3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 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? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:3-5 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
By the mote in our brother’s eye, is to be understood small and little sins, or some supposed sins: by the beam in our own eye, is meant some notorious sin of our own.
Learn, 1. That those who are most censorious of the lesser infirmities of others, are usually most notoriously guilty of far greater failings themselves.
2. That those who desire others should look upon their infirmities with a compassionate eye, must not look upon the failings of others with a censorious eye.
3. That there is no such way to teach us charity in judging others, as to exercise severity in judging ourselves.
Thomas Scott Commentary
Verses 3-5: These verses show, that though Christ addressed his disciples as the children of God, yet he warned them, on the supposition that there might be hypocrites among them.
—If a man, whose eyes were closed with some obstruction or disease (which like a beam was evident to all, and which entirely prevented him from seeing any object distinctly), should affect curiously to spy out some little particle in another man’s eye, and officiously offer to remove it, he would render himself ridiculous. His attention ought to be directed to the disordered state of his own eyes, and his endeavors used to remedy it, before he offered his assistance to his brother.
—Thus, while Christians should watch over one another, and point out and remedy even small mistakes in each other’s principles and practice; the man who presumes to reprove every defect of other’s when his own principles, spirit, and conduct are notoriously wrong, only proves his own pride, officiousness, and hypocrisy. He who would become a wise and a faithful reprover or minister, must begin at home, and first “take heed to himself, and to his doctrine,” temper, and conduct: when these are become unexceptionable, he may with propriety, authority, and hope of success, offer his help to his brethren in rectifying their judgments, and promoting their sanctifications; yet he will do it with humility, prudence, tenderness, and candor.
—But, alas! It is observable, that in spiritual optics a beam in the eye generally renders a man quick sighted in discerning other men’s faults, and blind to his own.
—It is probable that our Lord alluded to some proverbial expressions familiar to his hearers, the knowledge of which would throw more light on the subject than any criticism on the original words can do.
—‘There was a proverbial speech among the Jews in and before Christ’s time, (set down afterwards, with some variation, in the Talmud thus:) They which say to others, Take out the small piece of wood out of thy teeth, are answered, Take out the beam out of thine eyes: to check the importunity of those who are always censuring and condemning others for small matters, when they themselves are guilty of those things which are much more to be reprehended.—Hammond.