When Jesus Said, “Do Not Give Dogs What Is Sacred.”
We, believers, must daily employ discernment in biblical evangelism.
Millions of people today cherish their dogs like family. We buy them beds, feed them well, and talk to them like old friends. But in the ancient Middle East, dogs were not pets curled up beside the fireplace. They were scavengers—wild, mangy, roaming the streets, feeding on refuse. To the Jewish mind they symbolized uncleanness, shamelessness, and moral disregard.
The Bible reflects that cultural reality. In Luke 16:21, the dogs lick the sores of the poor man Lazarus. In Proverbs 26:11, the dog returning to its vomit illustrates the fool who repeats his folly. And in 1 Samuel 17:43, the giant Goliath snarls at David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?”
Against that backdrop, the words of Jesus land with startling clarity. In the Sermon on the Mount He says:
“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.” — Matthew 7:6
This is not cruelty; it is wisdom. Jesus is teaching His followers that the gospel—the good news of salvation—is infinitely precious. It is a pearl of immeasurable value. But pearls have no value to pigs. They cannot recognize beauty or worth. They will only crush them under their hooves.
The Lord is drawing a vivid picture: some hearts are so hardened that they do not merely ignore the gospel—they mock it, trample it, and attack the messenger.
Judgment vs. Discernment
This verse sits inside a section where Jesus addresses judgment. Just moments earlier He warned:
“First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” — Matthew 7:5
In other words, believers must never be hypocritical judges. But neither should they be naïve. Christianity does not call us to blind gullibility. It calls us to spiritual discernment.
As the apostle Paul writes:
“The spiritual person judges all things.” — 1 Corinthians 2:15
Discernment is simply the Spirit-trained ability to recognize when someone is sincerely seeking truth—and when someone is only ridiculing it.
The great evangelist Billy Graham once wrote,
“The gospel is offered freely to all, but it cannot be forced on anyone.”
That insight captures the heart of Matthew 7:6.
When Persistence Becomes Futility
Jesus Himself modeled both compassion and discernment. He ate with sinners, taught tax collectors, and welcomed the broken. The gospel is never withheld from repentant hearts.
Yet He also instructed His disciples that there comes a moment when continued argument becomes pointless.
“If anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.” — Matthew 10:14
That action was not bitterness—it was testimony. It meant, You have heard the truth. The responsibility now rests with you.
The apostle Paul faced such a moment in Corinth. When the synagogue leaders hardened themselves against the gospel, Scripture records:
“They opposed and reviled him… and he said, ‘Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.’” — Acts 18:6
Paul did not stop preaching. He simply moved next door—to people who were willing to listen.
The Sad Reality of Hardened Hearts
Scripture often describes this tragic pattern. Some people repeatedly hear truth but refuse to surrender to it. Their response becomes predictable.
Peter warned about such individuals:
“A dog returns to its vomit, and a washed sow returns to wallowing in the mud.” — 2 Peter 2:22
It is a graphic metaphor, but it reveals a sobering truth: without a changed heart, people return to their old ways.
The late pastor Chuck Smith once observed,
“You cannot argue a man into the kingdom of God. The Spirit must draw him.”
Evangelism, therefore, is not spiritual arm-twisting at all. It's not about pressure or manipulation. It is faithful witness (living the life and telling His message).
The Balance: Compassion and Wisdom
Here is the tension every believer must learn.
We must be compassionate enough to share the gospel widely.
Yet wise enough to recognize when someone only wants to mock Christ.
As John MacArthur explains,
“The gospel is not cheap. It is holy. It should never be treated like a trinket in the marketplace.”
That is why prayer must saturate evangelism. Only God knows when a heart is ready.
Barna research consistently shows that many Americans have heard the gospel message repeatedly, yet fewer than half express any serious interest in following Christ. This reality should not discourage believers—but it should remind us that persuasion alone cannot produce conversion. Only the Spirit of God can awaken the soul.
As Jesus said:
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” — John 6:44
A Story Every Wise Soul-Winner Learns
Many seasoned evangelists tell the same story.
A young believer once tried to argue a hardened skeptic into faith. For hours he quoted Scripture, pleaded, and reasoned. The man laughed at every word. Finally an older Christian pulled the young man aside and quietly said, “Son, you’ve shared the pearl. Now stop feeding it to pigs.”
The young believer walked away discouraged—until weeks later he met another man who was hungry for truth. Within minutes that man asked, “Can you tell me how to be saved?”
The lesson became clear: sometimes the most loving thing you can do is move on to the next open door.
The Gospel Is Still for Everyone
None of this means the gospel is restricted. Jesus welcomed sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors, and thieves. The cross was built for the worst of humanity.
The point is not who deserves the gospel—no one does.
The point is who is willing to hear it.
The hymn writer captured it beautifully:
“There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains.”
That fountain is open to all—but not all will come.
The Simple Application
So what does Matthew 7:6 teach believers today?
Three clear truths emerge:
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The gospel is sacred. It is a priceless pearl entrusted to us.
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Discernment matters. Not everyone who hears it wants it.
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Our responsibility is faithfulness, not forced results.
We are called to sow the seed. Only God can reap and then make it grow.
And that frees the believer from frustration.
Share Christ boldly. Love people sincerely. Pray fervently.
But when someone repeatedly mocks the Savior and hardens his heart, Jesus gives permission to step back, shake the dust from your feet, and carry the pearl to another soul who may recognize its worth.
Because somewhere—often just around the corner—there is a heart ready to receive it.
