The Parable of:
“Pearls Cast Before Swine”
(Matthew 7: 6)
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Think about the Spiritual:
1. A (Spiritual) “dog” will not appreciate anything holy.
2. A (Spiritual) “swine” will not discern the value of (Spiritual) pearls.
3. (Spiritual) trampling something holy “under the feet” will cause it to be of less (Spiritual) value.
4. If a (Spiritual) “dog” or (Spiritual) “swine” turns on you, they could “divide you” Spiritually
(Spiritual)
Dog = Someone who learns the truth and
then turns their back on it and
returns to their sin.
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II Peter 2: 21-22
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it,
to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again; …
(Spiritual)
Dogs = Evil Workers
(Spiritual)
Dogs = Evil Pastors
(Dumb) (Who don’t teach people the truth)
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(Spiritual)
Swine = Wicked or “Unclean” Person
or (“cleansed” from their sins
(SOW) who then returns to their sins)
II Peter 2: 21,22
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
(Spiritual)
Washing = Cleansing From Sin
Ephesians 5: 5
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
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Spiritual)
Wallowing = Returning To Sin After Being Cleansed
(in the mire)
II Peter 2:22
22...sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Hebrews 10: 26-29
26 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and firey indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
(Spiritual)
Feet = The Actions Of A Person
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Matthew 7:6
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast
ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them
“under their feet”, and turn again and rend you.
(Spiritual)
Put Under The Feet = To Have Power Over
Jeremiah 12:10
10 “Many Pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.”
(Spiritual)
T
o Trample “Under The Feet” Means:
Or To have Power
To Be Trodden Under Foot and Authority
over something.
In the text, that which was Holy, was
“trampled under the feet” of the “dogs” (Evil Pastors) and the “swine” (wicked people).
Thus, the parable is warning us, that Evil Pastors
will take the Holy things of God,
like truth found in the Bible and use their
Power and Authority to trample it “under their feet”
or change it to suit themselves!
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Luke 8: 5
5 “A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.”
Comment
When the “seed” fell by the “wayside”… “it” was trodden down.” This means that the Word of truth (seed) that was presented to those listening (wayside hearers), was afterward, changed by Pastors and teachers into false teachings (trodden under foot).
Ezekiel 34: 18,19
18 “Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?
19 And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.”
Comment:
When Pastors and others who teach people the Word, teach error or false doctrine, they are “treading God’s Word under foot, ” because they are presuming to have “dominion or power over it,”when they change it. (Jer. 12: 10; Ezk. 34: 18,19; Isa. 58: 13; Ps. 119: 101).
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Spiritual)
Holy
Revelation 15: 4
4 Who shall not fear thee,
O Lord, and glorify thy
name? For thou only art Only God
Holy:…. Is Holy.
Exodus 3: 4,5
4 And ….God called unto him God’s presence
out of the midst of the bush, is what
and said, Moses,…. makes any
put off your shoes from “thing” Holy.
off thy feet, for the place We are not to
whereon thou standest is “tread on”
Holy ground. Holy “things”.
Exodus 35: 2
2 Six days shall work be done, God’s presence
but on the seventh day there makes even
shall be to you an holy day, a day or
a sabbath of rest to the Lord: Time Holy.
Isaiah 58: 13,14
13 If thou turn away thy foot We are not to
from the sabbath, from doing “tread on”
thy pleasure on my holy day; (or change)
and call the sabbath a delight, Holy Time.
the holy of the Lord,….
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Spiritual)
Holy (cont.)
II Timothy 3: 15-17
15 And that from a child thou God’s presence
hast known the Holy makes the
Scriptures, which are able to Bible Holy.
make thee wise unto salvation
through faith which is in
Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may
be perfect, thoroughly
furnished unto all good works.
Luke 8: 5,11
5 “A sower went out to sow
his seed: and as he sowed, We are not to
some fell by the wayside; and “tread on”
it was trodden down, and the God’s Holy
fowls of the air devoured it.” Words.
11 “The seed is the Word
of God.”
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(Spiritual)
Pearls
Job 28: 12, 13, 18,
12 But where shall wisdom be “Pearls” are
found? And where is the place valuable
of understanding? pieces of
13 Man knoweth not the price information
thereof; neither is it found in that have to
the land of the living. do with
18 No mention shall be made Wisdom and
of coral, or of pearls: for the understanding
price of wisdom is above that comes from
rubies. the Lord.
Matthew 7: 6 “Pearls” are not
6 Give not that which is to be given
holy unto the dogs, neither to (Spr.) “Swine”
cast ye your pearls before or people who
swine, lest they trample them know Truth but
under their feet, and turn again continue to
and rend you. sin willfully.
Matthew 13: 45,46 “Pearls” are
45 Again, the kingdom of obtained by
heaven is like unto a merchant “seeking” or
man, seeking goodly pearls: searching for
46 Who, when he had found them.
one pearl of great price, went “Pearls” will
and sold all that he had, and cost you
bought it. something.
Thus, Spiritual “pearls” are the valuable truths of
wisdom and understanding from God, that we obtain
when we invest our time and search the Scriptures.
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Rend Matt. 7:6…#4486
#4486 ρήσσω rhēssō
to break, crack, i.e. to sunder by separation of the parts
Let us not rend it… John 19: 24…#4977
#4977 σχίζω schizō
to split or sever or break, or divide or rend
Conclusions:
1. A Spiritual “dog” represents an evil worker.
A dumb “dog” that won’t bark represents a Pastor
who refuses to tell the truth to people to warn them.
A “dog” that “returns to his vomit” represents a person that learns truth, rejects their sinful life for a while and then turns around and returns to their old sinful life.
2. A Spiritual “swine” represents someone who knows
the truth and has been “cleansed” from their sins” and then turns around and commits the same sins all over again.
3. If something is “holy” it means that Gods presence is in it.
4. Spiritual “pearls” are valuable truths of wisdom and understanding that we obtain when we spend time and search the Scriptures or study the Bible.
5. To (Spiritually) “trample something under foot” or to “tread it under foot” means to take something holy and then change it. For instance to take part of God’s Word and change it.
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Bible Text:
Matthew 7: 6
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Final Paraphrase:
Don’t waste your time teaching the truths of the Holy Scriptures to those who already know the truth, but by their sinfulness, show that they have rejected the truth (dogs). They will not appreciate the value of what you offer them (pearls). They will take the truth and change it to suite themselves (trample it under foot) and then turn upon you and cause a division or separation (rend) in the Church.
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Doctrinal Truth (Taught by Jesus in the Parable of
“The Pearls Cast Before Swine”)
1. Holy things are not to be given to (Spiritual) “dogs” who are people who already know the truth but
by their sinful lives show that they have
rejected the truth.
2. People who have been “cleansed from their sins” and then turn around and commit those sins all over again are (Spiritual) “swine” and like pigs that were washed who then return and wallow in the mud again.
3. “Holy” things are “things” that have God’s presence in them, like the Holy Scriptures or Holy Time when we worship God.
4. Spiritual “pearls” are valuable truths that we learn as we spend time searching the Scriptures or studying the Bible.
5. To (Spiritually) “trample something under foot” means to have power over it. To take something holy and “trample it under foot” means to take part of God’s word and then change it.
6. (Spiritual) “dogs” represent wicked people or
“evil workers”. Even Pastors are called dumb “dogs”, when like a dog that refuses to bark to warn its master, they refuse to warn the people by
not teaching the truth!
7. Pastors are guilty of “treading God’s Word under foot” when they take God’s Word and change it and then teach things that are not true. They are then
teaching “their words” and not “God’s words”.
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The Parable of:
The
“Light Of The Body
Is The Eye”
( The Truth a Church has
depends upon its Pastor )
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