Dog and Pigs: a Warning of the Sacred and Profane
Armodoxy for Today: Severity of the Dogs and Pigs
The Armenian Church refers to Holy Scripture reverently as Asdvadzashunch, that is, “The Breath of God.” During this week dedicated to translation and the Feast of the Holy Translators, we conclude this series of messages and meditations by looking at the passage ascribed to the Feast, by the Fathers of the Church. It comes to us from the Sermon on the Mount where our Lord warns the people, “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” (Matthew 7) Indeed, severe punishment for putting the sacred before the profane!
The Holy Fathers assigned this reading on the Church Calendar to speak to the sacredness of Holy Scripture. “Be careful!”, cautions our Lord, not to give what is sacred to the dogs!” But the warning doesn’t end there and Jesus continues with, as we heard, some rather gruesome expressions.
In the 16th century, what became to be called the Protestant Reformation in the West, had as one of its selling points the interpretation of Scriptures. Scripture was not understood as the Breath of God but as a Book delivered to us by God. As such, people were free to read and interpret it as they wish. As a result, the same words of Scripture had different meanings to different people. Nationalism, intolerance, wars and killings were justified by Scripture.
In the East and especially in Armenia, Protestantism didn’t come by way of a Reformation but slipped in during the 19th century and spread during the 20th century. Tragically, the place of Scripture as the Breath of God was lost and the currents in the West have convinced people that the Bible is a book of rules and regulations.
Author Rachel Held Evans notes that the same book can justify both sides of the same matter or argument. She writes, “If you are looking for verses with which to support slavery, you will find them. If you are looking for verses with which to abolish slavery, you will find them. If you are looking for verses with which to oppress women, you will find them. If you are looking for verses with which to liberate or honor women, you will find them. If you are looking for reasons to wage war, you will find them. If you are looking for reasons to promote peace, you will find them. If you are looking for an out-dated, irrelevant ancient text, you will find it. If you are looking for truth, believe me, you will find it. This is why there are times when the most instructive question to bring to the text is not “what does it say?”, but “what am I looking for?” I suspect Jesus knew this when he said, “ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened.” If you want to do violence in this world, you will always find the weapons. If you want to heal, you will always find the balm.”
It is with this thought that we leave you today and the experience of Asdvadzashunch – the Breath of God.
