Matthew 7:6 “…do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.”
If you grew up during the purity culture years of the 1980s and 1990s, this verse might be triggering, as it was often used as a warning for teenage girls to protect their virginity from being trampled by those “swineful” men.
I hate to say it, but that is definitely not the context or purpose of these words from Jesus.
Recall that Jesus was speaking to Jewish people, and for Jews, a pearl symbolized wisdom. Jesus expanded this idea of wisdom a few chapters later in Matthew when he uses pearls again in a parable, talking about a pearl representing the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 13:45-46). This is still true today—teachers often mention having a “pearl” of wisdom for their class.
In this context, the pearl represents spiritual truths and the radical teachings Jesus shared throughout his ministry. The imagery of casting or throwing Christ’s wisdom to pigs serves as a metaphor for wasting our words on people who do not value such truth. Jesus is quite clear about what happens when we feel we just “have to say something that’s true” to someone who disagrees with us, whether it’s a family member, friend, or someone online. Not only will our valid wisdom be “treated with rudeness and insult” (by the way, this is part of the definition of the Greek word for trample), but our personhood itself will also be attacked.
Have you ever felt this way? The confusing sensation of speaking what you believe is good and true, only to have your ideas mocked and anger directed at you. I believe this is exactly what Jesus was compassionately trying to protect us from.
Like many topics Jesus discussed, this instruction isn’t a strict rule telling people of faith to stay silent or avoid speaking truth. Rather, it calls for discernment and humility—to know when to speak and when to remain quiet. Ironically, these very qualities frame the verse itself: just before this, Jesus warns us to remove the “speck” from our own eye before judging others (humility), and immediately after, he invites us to ask, seek, and knock (discernment).
Wisdom is precious, but not all hearts are ready to receive it. Sometimes, speaking out only shatters what we hold dear. Let us give our “pearls” wisely, guided by God’s love.
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