Dogs and Hogs

May 7, 2018

“Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.“ (Matthew 7:6) I remember hearing these words quoted years ago when I was a teenager, and thinking that Jesus was instructing us to be careful about sharing the Gospel with certain people. I suspect I wasn’t the only one who misunderstood what Jesus was saying; it’s time to correct the misperception.

The only other place in the Bible where pigs and dogs are expressly mentioned together is in 2 Peter 2:22 where, speaking of false teachers, Peter says, “It has happened to them according to the true proverb: A dog returns to its own vomit, and, “a washed sow returns to wallowing in the mud.” So instead of trying to decide who is likely to receive the Gospel and who is likely to reject it, this text is more appropriately dealing with false teachers. Jesus is telling us to use fruit to test truth.

We always get into trouble when we try to figure out who is or who isn’t a likely candidate for conversion. The “nice” people we think will respond to the Gospel often are most resistant because they see no need for a Savior, while those we think would have no interest at all, jump at the offer of Christ’s forgiveness and cleansing; they don’t need to be convinced of their need.

I think when Jesus warns us about what we do with what is holy and beautiful, he is warning us to not be taken in by those in the Church who look good, but are actually wolves in sheep’s clothing. The Church has plenty of such people, and many a Christian has been led down a path to destruction by following their teaching. Peter describes in detail the teaching and lifestyle these false teachers espouse. The need for discernment is just as real today as it was 2,000 years ago, but thank God, we have been given all we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:3).