Fathers

Matthew 7

Tap a verse to read the Fathers. Press and hold, then drag, to make a card.

“Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye? Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye. “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. “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets. “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it. How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’ Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’ “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” When Jesus had finished saying these things, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes.

About · Privacy · Credits · Support VRSZ

What the Fathers say

Matthew 7:6

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine." "Yet surely further on," it will be said, "He commanded, 'What ye have heard in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.'" But this is in no wise contrary to the former. For neither in that place did He simply command to tell all men, but to whom it should be spoken, to them He bade speak with freedom. …

Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 23 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." The dogs are the unbelievers and the swine are believers who lead a filthy and shameful way of life. One ought not therefore to speak of the mysteries to the unbelievers, nor speak brilliant and lustrous words of theology to those who are unclean. For the swine trample them underfoot, that is, despise what is said, while the dogs turn on us and tear us limb from limb. …

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

For having removed from our own eye the beam of envy, of malice, or hypocrisy, we shall see clearly to cast the beam out of our brother's eye. (ubi sup.) Because the simplicity to which He had been directing in the foregoing precepts might lead some wrongly to conclude that it was equally wrong to hide the truth as to utter what was false, He well adds, Give not that which is holy to the dogs, and cast not your pearls before swine. (Serm. in Mont. ii. …

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Jerome

Do not give what is holy to the dogs. Holy, it is the bread of the children. Therefore, we should not take the bread of the children and give it to the dogs. Do not cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. The pig does not appreciate ornamentation, as it wallows in the mire. And according to the Proverbs of Solomon: If he has a golden circle, he is found to be more vile. (Prov. XI, 22). …

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Thomas Aquinas

He continues: Give not to dogs what is holy. In this statement he shows that judgment should be circumspect. Note, therefore, what is meant by "holy" and what by "pearls". Augustine: "Holy things are to be kept inviolate and immaculate; precious pearls should not be held in low esteem." By dogs who tear with their teeth are signified heretics; by swine who trample under foot, the unclean. Therefore, to give holy things to dogs is to minister holy things to heretics. …

Commentary on Matthew ↗