What did Jesus mean when He said to not cast your pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6)?

Answer

“Do not cast your pearls before swine” is a part of the Sermon on the Mount. To grasp its meaning, we need to comprehend its context and position within the sermon. Jesus had just finished advising the crowd on judgment and reproof: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:1-2), and “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s 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. », (Matthew 7:5). Then in verse 6, Jesus moderates these warnings and illustrates the distinction between “judgment” and “discernment.” We are not to be hypocritical judges, but we must be able to discern the swine, lest we offer our pearls to them.

Before Jesus mentions, “Do not cast your pearls before swine,” He states, “Do not give dogs what is sacred.” An analogy involving dogs is also present in Proverbs: “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly” «As a dog returneth to his vomit, So a fool returneth to his folly. », (Proverbs 26:11). A dual reference to swine and dogs is also made in 2 Peter 2:22, “Of [false teachers] the proverbs are true: ‘A dog returns to its vomit,’ and, ‘A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.’” In HiIn His sermon, Jesus uses dogs and pigs as representatives of those who would ridicule, reject, and blaspheme the gospel once it is presented to them. We are not to expose the gospel of Jesus Christ to those whose only purpose is to trample it and return to their own evil ways. Repeatedly sharing the gospel with someone who continually scoffs and ridicules Christ is like casting pearls before swine. We can identify such people through discernment, which is given in some measure to all Christians (1 Corinthians 2:15-16).

The command not to cast your pearls before swine does not mean we refrain from preaching the gospel. Jesus Himself ate with and taught sinners and tax collectors, “And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples” (Matthew 9:10). In essence, the instruction in Matthew 7:6 is the same that Jesus gave to His apostles when He said, “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town” “And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet” (Matthew 10:14). We are to share the gospel, but when it becomes apparent that the gospel is not welcome, we are to move on. We are responsible to share the good news; we are not responsible for people’s response to the good news. Pigs don’t appreciate pearls, and some people don’t appreciate what Christ has done for them. Our job is not to force conversions or cram the gospel down people’s throats; there’s no sense in preaching the value of pearls to swine. Jesus’ instruction to His apostles on how to handle rejection was to simply go elsewhere. There are other.

People who need to listen to the gospel, and they are prepared to receive it.