,16). Dogs were unclean animals, a term which the Jews applied to Gentiles (Matt. 15:26). Pearls have a resemblance to peas and
acorns which are given to swine, but if thrown to swine, upon discovery that they are inedible they will trample them underfoot and turn upon the donor in anger. There is truth in the Bible intended for the unsaved, and there is truth intended for only the saved. To minister a heavenly diet to the unsaved is like trying to feed swine on pearls. The unregenerated mind cannot tolerate spiritual food. It is, as Paul says, foolishness unto him. When God gave the heavenly manna to the Israelites they treated it with contempt and lusted for the leeks and garlic and the fleshpots of Egypt (Num. 11:4-6). When churches admit unsaved people to membership, they will not tolerate for long a pastor who tries to feed them on the meat of the Word. They will call for a pastor who discusses current events orsocial issues, or environmental problems.

[Tertius]

...Jesus has just finished speaking about judgment and how we are not to judge others. By contrast, this statement seems to be implying that we ARE to judge others...
Actually John, I have a totally different view on that. Allow me to explain. In Matthew 7:1-5, Jesus had just finished speaking about judgement and how we ARE to judge others.

For your consideration, I am going to provide two posts from another message board, where I participated on this topic some time ago. The first post was written by me, and the second was written by someone else.

:smile:

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This was written by me.....

Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

John 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

Too often these verses are misused to chastise someone that judging, period, is a sin. Unfortunately, the one using the verses in most cases is mishandling and misunderstanding the word of God. If judging were a sin, Christ contradicted himself

John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

So what is the meaning of Matthew 7:1, in context?

Matthew 7:2-5 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

With those verses, it is clear that the message is if you don't want to be judged or critcized, don't judge or criticize others, otherwise others will judge or criticize you by the SAME STANDARDS you use in judging them. The same MEASURE you give will be the same measure you get. Before finding fault with someone else be sure you don't have the same or even greater fault yourself. How can you see to remove a speck from your brother's eye when you have a big log in your own eye? Getting the log out of our own eye is self-judgment. The issue is don't judge, but be careful of the measure of which you are judging.

In John 8, the scribes and Pharisees were looking for a way to trick Christ. He did not condone her sin. It was not his business (he was not sent, it was not his mission or purpose) to enforce the law. He merely showed that those whose duty it was to enforce it, that they were all as guilty as the woman, and therefore unable to enforce it. They all left. And because the law required at least two witnesses, none remained to prosecute her.

So what does scripture say about judging? The Holy Spirit throught the Apostle Paul said that it is spiritual to judge all things.

I Corinthians 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

What are some examples of scriptural judging? As far as brothers in Christ, we are to judge each other and the company we keep. Judgement of the unsaved, "them that are without," we are to leave to God. In that case, there are no suprises anyhow - i.e. in light of Romans 1, it is totally unecessary. Also see elsewhere in I Corinthians.

I Corinthians 5:11-13 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

How do you judge a brother in Christ? In meekness.

Galtains 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Judging is not a sin, but the measure used can be. What is the measure (or the standard) of the "righteous judgement" of John 7:24? The word of God rightly divided.

II Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

II Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness

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This was written by someone else.....

There is a Polictically Correct statement that has been going around here. It goes something like this:
Judge Not Lest Ye be Judged (out of context)
or
We are not the authority to Judge
or
I'll leave it to God to Judge.
These statements are completely and utterly against the Word of God when used out of context and usually used by someone who wants to justify their actions in light of the Word of God.
Well I'll tell you what. Christians better start judging and figuring out what is true and marking those who are preaching another Gospel or we are in more serious trouble than we thought we ever were. My goodness this is not the time to back down from our responsibilities in this area. You are to judge! You are commanded to do so! Start doing it! You and your families spiritual futures depend on it. You are to also judge your Brothers and Sisters in Christ. You are commanded to do so! I know this may be new to some but this is truth. We are walking through this Christian life to worried about offending someone instead of obedience to the Word of God. We are as bad as the publican and the priest who walk by the dying man on the side of the road. "It's not my problem." It is your problem! Mark error! The cause of Christ is being harmed.
Now before you are ready to lable as a heretic, read on.
Matthew 7
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
1. Verse 1 actually means do not pronounce the judgement and sentence the punishment upon someone unless you want the same severity of punishment measured out to you. This verse is taken out of context. It does not mean that you should not discern and correct someone. It means not to say what their punishment should be. eg "all homosexuals should get aids" this would be wrong. But to say that homosexuality is an abomination and all who practice it are practicing an abomination" would be a correct discernment and teaching of the situation.
So the only area of Judgement that I should withhold is that of the pronouncement of Judgement. I cannot pronounce what God judgement has already stated is in their live unless . . .
2. in verse 5 if you made sure that your life was clean enough to tell what the punishment and you choose to go under the mote/beam scrutiny then you also be willing to bear the burden of the one who is fallen. So along with saying "you are practicing homosexuality and you are under God's judgement for it" you also say "but I love you and want to help you" and "let me share with you how Jesus can free you of this bondage you are now in"
Matthew 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
So I am first supposed to cast out the beam in my eye. This is a command! I am not supposed to leave it there and say I cannot state God's pronouncement of judgement on the sin here. We are to get our lives right. Otherwise if we try to correct someone with the beam in our eye we are doing so in the flesh because the Spirit cannot work through us. We are to do the work of getting the motes out of other people's eyes so that they can also see clearly the things of God. Why?
1. To restore them
Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2. To bear their burden
Galations 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
3. To Mark error
Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
In the most basic of judiciary we are to be a police officer on watch. If we see a brother in error we are to go to him personally. If he fails to change from this error we bring another witness. And if he still fails we are to bring it in front of the Jury.
We cannot avoid our responsibilities here.
I fear we are not being diligent and maybe downright lazy in this area of our Christian responsiblity.
1. It takes work to learn what the truth actually is.
2. It takes giving of oneself to bear their burden.
3. It takes living a Holy life before your God to make sure that you are working in the realm of the Holy Spirit and not from the flesh.
Its so nice and ear tickling to go around saying Judge not, judge not aaahhh but it is so wickedly deceiving turning many away from truth and the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I write these words in love for my fellow Christians and fear and sadness at some of the things I see going on in true Christiandom these days. I fear with Paul who under the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit: But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.II Corinthians 11:3,4
That many will just bear these false doctrines, false teachers and tares and many will be led astray.
Now prove this study out in the light of scripture, because I will humbly submit myself under the same authority, scrutiny and correction by Brothers and Sisters in Christ if found in error.