Matthew 7:6

6. Dogs… swine Our Lord in these last verses has cautioned us how we hastily judge a good man, a brother. He now teaches us how to estimate the reverse character, or any character. The dog and the swine are symbols of depraved men, the ferocious and the sensual.

The dogs of the East, especially the street dogs, who have no owners, and exist in great hordes as a nuisance, are an abomination often mentioned in Scripture. The swine, ceremonially unclean by the Mosaic law, and physically filthy and disgusting to all view, properly comes in with the dog to represent conjointly the ferocious and the sensual.

Now we must discern these characters. We must not intrust a holy thing to a dog. Apostles and bishops must not commit the office of the ministry to a wicked man. No sacred deposit, or responsibility, or even principle (symbolized by pearls) must be imparted to an unfit man. No doctrines or religious experiences must be brought before an incapable sensualist. In fine, in imparting the official trusts and the truths of the Gospel, we must discern men’s moral qualities, and deal with them accordingly.

In the latter part of the verse, the phrase, lest they trample them under their feet, refers to the swine. It describes the gross disregard which sensual men have for the most perfect gems of truth. Turn again and rend you, refers to the dogs. It alludes to the bitter irritation with which fierce natures treat the offers of truth to which they are opposed. Give the dog a pearl, and he will bite and tear you.

In regard to pearls, see note on Matthew 13:45.