homeier@aero.ARPA (Peter Homeier ) (07/19/85)
>From par@ihlpl.UUCP (Rupsis) Wed Jul 10 14:14:29 1985 >Message-ID: <209@ihlpl.UUCP> >Matthew 7:6 Jesus says: > >"Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before > swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you > to pieces." > > What did Jesus mean? > Who are the dogs and swine? > What are the pearls? > >I would appreciate any light shed upon this subject. > > Paul Rupsis Paul, I would like to give my understanding of this scripture, based on personal experience as well as what the Word says here. This passage is part of the Sermon on the Mount, and thus is part of Jesus's kingdom rules, describing the things that we are to do as children in His family. It is a commandment, not just a suggestion. This scripture describes the relationship between Christians and non-Christians, and even between some Christians. It is a point of wisdom to know when it is not proper to speak some part of the Truth that you have to another person. The Lord may have formed some part of His holy nature in me recently; unfortunately, my first reaction is often to rush out and try to share that part with everyone around me. Sometimes that is valid and appropriate- often new converts are the most credible witnesses to Christ's love and forgiveness because they were just yesterday "one of us". However, there are also times when one must be sensitive and aware of what the other person can bear. Holy things shine. None of us can bear to view the blazing glory of the Godhead. Similarly, many cannot bear the brightness of the truth especially when it confronts some area of weakness or failure in our lives. When these dirty parts of our nature, our "swine" parts, are so confronted, they do not easily submit to the correcting influence, but instead turn, enraged by this exposure of their filth, despise and reject the confronting truth, and attempt to destroy the person who bore the truth. Oddly, the very vehemence with which these persons react bears witness to the truth of what was said. Nothing touches a nerve like the truth. But more than this, it is implied in the scripture that it is not only silly or dumb to cast pearls before swine, because of the wrath you engender, but it is also a degradation to the pearls- and for this Jesus says "Do not." For we need to respect the value of holy things. We do not enshrine the truths of our religion or lock them away from people, saying "Do not touch." But it is not seemly for the inestimable riches of wisdom to be found in the Holy Word of God to be thrown at the feet of those who have no desire nor even ability to accept such riches, or even to recognize them for what they are. Save your beautiful things for those who are ready to accept them. The Lord will give you times and places to share what He has given you. Indeed, we must share these things: "Freely you have received; freely give." But wait on the Lord. I think that this was one reason that Jesus used parables so much, so that He might convey His truths to those who were ready to hear, with their hearts made tender and submissive by the Holy Spirit, and yet those who were unwilling to accept His truths, like the Pharisees, would simply get confused and not understand. May I suggest reading Matthew 13:10-17, which in the New King James Version goes thus: "And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. "Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their heart and turn, So that I should heal them.' "But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it." Finally, a word of caution. Although most of the 'swine' reactions come from non-Christians, this does not mean you are safe to share everything with your brethren in Christ. Just coming to Christ for salvation and cleansing from sin does not mean that they have submitted to Christ's lordship over every area of their lives. They may even have made that profession of total committment, but their lives may not yet fully reflect that new nature that the Spirit places in our spirits at the time we are born again. So you will probably experience some "turning and rending" from your own brethren as well. Forgive them, and pray that the Holy Spirit will soften their hearts. That after all is God's work, not ours. Your brother in Christ, Peter Homeier homeier@aerospace (ARPANET)
mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) (07/24/85)
In article <283@aero.ARPA> homeier@aero.UUCP (Peter Homeier (MISD)) writes: > When these dirty parts of our nature, our "swine" parts, are so confronted, > they do not easily submit to the correcting influence, but instead turn, > enraged by this exposure of their filth, despise and reject the confronting > truth, and attempt to destroy the person who bore the truth. Oddly, the > very vehemence with which these persons react bears witness to the truth of > what was said. Nothing touches a nerve like the truth. This is one of the most pompous and laughable fallacies of religions. I've seen it frequently: it is used by many religions. Which of them is "the truth"? How blithe, parochial, and egocentric to assume that only your religion engenders that sort of natural human reaction. How illogical to (even assuming your religion is "the truth") conclude that the reaction is only to being faced with "the truth", rather than to any of a host of stimuli (such as myopically gauche approaches). Have you no shame? Or intellectual integrity? -- Mike Huybensz ...decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh
tim@cmu-cs-k.ARPA (Tim Maroney) (07/25/85)
If vehemence of opponent's reactions is a criterion of truth now, then I guess "Even If I Did Believe..." must be absolute truth.... (And the answer comes ringing back over the hills: "That's different!") -=- Tim Maroney, Carnegie-Mellon University, Networking ARPA: Tim.Maroney@CMU-CS-K uucp: seismo!cmu-cs-k!tim CompuServe: 74176,1360 audio: shout "Hey, Tim!"
cjh@petsd.UUCP (Chris Henrich) (08/02/85)
[] In article <637@cybvax0.UUCP> mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) writes: >In article <283@aero.ARPA> homeier@aero.UUCP (Peter Homeier (MISD)) writes: >> (In the discussion of the "pearls before swine" image) >> [When our worse qualities are challenged, we sometimes >> react violently. {summary by cjh... }] >> >> Oddly, the >> very vehemence with which these persons react bears witness to the >> truth of what was said. Nothing touches a nerve like the truth. > >This is one of the most pompous and laughable fallacies of religions. In my own experience (as the swine, not as the caster of pearls) the confrontation with an unpleasant truth about myself is very painful and provoking. I think there is a special quality to the way I feel at such times, but I don't quite know how to describe it. "Touching a nerve" is not bad. This is not a fallacy; it is an uncomfortable truth. Regards, Chris -- Full-Name: Christopher J. Henrich UUCP: ..!(cornell | ariel | ukc | houxz)!vax135!petsd!cjh US Mail: MS 313; Perkin-Elmer; 106 Apple St; Tinton Falls, NJ 07724 Phone: (201) 758-7288
mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) (08/14/85)
In article <606@petsd.UUCP> cjh@petsd.UUCP (Christopher J. Henrich) writes: > In article <637@cybvax0.UUCP> mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) writes: > >In article <283@aero.ARPA> homeier@aero.UUCP (Peter Homeier (MISD)) writes: > >> (In the discussion of the "pearls before swine" image) > >> [When our worse qualities are challenged, we sometimes > >> react violently. {summary by cjh... }] > >> > >> Oddly, the > >> very vehemence with which these persons react bears witness to the > >> truth of what was said. Nothing touches a nerve like the truth. > > > >This is one of the most pompous and laughable fallacies of religions. > > In my own experience (as the swine, not as the caster of > pearls) the confrontation with an unpleasant truth about > myself is very painful and provoking... > This is not a fallacy; it is an uncomfortable truth. The fallacy is the idea that the only reason for the vehemence confrontation with something painful that appears truthful. There can be any number of other causes of vehemence, such as righteous indignation at something that appears blatantly false. An explanation should not be accepted merely because it is plausible: other plausible explanations may need to be eliminated first. -- Mike Huybensz ...decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh