Matthew 7:6-10
 
Mat 7:6 (KJB)
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.
 
Under the law, both dogs and swine were considered unclean animals. Both of these animals were used as scavenger animals and were symbols of evil and uncleanness. (Exo 22:31 KJV) And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs. (Lev 11:7 KJV) And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. There is a double meaning to this verse. In the first 5 verses of this chapter, the Lord spoke about judging one’s brother wrongly. The first meaning may be that we must be very careful if we approach someone who is living an evil lifestyle and try to warn them that their doom is sure if they continue. They may respond with a blasphemous and threatening response. Jesus is telling the people if that is how they respond to your desire to help, then they are the dogs and the swine and are to be left alone because they may physically harm you if you persist. The second meaning is that when we present the Gospel to people and they continually mock and scoff at it, then they are to be treated as dogs and swine and we are to refrain from further attempts to evangelize them. However, we must be very careful to discern between those who reject it by mocking and those who reject it by not understanding or who think they are good enough to make it their way. Those who do not understand or think they are good enough may continue to listen to you because they have not rejected you by mocking.
 
Mat 7:7 (KJB)
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
 
Many have used this verse as a formula to try and get the things they want in prayer but it is not that type of prayer. It is tied back to the previous teachings that Jesus gave and it is like a summary of those teachings concerning praying with the right motives. First of all we are to ask for the things that we need such as the food and raiment and the spiritual food and raiment. This is in contrast to those who go about anxiously seeking the material goods of the world. God knows we have need and when we come to Him in prayer, we ask for those things. Then we are to seek and that means we seek the face of the Lord, or in other words we only seek Him as our only source of both spiritual and material things of necessity. Then finally as one knocks on a door till it is opened, we must remain vigilant in prayer until we receive the answer from the Lord. The words ask, seek, and knock are all in the present tense which means they are referring to a continuous action. Luke 18:1-7 speaks about the fact that even an unjust or unsaved judge will respond to continuing requests, how much more our Heavenly Father will when our prayers are vigilant and diligent.
 
Mat 7:8 (KJB)
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
 
This verse basically is a response to verse 7. The three words asketh, seeketh, and knocketh are in the present tense forms meaning it is a continual action on part of the believer. This verse teaches that God will respond to the prayers which are in keeping with what the Lord just spoke about and according to His will. The believers’ faith and trust in God causes the believer to continually ask. The seekers are determined to keep seeking. The knockers continue to desire to enter into the fellowship and blessings that are theirs in Christ.
 
Mat 7:9 (KJB)
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
 
Then Jesus asks a simple question of those fathers who are in attendance. He asks them if your son asks for some bread are you going to give him a stone instead? That would be a cruel trick to play on a child who might think a stone is bread and then bite it and break his teeth causing him much pain. Or if his son was hungry, would a stone satisfy his hunger as bread would? The answer, of course, is no.
 
Mat 7:10 (KJB)
Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
 
Both bread and fish were staple foods around the Sea of Galilee, so both of these illustrations would drive the truth home to them. If a son asks for fish, would his father give him a snake instead and risk the chance his son gets bit and dies from poison. If a son was hungry for eel and was given a poisonous snake, it would cause this son to die. Both eels and stones, which looked like the Pita Bread would not be substituted for what was asked for.

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