| "Don't give a smoker money to buy a good meal | | | | One thing is sure. Jesus didn't try to appease scoffers. |
| because he will just buy more cigarettes," says | | | | He purposely offended them. |
| Waymon, 9. | | | | Let's look to Jennifer, 10, for more light on what Jesus |
| The dangers of smoking are well documented, but I | | | | meant: "Jesus said don't give your pearls to a pig |
| don't think Jesus had smokes in mind here. If you're | | | | because a pig is too dumb to understand what a pearl |
| puffing two packs a day, your throat and lungs may | | | | is worth." |
| feel like fried bacon, but that's another matter. | | | | Spiritual dumbness has nothing to do with one's IQ. You |
| "Do not play with people who do stuff wrong and fight | | | | can be a certified genius yet be dumb as a rock in |
| rough," says Jalen, 6. This is great advice to prolong | | | | spiritual matters. |
| your life on the playground, but where's the connection | | | | But the warning here involves more than spiritual |
| with pigs and pearls, Jalen? | | | | dumbness as in pigs trampling underfoot valuable |
| One of the most troubling interpretations comes from | | | | pearls. There's a parallel thought at the end of the |
| Jacob, 6: "I would never give my sister my toy." Hold | | | | verse that refers back to the dogs. |
| on there, Jacob! If you're using this verse to justify | | | | What is this holy thing that causes dogs to turn on you |
| "hogging" your toys, it won't work. | | | | and tear you to pieces? For the answer, we turn to |
| Remember the three rules for interpreting the Bible or | | | | Sarah, 12: "Don't try to give the gospel to people who |
| any text: context, context and context. Let's look at | | | | have already rejected it." |
| this verse in a slightly larger context: "Do not give what | | | | This could be called the General Patton strategy for |
| is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, | | | | spreading the good news. Instead of going through |
| lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and | | | | fortifications, Patton's tank commanders went around |
| tear you in pieces" (Matthew 7:6). | | | | them. |
| Here we have dogs, pearls, swine and someone being | | | | Jesus spoke of religious leaders who were offended |
| ripped to pieces. What's going on here? | | | | by what he said: "Let them alone. They are blind |
| The big clue is the first part of the verse, "Do not give | | | | leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both |
| what is holy to the dogs." Something holy is forbidden | | | | will fall into the ditch" (Matthew 15:14). |
| for dogs. I know this will be hard for dog lovers to | | | | Don't waste your time preaching to those who are |
| believe, but at the time Jesus spoke these words, | | | | obviously hardened and scornful. |
| dogs were not man's best friend. They usually traveled | | | | Think about this: The pearl of great value in the Gospel |
| in packs and were very dangerous. | | | | of Matthew is the messianic king and kingdom foretold |
| To call someone a "dog" in the first century was the | | | | by the ancient prophets. |
| lowest insult. As they say in Texas, "Them is fightin' | | | | Memorize this truth: "Again, the kingdom of heaven is |
| words." | | | | like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he |
| The only thing worse than being called a "dog" was to | | | | had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all |
| be called a "pig." It's still very effective today. Under the | | | | that he had and bought it" (Matthew 13:45-46). |
| dietary laws given by God for Israel, the pig was a | | | | Ask this question: Then and now, some see Jesus |
| forbidden, unclean animal. It was common for | | | | Christ as the promised messiah and trust him as their |
| first-century Jews to refer to gentiles as swine | | | | savior, while others mock and scornfully reject him. |
| because they considered them unclean. | | | | Which will you do? |