Matthew 7:6 (NKJV)
6 “Do not give WHAT IS HOLY to THE DOGS; nor cast your PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.
This simply means: don’t give what is valuable (the preaching of God’s Word) to those who don’t deserve it! (Those who disregard it)
Jesus says something similar in Matthew 10
Matthew 10:11-13 (NKJV)
11 “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is WORTHY, and stay there till you go out. 12 And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 If the household is WORTHY, let your peace come upon it. But if it is NOT WORTHY, let your peace return to you.
So there’s such a thing as those who are not worthy to hear the Gospel. Interestingly, this doesn’t refer to “sinners” but those who have a BAD, NONCHALANT, LACKADAISICAL, ATTITUDE towards God’s Word!
The succedent verses tell us;
14 And whoever WILL NOT RECEIVE YOU nor HEAR YOUR WORDS, (that’s what “not worthy” in vs. 12 means) when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!
The Word will never profit such persons;
Proverbs 26:11 (NKJV)
11 As a dog returns to his own vomit,
So a fool REPEATS his folly.
Such persons never learn no matter how much you instruct them. 2 Timothy 3:7 speaks concerning such persons. Paul says concerning them;
7 ALWAYS LEARNING and NEVER ABLE to come to the knowledge of the truth.
So Jesus is saying in Matthew 7:6: “Don’t waste your time preaching to those who don’t value good Bible teaching.” After you’ve preached to them, they’ll disregard what you’ve said and also attack you.
Proverbs 9:7-9 (NKJV)
7 “He who corrects A SCOFFER gets SHAME for HIMSELF,
And he who rebukes a wicked man ONLY HARMS HIMSELF.
8 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he HATE YOU; (we can say “don’t cast pearls before swine lest they attack you,” Matthew 7:6)
Rebuke a WISE MAN, (we can say “he who is worthy”) and he will love you.
9 Give INSTRUCTION to A WISE MAN, and he WILL BE STILL WISER;
Teach a JUST MAN, and he will INCREASE IN LEARNING.
So there are those whose bad attitude towards God’s Word will make them never understand. This can be both sinners and Christians. Either of the two can have a bad attitude towards God’s Word.
The Gospel is to be preached to every creature;
Mark 16:15-16 (NKJV)
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to EVERY CREATURE. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
However, when the Jews rejected the preaching of Paul at Ephesus, observe what he does;
Acts 19:9 (NKJV)
9 But when some were HARDENED and DID NOT BELIEVE, but SPOKE EVIL OF THE WAY before the multitude, he DEPARTED FROM THEM and WITHDREW THE DISCIPLES, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.
Although we are to preach to all, know that there are those whose bad attitude to God’s Word won’t make them receive. So a preacher must know when to do what Paul did — depart from those who will never listen. Don’t cast your PEARLS BEFORE SWINE! Don’t waste your time! Pigs don’t know the value of diamonds.
© Josh Banks Ministries. 2021.
