WHY IS THIS DIFFICULT?

Cultural Context Figurative Language

Who are the dogs and pigs, what do the holy things and pearls represent, and when should a disciple withhold them?

 Understanding the Saying

Immediately after warning his followers not to judge hypocritically, Jesus gives a saying that seems almost to require judgment: “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs.” The images are vivid but puzzling. What is holy? What are the pearls? And, most troublingly, who are the dogs and pigs?

The saying appears to warn against giving something precious to those who will only reject, abuse, or destroy it. Exactly what Jesus intends by the precious object, however, has been interpreted in several ways.

 Interpretations

Dogs and pigs carried strongly negative associations in Jesus' Jewish setting. Pigs were unclean animals, while dogs were generally not the cherished household pets imagined by many modern readers. The picture is deliberately unpleasant: something sacred or enormously valuable is being placed where it will be treated with contempt.

The most common interpretation understands the holy thing and the pearls as the message of God's kingdom or sacred truth more generally. On this reading, Jesus teaches that there are times when continued attempts to persuade a person who is determined only to mock or attack what is being offered become pointless and even destructive.

The saying does not provide permission to label people casually as “dogs” or “pigs.” Jesus has just warned against judgmentalism. The juxtaposition is important: disciples must not condemn others self-righteously, but neither are they required to abandon discernment.

Other interpretations connect verse 6 even more closely with the preceding discussion of judgment. The enigmatic nature of the imagery has produced several proposals about precisely what the pearls represent. That uncertainty should be acknowledged rather than hidden. What remains clear is Jesus' insistence that something precious should not be exposed thoughtlessly to contempt or destruction.

 Assessment

The traditional understanding—holy things and pearls representing sacred truth entrusted to Jesus' followers—fits the imagery well and has substantial interpretive history behind it. But Matthew does not explicitly identify the pearls, so we should avoid claiming greater certainty than the text provides.

The placement after “Judge not” is especially valuable. Jesus rejects condemning and hypocritical judgment while still requiring discernment. Christian humility is not the same thing as an inability to recognize persistent hostility or rejection.

Why It Matters

Jesus' followers are called both to generosity in sharing truth and to wisdom about how they share it. There can come a point when continued argument serves neither the hearer nor the message. The challenge is to exercise that discernment without turning it into contempt for the person who refuses to listen.

 Sources & Further Reading

Ian K. Duffield, “Difficult Texts: Matthew 7.1-6”, Theology 119, no. 2 (2016), pp. 117-120, 2016

Provides a focused interpretation of Matthew 7:1-6, including the enigmatic dogs, pigs, holy things, and pearls imagery, and relates verse 6 to the preceding teaching about judgment and discernment.

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