Mat 7:6 | TNotes | STEP | 7:6 Rabbis often referred to important ideas or Scripture verses as pearls . The mysteries of the Kingdom (13:11 ) are holy (see Exod 29:33 ; Lev 2:3 ; 22:10-16 ; Num 18:8-10 ). • Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy: Literally Don’t give the sacred to dogs. Jews often referred to Gentiles as dogs (see Matt 15:26 ; see Ps 22:16 , 20 ) or pigs because those animals were unclean (Lev 11 ). Some interpreters understand this statement as warning that the message of the Kingdom would not be well received by many Gentiles. Others see it as a warning about offering the message of the Kingdom to the resistant Jewish leaders (see Matt 5:20 ; 10:11-14 ; see also Heb 10:29 ) or to unbelievers in general (see Matt 18:17 ; see also 1 Cor 2:13-16 ; 2 Pet 2:21-22 ).

a7:6►

b13:11►

cExod 29:33►

dLev 2:3►

e22:10-16►

fNum 18:8-10►

gMatt 15:26►

hPs 22:16►

i20►

jLev 11►

kMatt 5:20►

l10:11-14►

mHeb 10:29►

nMatt 18:17►

o1 Cor 2:13-16►

p2 Pet 2:21-22►

‏ Matthew 7:6

7:6 ^a Rabbis often referred to important ideas or Scripture verses as pearls. The mysteries of the Kingdom (13:11 ^b) are holy (see Exod 29:33 ^c; Lev 2:3 ^d; 22:10-16 ^e; Num 18:8-10 ^f).

• Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy: Literally Don’t give the sacred to dogs. Jews often referred to Gentiles as dogs (see Matt 15:26 ^g; see Ps 22:16 ^h, 20 ⁱ) or pigs because those animals were unclean (Lev 11 ^j). Some interpreters understand this statement as warning that the message of the Kingdom would not be well received by many Gentiles. Others see it as a warning about offering the message of the Kingdom to the resistant Jewish leaders (see Matt 5:20 ^k; 10:11-14 ^l; see also Heb 10:29 ^m) or to unbelievers in general (see Matt 18:17 ⁿ; see also 1 Cor 2:13-16 ^o; 2 Pet 2:21-22 ^p).