Matthew 7:6
6“Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
After calling for humble self-examination, Jesus warns against naive exposure of holy things. “Dogs” and “pigs” are vivid images for contemptuous hostility, not labels for people we dislike. Wisdom and love together: do not fuel scoffing that only hardens and harms.
The emphasis is on responsible stewardship of the gospel. Grace makes us eager to share; prudence keeps us from casting pearls where they will only be crushed. Both readings hold: holiness is precious, and discernment is part of love.
The saying balances 7:1–5. Mercy toward a brother is distinct from handing holy things to those who despise them. Jesus trains discernment without licensing contempt.
The church guards Word and sacrament as gifts of the King. Prudence is not unbelief; it is reverence under providence—refusing to treat the holy as cheap fodder for mockery.
Key contrast Both affirm holy prudence without canceling evangelistic love. Arminians often stress grace-enabled discernment in how we share; Reformed readers often stress reverence for sacred gifts entrusted to the church under Christ’s lordship.