37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. 39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? 40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. 41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye. (Luke 6:37-42 KJV)
Do Not Judge
All these sayings of Christ were previously recorded in Matthew and Luke 7, among other places. They were commonly used teachings of Jesus—brief, impactful, and easy to apply. Grotius noted that these sayings need not be examined for strict coherence; they are golden truths, much like Solomon’s proverbs.
We should be gracious when judging others, because we need grace ourselves. “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned” (Luke 6:37). Show others the same charity that thinks no evil, bears all things, and hopes all things—and the same will be shown to you. God and others will deal with us as we deal with them.
A giving and forgiving spirit brings blessings. “Forgive, and you will be forgiven… Give, and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38). When we forgive others, God forgives us. When we give generously, God, who sees and rewards in providence, returns it—pressed down, shaken together, and running over—often through others as instruments of His goodness (Hebrews 6:10). If we help others in their need, God can incline others to help us in ours. Those who sow generously will reap generously.
We should expect to be treated the way we treat others. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38). If we are harsh, we can expect harshness in return, as Adoni-bezek acknowledged in Judges 1:7. On the other hand, those who are kind often find kindness when they need it. While complete justice is reserved for the next world, God’s providence usually reflects enough of it to warn us against harshness and encourage generosity.
Those who follow ignorant or misguided leaders are likely to be ruined with them. “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?” (Luke 6:39). The Pharisees, blinded by pride and prejudice, could not lead people rightly. Those who blindly follow worldly customs are walking in darkness and are led by the blind toward destruction.
Christ’s disciples should not expect better treatment in this world than He received. “The student is not above the teacher… but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher” (Luke 6:40). We must not seek more honor or comfort than Jesus had. To be like Him is to be dead to worldly things, live in humility, and labor for others’ good. That is the path of a true disciple.
Anyone who seeks to correct others must first be careful to correct themselves (Luke 6:41-42). It’s hypocritical to notice minor faults in others while ignoring major ones in ourselves. We must begin with self-examination. Only then are we fit to help others. Reforming our own lives first makes our influence more effective.