Christian Art | Pearls Before Swine
Matthew 7: 6, 12-14 – Week 12 Ordinary Time, Tuesday (King James Audio Bible KJV, Spoken Word)
6 ¶ Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
13 ¶ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine. This is difficult text. The dogs, the pigs – these would be terms to describe the non-Jewish, yet in acknowledging this we are aware of Jesus’ ministering to everybody, gathering crowds of disparate people, and enjoining them to coexist peacefully, while he walked in the land of the Gentiles.
It may be strange additionally that Jesus seems to be telling us to keep back from the world some part of our Christian faith, in case that which is precious should be scorned, trampled upon, and, further to this, our act of giving become a weapon against us in an enemy’s hands, our defences having been lowered. Perhaps we may wonder: is this a teaching against martyrdom? And: is our expression of Christian faith not always good?
Why is Jesus telling us to be careful, to be worldly wise, and to hoard our treasures of faith, not always giving and displaying our treasures openly?
We can begin to answer such questions by considering today’s Gospel reading as a whole. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, and do to others as you would have them do to you. We can think of these as two aspects of the same lesson.
Faith can seem very strange and quite forbidding from the outside. Joy, the knowledge of God, is not something automatically communicated. When a person is filled with the Spirit and feels compelled to tell others about his or her sense of being newly alive, it is entirely possible that those others, who do not know God, who are atheists, will think that person is crazy. We may remember that Jesus’ mother Mary and his family sought to have Jesus put away – we would now call this sectioned – as the Bible tells us.
Faith, then, is clearly not always being communicated by those who hope to be doing so. The message is being lost. Indeed, a contrary message, not intentionally sent, might be being received, this being that Christians are wrong. It would seem a different approach might be necessary. Assuming we actually do want to communicate Christian joy, it would seem a little thought is required as to how we do this.
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine. And now we bring in the rest of the message, which is most explicitly about taking care of other people, and is about the fact that this is not always easy. If I have a truth that I wish to share with you, then I have to take care of you, to show respect to you, to help you to know that the message is about you – in the case of Christian truth, it is about all people equally, and it so happens that this is a message about care, respect, and love. I have to speak your language.
Christianity is all about love. God is love. In these Bible verses, Jesus teaches us that love is not easy. It requires quite a lot of restraint, this because love is not about inflicting ourselves on those we love; rather we withhold our own needs, including our emotional needs, in order to serve the beloved better. We restrain ourselves so as to magnify the other, our loved ones.
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs. By maintaining our sense of what is sacred, and by being alert to just how precious this is, we become more able to share our joy, our relationship with God, our love with God, and for this to be communicated. God helps us in this way to bring other people to faith, rather than putting them off faith and driving them further away.
God wants us to attract other people to Christianity because it is what’s right – because living with God is our natural way of living – and to do so by taking immense care of our gifts. If we live well, and as we give our lives to Jesus, then we can be sure that others, who perhaps do not yet know God, will come to us. This is a delicate evangelization.
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (Isaiah 55: 1)
Concluding Prayer
As we pray before you, Lord,
we ask you, in your mercy, for the grace
always to ponder in our hearts
what we proclaim with our lips.
We make our prayer through our Lord.
King James Audio Bible | Endnotes
Give Not That Which Is Holy Unto The Dogs
The verse Matthew 7:6 , ‘Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you,’ has been a source of contemplation for Christians. Its meaning is both profound and complex.
In Matthew 7:12-14, Jesus teaches the Golden Rule, saying: ‘Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.’ Jesus then goes on to warn his listeners that the path to eternal life is narrow and difficult, saying: ‘Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.’
Taken together, these Gospel verses paint a picture of a world in which the pursuit of holiness and righteousness is a difficult and narrow path, and in which there are those who would seek to distract and undermine those who are walking that path. It is in this context that the admonition ‘give not that which is holy unto the dogs’ should be understood.
In the Bible, dogs and swine are often used as symbols of impurity and uncleanliness. As such, there is a racism entailed in referring to people as dogs or pigs. The reference to casting pearls before swine suggests the futility of presenting valuable and precious things to those who are unable to appreciate their worth. It is also a warning about the dangers of giving something sacred or holy to those who are unworthy or disrespectful.
In his commentary on this passage, John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church, writes that the dogs and swine mentioned in this verse represent those who are ‘wholly incapable of receiving or knowing the things of God’. John Wesley suggests that it is the responsibility of the faithful to discern who is deserving of their time and attention, and who is not.
Christian theologian Saint Thomas Aquinas writes in his Summa Theologica that the reference to dogs and swine ‘signifies those who are steeped in sin and have no reverence for spiritual things’. Aquinas suggests that the warning against casting pearls before swine is a call to exercise discernment in sharing the Gospel message, so as not to waste one’s time on those who are not receptive.
The idea of discernment is central to understanding the meaning of this verse. It is a reminder that the faithful must exercise wisdom and judgment in deciding how to share the teachings of the Bible with others. While it is important to spread the message of Christ, it is equally important to be aware of those who may not be receptive or who may actively seek to undermine that message.
Padre Pio, also known as Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, was an Italian Capuchin friar who lived from 1887 to 1968. He is renowned for his piety, his stigmata, and his gift of healing, and has become a beloved figure in the Christian world. Born into a devout Catholic family in Pietrelcina, Italy, Padre Pio felt a calling to the priesthood from a young age. He entered the Capuchin order in 1903 and was ordained a priest in 1910. He spent much of his life as a humble friar, dedicated to prayer, the sacraments, and the service of others. Padre Pio’s most famous spiritual gift was the stigmata, the visible wounds of Christ that he bore on his hands, feet, and side. He experienced this phenomenon for over 50 years, from 1918 until his death in 1968. While some were skeptical of his wounds, many believed them to be a sign of his profound union with Christ and his participation in the suffering of the crucified Christ. In addition to his stigmata, Padre Pio was also known for his gift of healing. Many people came to him seeking physical, emotional, and spiritual healing, and he prayed over them, sometimes prescribing special devotions or treatments. While some were healed miraculously, others did not experience a physical cure, but nonetheless found comfort and peace through his intercession. Padre Pio’s life was marked by his devotion to God and his love for others. He spent long hours in prayer, often in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, and had a deep appreciation for the power of the Eucharist. He also had a special love for the Virgin Mary, whom he called his ‘Heavenly Mother’, and encouraged others to pray the Rosary. Today, Padre Pio is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, and his influence has spread far beyond Italy. He is remembered for his holiness, his humility, and his profound union with Christ, as well as for his compassion and concern for the sick and suffering. Christians of all denominations continue to look to him as a model of faith and devotion to God. Prayer To Saint Padre Pio | A Prayer For Healing Saint Padre Pio is renowned for his gift of healing, which he used to help countless people throughout his life. He believed in the power of prayer and the importance of placing our trust in God, even in the face of illness and suffering. In James 5:16, we are reminded that ‘the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective’. Padre Pio’s life was a testament to the truth of this verse, as he interceded for those who came to him seeking physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. One of the most striking examples of Padre Pio’s healing ministry was the case of Gemma Di Giorgi, a young girl who had been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. Her parents brought her to Padre Pio, who prayed over her and blessed her with the sign of the cross. To the amazement of her doctors, Gemma’s condition began to improve, and she was eventually healed completely. In addition to physical healing, Padre Pio also believed in the importance of emotional and spiritual healing. He often spoke of the need for repentance and conversion, and encouraged his followers to turn to God with contrite hearts. In Luke 5:31-32, Jesus tells the Pharisees, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ Padre Pio understood that true healing involves not only the body, but also the soul. For those who are in need of healing, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, Saint Padre Pio can serve as a powerful intercessor. He believed in the importance of prayer and the power of God’s grace to heal even the most difficult of cases. Through his intercession, we can ask God for the strength and courage to face our illnesses and our struggles, knowing that we are never alone and that God’s healing love is always with us. So let us pray: ‘Saint Padre Pio, you who had a deep faith in God and a profound love for your fellow human beings, we turn to you in our time of need. We ask for your intercession on behalf of all those who are sick and suffering, that they may be healed in body, mind, and spirit. We ask that you pray for us, that we may have the strength and courage to face our illnesses and our struggles with faith and hope, knowing that God is with us always. We trust in God’s love and mercy, and in the power of prayer to bring healing and wholeness to all who seek it. Saint Padre Pio, pray for us, and lead us to the healing grace of God. Amen.’ Prayer To Saint Padre Pio | A Prayer For Peace Saint Padre Pio was a man of peace, who lived his life in the service of God and his fellow human beings. He believed that peace was not merely the absence of conflict, but a state of inner harmony that could only be achieved through a deep and abiding relationship with God. In John 14:27, Jesus tells his disciples, ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.’ Padre Pio understood the importance of this peace, and dedicated his life to helping others find it. One of the ways that Padre Pio fostered peace was through his ministry of reconciliation. He encouraged those who came to him to confess their sins and seek God’s forgiveness, knowing that this was the first step towards inner peace. In Matthew 5:9, Jesus says, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.’ Padre Pio believed that this was not just a call to be a mediator in conflicts between […]
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