QUESTION #7 Why behold the mote that is in thy brother's eye?

    QUESTIONS JESUS ASKED BIBLE STUDY

 

     

     Read Matthew 7:1-6 KJV: 

 

  Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? *Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye yet fail to consider the beam that is in your own eye? (Matthew 7:3) * words in black paraphrased by me

     Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? (Matthew 7:4)

 

HYPOCRITICAL JUDGEMENT

Reference: Matthew 7:1-6, Luke 6:37-38, 41-42, Mark 4:24

 

Jesus’ command not to judge others could be the most widely quoted verse of His sayings, even though it is almost always quoted in complete disregard of its context. Here is Jesus’ statement: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged”. Many people use this in an attempt to silence their critics, interpreting Jesus’ meaning as, “You don’t have the right to tell me I’m wrong.” Taken in isolation, Jesus’ command “Do not judge” does indeed seem to preclude all negative assessments. However, there is much more to the passage than those three words.

 

One who judges others is compared to a person presuming to cast a splinter out of his brother’s eye while a plank is in his own eye! This is a vivid picture of a person who ignores his own grievous sins while trying to correct the relatively minor shortcomings of another. Jesus reminds us that we often pass judgment on others to keep from examining ourselves. In fact, He called it hypocritical. 

 

Hypocritical judgment is wrong. Jesus’ command not to judge others in Matthew 7:1 is preceded by comparisons to hypocrites (Matthew 6:2, 5, 16) and followed by a warning against hypocrisy (Matthew 7:3-5). When we point out the sin of others while we ourselves commit the same sin, we condemn ourselves (Romans 2:1).

 

Harsh, unforgiving judgment is wrong. We are “always to be gentle toward everyone” (Titus 3:2). It is the merciful that will be shown mercy (Matthew 5:7), and as Jesus warned, “In the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you”. Jesus warned that those who use a harsh standard of judgment when evaluating others can expect God to use the same harsh standard when they face His judgment.

 

Christians are often accused of “judging” when they speak out against sin. But opposing sin is not wrong. Holding to the standard of righteousness often condemns those that live in sin. Believers are warned against judging others unfairly or un-righteously, but Jesus commends “right judgment” (John 7:24). We are to be discerning (Colossians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:21). We are to preach the whole council of God, including the Bible’s teaching on sin (Acts 20:27; 2 Timothy 4:2). We are to gently confront erring brothers and sisters in Christ (Galatians 6:1). We are to practice church discipline (Matthew 18:15-17). We are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Believers do have a responsibility to help one another repent of sins, but only after first dealing with their own serious sins.

 

Then in Matther 7:6, Jesus softens these admonitions and shows us the difference between “judgment” and “discernment.” We are not to be hypocritical judges, yet we must be able to discern the swine, lest we cast our pearls before them. In His sermon, Jesus uses dogs and pigs as a pictured example of those who would ridicule, reject, and blaspheme the gospel once it is presented to them. We are not to expose the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who have no purpose other than to trample it and return to their own evil ways. 

 

Repeatedly sharing the gospel with someone who continually scoffs and ridicules Christ is like casting pearls before the swine. Consequently, the pearls here symbolize Jesus’ teachings given by the disciples. Swine were ritually unclean animals, they symbolized the wicked and unclean. This contempt for the gospel is pictured by the pig trampling the pearls underfoot. That pigs may turn against the one offering the pearls show that contempt for the gospel message can become contempt for the gospel messenger.

 

Notes: