Pearls among swine

[Unveiled Artist]

To those who believe this statement is to non christians and those who do not share your worldview

What is the purpose of evangalizing if you hold back your personal testimony and what You value in scripture not what you feel others should value?

Why do you feel you are throwing pearls among swine when you were once swine and were made pearls?

I never liked that expression. Another way to separate oneself from others as if anyone who believes this holds the keys to the universe.

They dont.

Why dont you throw pearls among swine?

 

[Brickjectivity]

To those who believe this statement is to non christians and those who do not share your worldview

Its to Christians about other Christians, and its only part of a scripture set in Mat 7 which begins "Do not judge, or you too will be judged," and it is about the hypocrisy of judging others. In context it means that judging others you wrongly consider your own stuff to be pearls and your fellow Christians to be swine, so it argues ironically "Why bother talking to people you hold so far beneath yourself, you hypocrite?"

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Its to Christians about other Christians, and its only part of a scripture set in Mat 7 which begins "Do not judge, or you too will be judged," and it is about the hypocrisy of judging others. In context it means that judging others you wrongly consider your own stuff to be pearls and your fellow Christians to be swine, so it argues ironically "Why bother talking to people you hold so far beneath yourself, you hypocrite?"

Thank you for puting that in context. Many christians take that to mean non christians. /shrugs/

 

[wizanda]

To those who believe this statement is to non christians and those who do not share your worldview?

Understand what you mean, that some apply it as being about people who hold the same religious belief...Yet if we do that, lets read the whole thing in context.

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces."

Yeshua referred to the Gentiles as dogs (as do Jews), so clearly Christians should be careful of using it in that context, being mostly Gentile.

 

[columbus]

This is one of the many stories that leave me convinced that Jesus' main mission was the overthrow of the Roman occupation.
It is fundamentally contradictory to the mission of proselytizing faith in "Love, Peace, and Charity". But it would be good advice to a fervent new recruit to the cause of Jewish liberation. The wrong word to the wrong person would get you a horrible execution, as Jesus found out.
Tom

 

[AnnaCzereda]

To those who believe this statement is to non christians and those who do not share your worldview

This is not about non-believers in general but about those who are not willing to accept, or even listen to, the word of God, those who ridicule and blaspheme it, who don't understand it. Take for example this part:
“If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town” (Matthew 10:14)
If anyone is willing to listen to your words, you can share your faith with them. Jesus, however, encourages you not to be a pest. If you're not welcome somewhere, go away.

In some circumstances proselytizing is simply out of place. Some time ago, in Poland, Milka chocolate decided to celebrate St Valentine's Day on its website and invited people to post best wishes and words of affection for their boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, wives etc. Some overzealous Christians joined and started writing long-*** letters of love to... Jesus Christ. They didn't have to wait too long for the reaction of the Atheists. Soon this nice project turned into a pissing contest. Finally, the moderators removed both the comments by Atheists and the Christian love letters. Some Catholic priests became butthurt and started encouraging people to boycott Milka products. All because Milka "censors people and discriminates against Christians."

Expressing your love for Jesus on Milka website? Seriously? Is God you worship your boyfriend? Do you really want your God to be ridiculed and insulted? And why force your views on those unwilling to accept them?

 

[psychoslice]

Thank you for puting that in context. Many christians take that to mean non christians. /shrugs/

Yes this is sad, I don't believe that the pearl has anything to do with ones religion, the pearl is the inner truth that not many have ever experienced. This verse about the pearl is used as a weapon by the ignorant believing they have the pearl when all along they are the pigs.

 

[Thana]

Don't give away what is precious to you to those who cannot appreciate it. It's a waste of your time and theirs, and it can also make you doubt the value of what is precious to you.

That's it. It applies to Christian and non-Christian alike.
My interpretation, anyway. I don't know why people feel the need to complicate scripture?

 

[columbus]

Don't give away what is precious to you to those who cannot appreciate it. It's a waste of your time and theirs, and it can also make you doubt the value of what is precious to you.

That's it. It applies to Christian and non-Christian alike.
My interpretation, anyway. I don't know why people feel the need to complicate scripture?

Because a simple interpretation of ancient scriptures invariably creates a morass of self-contradictions and ethically primitive rules and requirements.
Tom

 

[Thana]

Because a simple interpretation of ancient scriptures invariably creates a morass of self-contradictions and ethically primitive rules and requirements.
Tom

Not really. I take the bible at face value and yet I'm pro-choice, I accept the TOE, I'm fine with gay marriage and I believe in secularism.

Maybe I'm just special, Or maybe people just enjoy complicating things.
I'm thinking the latter

 

[columbus]

Not really. I take the bible at face value and yet I'm pro-choice, I accept the TEO, I'm fine with gay marriage and I believe in secularism.

Maybe I'm just special, Or maybe people just enjoy complicating things.
I'm thinking the latter

Those are all much more sophisticated beliefs than you will get from the Bible. Ethically and scientifically pretty complex, you must reinterpret to support them. I know the Bible and It doesn't say any of that.
Of course, it doesn't outlaw abortion either.
Tom

 

[Thana]

Those are all much more sophisticated beliefs than you will get from the Bible. Ethically and scientifically pretty complex, you must reinterpret to support them. I know the Bible and It doesn't say any of that.
Of course, it doesn't outlaw abortion either.
Tom

Exactly, It doesn't say any of that.
It doesn't talk about Dinosaurs either, But they existed.

I don't reinterpret anything. I just accept the bible for what it is and I allow science and my culture to fill in the blanks. Simple

 

[Brickjectivity]

ha ha I replied first. You snooze...you lose!

 

[psychoslice]

Don't give away what is precious to you to those who cannot appreciate it. It's a waste of your time and theirs, and it can also make you doubt the value of what is precious to you.

That's it. It applies to Christian and non-Christian alike.
My interpretation, anyway. I don't know why people feel the need to complicate scripture?

That's a great thought, and I agree, why make scripture so complicated, Jesus himself said, "my yoke is easy".

 

[metis]

Yeshua referred to the Gentiles as dogs (as do Jews), ...

We don't, and any Jew who does use that terminology should go back and study Torah.

 

[Thief]

To those who believe this statement is to non christians and those who do not share your worldview

What is the purpose of evangalizing if you hold back your personal testimony and what You value in scripture not what you feel others should value?

Why do you feel you are throwing pearls among swine when you were once swine and were made pearls?

I never liked that expression. Another way to separate oneself from others as if anyone who believes this holds the keys to the universe.

They dont.

Why dont you throw pearls among swine?

It's a way of saying....don't waste your breath.

Picture the action literally.
You are feeding the swine...throwing food at their feet.
The scuffle between them is expected.

You reach in your pocket for your pearls and throw them in the mix.

The swine will not notice or care.
Your pearls will disappear under their feet, in the mud, as the swine root for the feed.

Pearls of wisdom to those who have not ears to hear.....

Many who hear the phrase choose to take it as personal insult.
They know at whom the pearls are thrown.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Defeats the purpose of spreading the Word. Jesus went among the ill minded. He saved all people regardless if they believed in Him. Wasting one's breathe is not a good reason to hold back what one feels is the truth; especially, when their religion states that they should "spread the Word". Not just to brothers and sisters (which would defeat the point) but to people outside too.

It's a way of saying....don't waste your breath.

Picture the action literally.
You are feeding the swine...throwing food at their feet.
The scuffle between them is expected.

You reach in your pocket for your pearls and throw them in the mix.

The swine will not notice or care.
Your pearls will disappear under their feet, in the mud, as the swine root for the feed.

Pearls of wisdom to those who have not ears to hear.....

Many who hear the phrase choose to take it as personal insult.
They know at whom the pearls are thrown.

 

[Nakosis]

To those who believe this statement is to non christians and those who do not share your worldview

What is the purpose of evangalizing if you hold back your personal testimony and what You value in scripture not what you feel others should value?

Why do you feel you are throwing pearls among swine when you were once swine and were made pearls?

I never liked that expression. Another way to separate oneself from others as if anyone who believes this holds the keys to the universe.

They dont.

Why dont you throw pearls among swine?

I never saw it as judgmental. I just see it as practical. Like the parable of the sower of seeds, not all seeds fall on fertile ground. Not everyone is going to see the value in your testimony. And, it's really not the Christian's responsibility to turn "swine into pearls". The idea should be to preach the gospel to find those who are already open to it. It's God's responsibility to make them open to the gospel, not the Christian's. Once you find those open to the gospel, these will be the folks who understand the value of your personal testimony.

 

[Thief]

Defeats the purpose of spreading the Word. Jesus went among the ill minded. He saved all people regardless if they believed in Him. Wasting one's breathe is not a good reason to hold back what one feels is the truth; especially, when their religion states that they should "spread the Word". Not just to brothers and sisters (which would defeat the point) but to people outside too.

Yeah....I also noted the contrariness...

But no doubt the metaphor was aimed at the immediate crowd having nay sayers in the mix.

So then you can see....it was an insult....aimed at the nay sayers.

 

[JayJayDee]

This is how we explain this passage....

"The Bible at times alludes to the preciousness of pearls in an illustrative way. With reference to the surpassing value of true wisdom, Job said: “A bagful of wisdom is worth more than one full of pearls.” (Job 28:18) In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ counseled: “Do not give what is holy to dogs, neither throw your pearls before swine, that they may never trample them under their feet and turn around and rip you open.” (Mt 7:6) Evidently Jesus meant that, if a person shows that he is like a dog or a swine, with no appreciation for spiritual things, one should not further endeavor to share spiritual thoughts and teachings with him. Such corrupt persons would only trample upon valuable spiritual things and abuse or injure anyone endeavoring to share these with them.

Jesus also illustrated the preciousness of the Kingdom of the heavens by speaking of “one pearl” of such high value that a traveling merchant seeking fine pearls “promptly sold all the things he had and bought it.” (Mt 13:45, 46) Thereby Jesus showed that an individual appreciating the true worth of gaining the Kingdom of the heavens would be willing to part with everything in order to gain it.—Compare Mt 11:12; Lu 13:23-25; Php 3:8-11."

Pearl — Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY

The contrast is therefore made between those appreciating spiritual things and those not appreciating them for the valuable things that they really are. What use are pearls to dogs or swine?

As far as I can see this applies to anyone who fits that description, whether they call themselves Christians or not. Jesus was addressing Jews, who already considered themselves to be God's nation. But the apostles also preached to Gentiles, so it applies to all unappreciative ones equally as far as the illustration goes.

It isn't insulting but illustrative.