—In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus admonished his followers to “cast not your pearls before swine.”
—That is, his followers were to deliver their message to those who would appreciate it, not to those incapable of appreciating something of value. Swine, or pigs, would be unable to appreciate pearls if the jewels were given to them.
—To “cast one’s pearls before swine” is to offer something precious to someone, or a group of people, unable to appreciate the value of what they are being given.
--
Example: When Mr. Whitman makes a profound point that we students just do not understand, he sometimes shakes his head and mutters, “Pearls before swine.”
—That is, his followers were to deliver their message to those who would appreciate it, not to those incapable of appreciating something of value. Swine, or pigs, would be unable to appreciate pearls if the jewels were given to them.
—To “cast one’s pearls before swine” is to offer something precious to someone, or a group of people, unable to appreciate the value of what they are being given.
--
Example: When Mr. Whitman makes a profound point that we students just do not understand, he sometimes shakes his head and mutters, “Pearls before swine.”
RSS Feed