Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why behold you the mote that is in your brother's eye, but consider not the beam that is in your own eye? Jesus continued, “Or how will you say to your brother, Let me pull out the mote out of your eye; and, behold, a beam is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of your own eye; and then shall you see clearly to cast out the mote out of your brother's eye”, and in chapter seven and verse six of his book, Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples what not to do with, “dogs and swine” where we read:
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
The verse reads, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, ...” Matthew began with the words, “give not” or “do not grant, bestow, supply, furnish or endue” “that which is holy” which means “things which are pure, morally blameless or religiously and ceremonially consecrated” “unto the dogs” or “the men of impure mind or an impudent man”, “neither” which means “no, nor and in no way” “cast your pearls” or “throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls, scatter or pour out the disciples' margaros or pearls from an oyster” “before swine” which means “in the presence of and in front of hogs”. Jesus told His disciples not to “bestow” things that are “pure and blameless” to “impure men”, and they were not to “scatter” their valuable “pearls” before “hogs”.
The verse continues, “... lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” Matthew added the word, “lest” or “perhaps, whether or not and in no way” “they trample them” which means “the unholy dogs and swine tread down, treat with rudeness and insult, spurn or treat with insulting neglect” “unto their feet” or “toward the dogs and swine's feet”, “and turn again” which means “and turn around from one course of conduct and change their mind” “and rend you” or “and burst, break asunder, tear in pieces, distort and convulse the disciples”. Jesus shared how “dogs and swine” would turn on the disciples and “tear them in pieces” if they gave “pearls” and “holy” things to them.
When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how “holy” things are not to be given to “impure men”. Jesus warned that when they are offered, “dogs” and “swine” will not only refuse them, but also turn against them with insults, injury and possibly more. God desires a relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, but if they continue to refuse His offer, they become as “dogs” and “swine” which cannot change their basic “impure” and “horrific” nature. Only God can change people, and He is willing to do so until they have rejected Him over and over again. At that point they have become “unholy” and unworthy to receive “pearls” and “holy” words.
Next time Jesus instructs His disciples, “ask, and it shall be given to you” and more, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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