Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 7:3
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that [is] in thine own eye?
3. the mote ] The English word is either connected with mite (the coin) from a Latin root (minutum), or mite (the insect) from an Anglo-Saxon root meaning “to cut,” “sever,” or from one meaning “to eat.” The Greek word = a “dry particle” of dust, wool, &c.
beholdest considerest ] It is the contrast between judging from the outside, and examination of the heart. The Greek verbs in this, and the Greek prepositions in the following verses, convey this contrast.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And why beholdest thou the mote … – A mote signifies any light substance, as dry chaff, or fine spires of grass or grain. It probably most usually signified the small spiculae or beards on a head of barley or wheat. It is thus placed in opposition to the word beam.
Beam – The word used here signifies a large piece of squared timber. The one is an exceedingly small object, the other a large one. The meaning is, that we are much more quick and acute to judge of small offences in others, than of much larger offences in ourselves. Even a very small object in the eye of another we discern much more quickly than a much larger one in our own; a small fault in our neighbor we see much more readily than a large one in ourselves. This was also a proverb in frequent use among the Jews, and the same sentiment was common among the Greeks, and deserves to be expressed in every language.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Mat 7:3-5
The mote that is in thy brothers eye.
Three lessons stand out conspicuously in the text.
1. Close inspection of ourselves, lest any evil lurk there unobserved which we abhor in others; lest we be like the farmer whose field is overrun with weeds, who delights in pointing out the defective condition of a neighbours farm.
2. Avoidance of passing rash judgments on others.
3. Readiness to assist others in overcoming their faults. (Baring Gould, M. A.)
The beam and the mote
I. That sin may exist in man to an enormous extent, and yet he be unconscious of it-the beam. Several things tend to produce this unconsciousness.
1. Habit.
2. Association.
3. Satanic agency.
II. That however unconscious of our own sins, we may be alive to the sins of others.
1. Sin does not destroy the faculty for discerning moral distinctions.
2. The importance of Christians being circumspect in their conduct.
III. That self-improvement is a necessity qualification for the improvement of others. (Dr. David Thomas.)
Self-knowledge needful in a minister
At Wragby, in Yorkshire, in the vestry of the church is a very curious old painted window, representing in coloured glass the subject of my text; a man with a huge piece of wood before his eyes is trying diligently to extract a mere speck from the eye of another man. And this picture is most appropriately placed in the vestry, as it reminds the priest, whose ministry it is to declare to the people their faults and sins, that he should closely examine himself, lest, after he has preached to others, he himself should be a cast-away. (Baring Gould, M. A.)
Social intercourse should be free from scandal
I have got a piece of plate, probably two hundred years old, for the table at meal time. On the silver is embossed a representation of the mote and the beam; a man with a spiked log sticking into his eye is trying hard to pick a tiny grain out of the eye of another. Perhaps you may think it most inappropriate to have such a group and subject on a piece of plate before ones eyes commonly. But I do not think so. It is when families meet, or guests assemble round the board, that the characters of neighbours are most freely talked over. (Baring Gould, M. A.)
A knowledge of self gives skill in dealing with others
It is only when we have wrestled with and overcome our own besetting sins, that we have the insight and tact to direct others how to overcome theirs. Massillon, the great French preacher, was once asked where he obtained his profound knowledge of the world and of the human passions, and his skill in solving religious difficulties. From my own heart, he replied. In his endeavours after personal holiness he had met and vanquished, one by one, those bosom sins which trouble men. Their false excuses, their specious pretences, their conflicts with temptation, their weak submission to vices which they have vowed to forsake, their remorse, their fears-he knew them all from experience, and he described them as one who knew. Hence the convicting pungency of his preaching, by which the careless courtiers of Versailles were impressed, and to which Louis XIV. himself bore witness. At the close of a sermon the king said to him, I have heard several great orators, and been very much pleased with them; but every time I have heard you I have been very much displeased with myself. The ability to minister to others is acquired through faithful self-treatment.
Consistency required in the reprover
Before thou reprehend another, take heed that thou art not culpable in what thou goest about to reprehend. He that cleanses a blot with blurred fingers will make a greater blot. E yen the candle-snuffers of the sanctuary were of pure gold. (Quarles.)
Nowadays men take upon themselves to reprove others for committing such things as themselves do practise without amendment. Therefore these are like some tailors, who are busy in decking and tricking up others, but go both bare and beggarly themselves. (Henry Smith.)
If my carriage be unblamable, my counsel and reproof will be the more acceptable. Wholesome meat often is distasteful, coming out of nasty hands. A bad liver cannot be a good counsellor or bold reprover; such a man must speak softly for fear of awaking his own guilty conscience. If the bell be cracked, the sound must needs be jarring. (Swinnock.)
The vicious reproving vice, is the raven chiding blackness. (Eliza Cook.)
It is easier to judge others than to improve ourselves
Easy and ordinary is it for men to be others physicians, rather than their own. They can weed others gardens, whiles their own is overrun with nettles. But charity begins at home; and he that loves not his own soul, I will hardly trust him with mine. The usurer blames his sons pride, sees not his own extortion; and whiles the hypocrite is helping the dissolute out of the mire, he sticks in deeper himself. No marvel if, when we fix both our eyes on others wants, we lack a third to see our own. If two blind men rush one upon another in the way, either complains of others blindness, neither of his own. Thus, like mannerly guests, when a good morsel is carved us, we lay it liberally on anothers trencher, and fast ourselves. How much better were it for us to feed on our own portion! (Adams.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 3. And why beholdest thou the mote] might be translated the splinter: for splinter bears some analogy to beam, but mote does not. I should prefer this word (which has been adopted by some learned men) on the authority of Hesychius, who is a host in such matters; , , Karphos is a thin piece of wood, a splinter. It often happens that the faults which we consider as of the first enormity in others are, to our own iniquities, as a chip is, when compared to a large beam. On one side, self-love blinds us to ourselves; and, on the other, envy and malice give us piercing eyes in respect of others. When we shall have as much zeal to correct ourselves, as we have inclination to reprove and correct others, we shall know our own defects better than now we know those of our neighbour. There is a caution very similar to this of our Lord given by a heathen: –
Cum tua praevideas oculis mala lippus inunctis:
Cur in amicorum vitiis tam cernis acutum,
Quam aut aquila, aut serpens Epidaurius?
Hor. Sat. lib. 1. sat. 3. l. 25-27.
“When you can so readily overlook your own wickedness, why are you more clear-sighted than the eagle or serpent of Epidaurus, in spying out the failings of your friends?”
But the saying was very common among the Jews, as may be seen in Lightfoot.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Whether the word translated mote signifieth a mote or a splinter, is of no great concern to know. Our Saviour expounded this text, when he said to the Pharisees, bringing him a woman taken in adultery: Let him that is guiltless throw the first stone. So doth the apostle Paul, Rom 2:1. The text teacheth us these lessons:
1. That those who are most censorious of others, are usually more notorious and culpable themselves, if not for the same sins, yet for others of equal if not greater magnitude.
2. That it is notorious hypocrisy to spy smaller faults in others, and not to see greater in ourselves.
3. That it is notorious impudence to pretend to censure and judge others for sins in which we live ourselves.
4. That there is no such way to teach us charity in not hastily, rashly, or too severely judging others, as to look first into our own hearts and ways, and seeing if we have not the same or greater failings. Our charity in this kind should begin at home.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. And why beholdest thou themote“splinter,” here very well rendered “mote,”denoting any small fault.
that is in thy brother’s eye,but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?denotingthe much greater fault which we overlook in ourselves.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye?…. By “mote” is meant, any little bit of straw, or small splinter of wood, that flies into the eye, and does it damage, hinders its sight, and gives it pain; and designs little sins, comparatively speaking, such as youthful follies, human frailties, and infirmities, inadvertencies and imprudencies; which may be said to be light faults, in comparison of others: and though not to be vindicated, nor continued in, yet not to be severely looked upon and chastised. To scrutinize diligently into, aggravate, dwell upon, and sharply reprove the lighter faults of others, is a conduct, which is here inveighed against, and condemned by Christ; and more especially, when it may be said with the greatest truth and justice to such,
but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye: by the “beam” is meant, greater sins, grosser abominations, and such as were more peculiar to the Pharisees; as pride, arrogance, a vain opinion of themselves, confidence in their own righteousness, hypocrisy, covetousness, and iniquity; things they did not advert to in themselves, when they loudly exclaimed against lesser evils in others. Such men must be of all persons inexcusable, who condemn that in others, which either they themselves do, or what is abundantly worse.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The mote ( ). Not dust, but a piece of dried wood or chaff, splinter (Weymouth, Moffatt), speck (Goodspeed), a very small particle that may irritate.
The beam ( ). A log on which planks in the house rest (so papyri), joist, rafter, plank (Moffatt), pole sticking out grotesquely. Probably a current proverb quoted by Jesus like our people in glass houses throwing stones. Tholuck quotes an Arabic proverb: “How seest thou the splinter in thy brother’s eye, and seest not the cross-beam in thine eye?”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Beholdest [] . Staring at from without, as one who does not see clearly.
Considerest [] . A stronger word, apprehendest from within, what is already there.
Mote [] . A. V. and Rev. The word mote, however, suggests dust; whereas the figure is that of a minute chip or splinter, of the same material with the beam. Wyc. renders festu, with the explanation, a little mote. In explaining the passage it is well to remember that the obstruction to sight is of the same material in both cases. The man with a great beam in his eye, who therefore can see nothing accurately, proposes to remove the little splinter from his brother ‘s eye, a delicate operation, requiring clear sight. The figure of a splinter to represent something painful or annoying is a common oriental one. Tholuck (” Sermon on the Mount “) quotes from the Arabic several passages in point, and one which is literally our Lord ‘s saying : “How seest thou the splinter in thy brother ‘s eye, and seest not the cross – beam in thine eye ?”
Beam [] . A log, joist, rafter; indicating a great fault.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And why beholdest thou the mote,” (ti de blepeis to karphos) “Then why do you see the chip,” why do you stare or glare at it? Why focus your attention, critical words of judgment and disparagement, Luk 6:41-42.
2) “That is in thy brother’s eye,” (to en ophthalmo tou adelphou sou) “The one (chip) that is in your own brother’s eye;” For everyone of us shall give an account to the Lord for himself, Rom 14:12.
3) “But considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? (ten de en to so ophthalmo dokon ou katanoeis) “Yet you do not personally consider the beam in your own eye?” Just why? Hypocrisy of slanted, unfair judgment, is here condemned; To find fault with a splinter or chip or small particle (a minute foreign matter), in the character of a brother while having a foundation beam in your own eye or character is the action of a fool, see? Rom 2:1-2.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Mat 7:3
. And why seest thou the straw? He expressly touches upon a fault, which is usually found in hypocrites. While they are too quick-sighted in discerning the faults of others, and employ not only severe, but intentionally exaggerated, language in describing them, they throw their own sins behind their back, or are so ingenious in finding apologies for them, that they wish to be held excusable even in very gross offenses. Christ therefore reproves both evils: the excessive sagacity, which arises from a defect of charity, when we sift too closely the faults of brethren, and the indulgence by which we defend and cherish our own sins.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) Why beholdest thou the mote . . .?The Greek noun so translated means a stalk or twig rather than one of the fine particles of dust floating in the sun to which we attach the word mote. The illustration seems to have been a familiar one among the Jews, and a proverb all but verbally identical is found as a saying of Rabbi Tarphon. Like illustrations have been found in the proverbs and satires of every country, all teaching that men are keen-sighted as to the faults of others, blind as to their own. The Gracchi complain of sedition, and Clodius accuses others of adultery. We all need the wish
Oh, wad some Power the giftie gie us,
To see oursels as others see us!
But considerest.There is the same contrast as between seeing and considering in Mat. 6:26; Mat. 6:28. Our own faults require the careful scrutiny which we never give them: the faults of others we should be content to glance at.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Mote beam eye The mote is a small splinter, and the beam is a whole rafter. The eye is the man’s judging or opining faculty. The mote and the beam are the interferences to our seeing or judging things purely and fairly. Thy brother’ s eye thy own Thou perceivest on thy own selfish judgment-seat that thy brother has very absurd opinions; he sees things very strangely; it is because of that little splinter in his eye; take it out. Alas! there is no splinter there. What thou seest is only the image of a whole timber in thine own eye reflected into his. That timber is made by some moral mistake, some selfish passion of thine own. Perhaps when thou hast pitched the lumber out of thy own optics, thou wilt find the splinter gone from his.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
And why do you behold the splinter (or ‘speck of sawdust’) that is in your brother’s eye,
But do not consider the plank that is in your own eye?
Jesus had a full understanding of the weaknesses of men. Elsewhere He says quite blatantly to His disciples, “If you then, being evil —” (Mat 7:11; Luk 11:13). There He assumes evil, even in His own disciples, for He knew to its full depths the heart of man. Here therefore He makes clear that He is well aware that even good Christian men walk around with planks, or more accurately ‘large beams’, such as hold up the roof of a building, in their eyes. In other words that they are regularly guilty of wrong behaviour and attitudes, and of seeing things wrongly, and especially in cases such as these of judging from prejudice or some other false motive, and doing so hypocritically. It is a sad truth that there is often nothing more plain to us than the faults of others, especially if we do not like them or they are rivals, while remarkably we find our own many faults very difficult to spot, because our eye is not ‘single’. We see the sins of others as being as dark as can be. But we think on the other hand, that our own failures are mere peccadilloes, and fully understandable. We ‘condone the sins we are inclined to, by damning those we have no mind to’. Ours we see as only the slightest of sins, almost no sins at all (even though they crucified Christ), while we often see the sins of others as being of deepest dye . Jesus’ point, however, is that until things are the other way round and we recognise the grossness of our own sins, and that the sin of our brother or sister is therefore the one that is the more understandable, we are in no fit state to help them. And the reason that we do not see it like that is because of the plank that is in our eye which prevents us from seeing properly. Spiritually we have defective vision. Our eye is failing to be the lamp of our body (Mat 6:22). Thus our first move must be to get rid of that plank.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The proverb of the mote and the beam:
v. 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?
v. 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?
v. 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. This example or parable is an excellent comparison to bring out with the proper emphasis the warning against uncharitable judging. The mote, the tiny particle of dust, of wood, or of chaff, in the eye of another, is readily seen and commented upon, with many offers of assistance to remove the disagreeable object. But at the same time, the wooden beam, the log or joist, in one’s own eye causes no discomfort, is, in fact, not even noticed. The Lord purposely uses an exaggeration to impress His admonition on the minds of His hearers, and we cannot weaken His picture by substituting “splinter” for “beam. ” The contrast is essential for the success of His teaching. A petty theft is widely advertised, but commercial dishonesty and grafting is overlooked for reasons of policy; a single unguarded expression is severely blamed, but the continual use of blasphemous epithets goes without a rebuke. And the hypocrisy stands out all the more glaringly on account of the feigned sympathy: Permit me, hold still a minute! as though the most disinterested, charitable motives were behind the question. In righteous indignation Christ calls such an offender a hypocrite, Psa 50:16, a base pretender at sanctification, and bids him above all remove the greater obstruction out of his own eye. After that he may consider, set himself the task, make a careful survey as to the need and possibility of, removing the mote out of the neighbor’s eye. Let everyone first watch over the reformation of his own life. Then his tendency toward uncharitable criticism will be reduced considerably, and he will be in better position to be of assistance, kindly and carefully, to a brother that may be guilty of a fault.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Mat 7:3. And why beholdest thou . “Why dost thou observe, or take notice of?” For the original word here signifies not only to be acquainted with other people’s faults, but to pry into them, with a design to censure and reprove them. Eye here, as in ch. Mat 5:29 and Mat 6:22 signifies the intention, which is the usual subject of rash censures; because actions are self-evident, and not so liable to misconstruction, as the intention wherewith they are performed. This latter is not apparent, and therefore leaves room for that rash judgment which our Lord had just before prohibited. The word which we render mote signifies a splinter or shiver of wood; in Latin festuca, whence the English fescue (see Johnson’s Dictionary). This, and the beam as its opposite, were proverbially used by the Jews to denote small infirmities and gross faults; each of which proportionably obstruct the moral discernment. See Stockius on the word , Heylin, and Horace, Sat, 3: lib. 1: Mat 7:26.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mat 7:3 . , a minute fragment of twig, wood, or straw, which, in entering the eye (see Wetstein), becomes the figurative representation of a slight moral fault; , again, is the figure by which a heinous [425] fault is denoted. Comp. Lightfoot, p. 307; Buxtorf, Lex Talm . p. 2080. Tholuck prefers to find the point of comparison in the pain caused by the splinter or beam in the eye. This is inadmissible, for otherwise it could not be said, in reference to the beam in the eye, , i.e. thou perceivest not, art not aware . It is the magnitude of his own moral defects that the self-righteous man fails to discover. The brother , as in Mat 5:22 . Notice, further, the arrangement of words so appropriate to the sense in the second clause.
[425] The view of Theophylact, Baumgarten-Crusius, and several others, that the beam in a man’s own eye is calculated to make him conscious of his incapacity for recognising the faults of others , is foreign to the context. Luther correctly observes: “That He may the more earnestly warn us, He takes a rough simile, and paints the thing before our eyes, pronouncing some such opinion as this, that every one who judges his neighbour has a huge beam in his eye, while he who is judged has only a tiny chip, (and) that he is ten times more deserving of judgment and condemnation for having condemned others.”
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
DISCOURSE: 1326
THE BEAM AND THE MOTE
Mat 7:3-5. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 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? 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 brothers eye.
OBSERVATION and experience shew, that the less any person is acquainted with his own infirmities, the more he will be disposed to censure the infirmities of others. But as such a disposition is totally repugnant to that love which Christianity inculcates, our Lord cautioned his hearers against it, and taught them, in the parable before us, to scrutinize and reform themselves before they presumed to take upon themselves the office of censuring and reclaiming others.
In this parable we may observe,
I.
The evil of censoriousness
Censoriousness is a compound of pride and malice. It originates in a high conceit of our own worth, and a desire to reduce others to a level with ourselves, or to a state below us. It is an evil,
1.
Base in itself
[The man who censures others professes a high regard for virtue, and a zeal for the honour of God. But what regard has he for virtue who does not cultivate it in his own soul? or what zeal has he for the honour of God, who does not bring his own heart into an obedience to his will? Even supposing that he were not himself notoriously faulty in other respects (which supposition however will never be found true) how flagrant is his breach of duty at the very instant he pretends such a regard for duty! He violates the most acknowledged principle of common equity; he acts not towards others as, in a change of circumstances, he would think it right for them to act towards him; and therefore at the very instant he condemns others, he unwittingly condemns himself. Who does not see the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, who were indignant with our Lord for working miracles on the sabbath, while they themselves were conspiring against his life? Such, in their degree, are all they, who are offended with a mote in their brothers eye, while they have a beam in their own. Well therefore does our Lord address them by that humiliating appellation, Thou hypocrite. A baser character than this can scarcely exist.]
2.
Injurious to our neighbour
[Every person values his reputation, and esteems the loss of it as a great misfortune. But in judging any man with severity, or exposing needlessly his faults, we rob him of his good name, and impoverish him without enriching ourselves. How injurious such conduct is we may see, if we will only consider what we feel when we are rigorously or unjustly censured. The sensibility we manifest, and the keen resentment we express, are sufficient indications of the injury which we suppose ourselves at least to have sustained.]
3.
Insulting to our God
[God claims it as his prerogative to judge. As he alone is privy to all the circumstances of any case, he alone can judge of it aright: besides, he has appointed a day wherein he will display his righteousness, in awarding to every one a judgment suited to his real character: and he requires us to defer our judgment till that time [Note: Rom 14:10. 1Co 4:5.]. But in taking upon ourselves to censure and condemn others we invade his prerogative, we usurp his power, we set ourselves in his throne, we supersede, or anticipate at least, his judgment. In this light censoriousness is often stated by God himself; and a holy indignation is invariably expressed against those who shall presume to indulge it [Note: Rom 14:4. Jam 4:11-12; Jam 2:13.].]
Our Lord having exposed the unreasonableness and impiety of this sin, gives,
II.
The advice properfor those who are addicted to it
The evil here reprobated is but too common, and that too, even among the professors of religion: yea, perhaps, (their profession not being sufficiently tempered with humility and love) they are more exposed to it than others, from a mistaken idea, that their professed regard for religion entitles them, as it were, to the office of censors. But to every one who has been guilty of it we should say,
1.
Consider your own great and manifold infirmities
[There is no greater antidote to censoriousness than this. While we continue ignorant of ourselves, we shall consider our own faults as few and venial, and shall be disposed to magnify whatever we may see amiss in others. But a knowledge of our own hearts will convince us, that if there is a mote in our brothers eye, there is a beam in our own. We may conceive many extenuating circumstances that may lessen the enormity of his conduct; but we shall know many aggravating circumstances to which God and ourselves alone are privy, which may serve to heighten our guilt, and to humble us as the very chief of sinners. When the woman taken in adultery was brought to our Lord, he bade those of her accusers who were without sin to execute the law upon her. We all know the effect which a conviction of their own personal guilt produced upon them [Note: Joh 8:7-9.]. Thus shall we also drop the stone which we have taken up to cast at our neighbour, when once we are acquainted with our own vilencss.]
2.
Recollect the relation in which he, whom you would condemn, stands to you
[As every person wishes to conceal his own faults, so he will be ready to extenuate the faults of those who are near and dear to him. We do not usually hear men descanting on the infirmities of their parents or children, their wife or brethren. Now the person whom the calumniator would traduce, is his brother. No less than thrice in the short space of the text is this endearing appellation given to our neighbour. Is he not entitled then, from this consideration, to some portion of that regard which we pay to our more immediate relatives? Should we officiously pry into his defects? Should we presume to criminate his motives? Should we judge of his general character by a single act; or take an instance or two of indiscretion, and consider them as fixed and accustomed habits? Surely our brother should receive far different treatment at our hands. We should cast a veil over his infirmities, and exercise towards him that charity which hopeth all things and believeth all things [Note: 1Pe 4:8. 1Co 13:7.].]
3.
Purge your own heart from evil, that you may be the better qualified to reprove or advise others as occasion shall require
[As persons who dispense the laws must of necessity pass judgment on those who are brought before them, so must all the members of Christs Cliurch administer fraternal correction or reproof to each other [Note: Lev 19:17. Eph 5:11.]. It is not all judgment that the text forbids, but all harsh and severe judgment. It prohibits an over-officious prying into the faults of others, and a needless exposing of them to the world; but it leaves us at liberty to give that reproof which is necessary for the reclaiming of an offending brother. But to admonish others with effect, we must attain some measure at least of purity ourselves. Let every one then begin with rectifying his own conduct. Let every one be solicitous to cast the beam out of his own eye, that he may afterwards assist with more propriety and effect in pulling out the mote from his brothers eye. We must not indeed stay till we are perfect before we attempt to benefit our brother; but we should study to attain an unbiassed judgment, and should hide the lancet in a sponge if we would open an imposthume; and in every case we should regulate our endeavours with charity and discretion.]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
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?
Ver. 3. And why beholdest thou ] Here is the true method of preaching, by doctrine and use, explication and application. Ministers must (as our Saviour in his text) bring hammers with their nails, Jer 23:29 , and drive them into the very head, yea, goad men to the quick, Ecc 12:11 ; that the people’s hearts may either break, as theirs,Act 2:37Act 2:37 , or burst, as theirs,Act 7:54Act 7:54 . A general doctrine, not applied, is as a sword without an edge, not in itself, but to us, through our singular fencelessness: or, as a whole loaf set before children, that will do them no good; the bellows will be burnt in the fire, but the dross remains still. A garment fitted for all bodies is fit for no body; and that which is spoken to all, is taken as spoken to none.
The mote that is in thy brother’s eye ] The mote or straw: the word “beam” seems rather to have reference to a straw than to a mote: a and this is an evil disease that I have seen under the sun, that men (and those of the better sort sometimes) bear nothing, talk of nothing, so willingly, as they do of other men’s faults; Psa 50:20 ; “thou sittest and speakest against thy brother,” &c. b There is no discourse that men will sit so long at and be so taken with as this. “The words of the talebearer are as flatteries, and they go down to the bowels of the belly,” Pro 18:8 . Many are never well, longer than they are holding their fingers in other men’s sores, amplifying and aggravating their faults and failings, not only most severely, but almost tragically; not once mentioning their good parts and practices. These are like crows, that fasten only upon carrion, or the horsefly, that if he happen into a field that is never so full of sweet flowers, yet if there be but a little filthy dung in it his eye and scent is only to that, and upon that only will he light. c David compareth such as these to the asp, that is quick of hearing, but very ill-sighted (having his eyes not in his forehead, but in his temples), weak, but full of poison. Herein only is the difference. That poison that asps vent to the hurt of others, they keep within them without hurt unto themselves. d But the malicious censurer is his own worst enemy; for as he “sets his mouth against heaven, and his tongue walketh through the earth,” Psa 73:9 , so by misjudging (out of an inward hatred of another) all his actions and intentions, he pulls upon himself the hatred both of heaven and earth, for his trampling upon God’s jewels, because a little sullied. God doth unwillingly see the faults of his children, Num 6:21 ; Num 6:23 yea, he passeth by their iniquity, transgression, and sin, Mic 7:18 ; with one breath both these are reported: “The high places were not removed, yet nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect,” &c. So1Pe 3:61Pe 3:6 ; cf. Gen 18:12 . Sarah’s whole sentence was vile and profane; not one good word in it, but this, that she called her husband Lord. God of his goodness takes notice of that word, and records it, by St Peter, to her eternal commendation. He spieth out and severeth gold, though but a dram, from a mass of dross; good grain, though but a handful, from a heap of chaff; cuts out that which is perished (as men do out of a rotten apple) and preserves the rest. Be ye therefore followers herein of God, as dear children; and walk in love, &c.,Eph 5:1-2Eph 5:1-2 . It thinketh not evil, but “believeth all things, hopeth all things,” 1Co 13:5 ; strains to hold a good opinion where it hath least probability to induce it; rashly rejects none in whom it seeth signs of grace; according to that of our Saviour, “See that ye despise not one of these little ones,” neither for error in judgment, Rom 14:3-10 , nor for slips and infirmities in life and conversation, and that because God despiseth them not, but guards them by his angels, and sayeth them by his Son, whom he sent for the purpose, Mat 18:10-11 ; and1Th 1:41Th 1:4 ; “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God,” viz. by your effectual faith, laborious love, patient hope, 1Th 1:3 although they were so compassed with infirmities, as he doubted lest the tempter had tempted them: and his labour had been in vain,1Th 3:51Th 3:5 ; he feared their utter apostasy. So,Heb 5:11Heb 5:11 : he could not but be persuaded of them “better things, and such as accompany salvation,” though he had justly and sharply reproved them for their dulness of hearing and slowness of proceeding yea, sets before their eyes that terror of the Lord upon apostates, to quicken their pace and excite them to proficiency. “I am black,” saith the Church, “but comely as the tents of Kedar as the curtains of Solomon,” Son 1:5 . The Kedarites dwelt in tents and open fields, where all was exposed to the parching sun in the desert but in Arabia’s deserts, and they were very rich and glorious, see Eze 27:21 ; Jer 49:28 ; Jer 29:1-32 Isa 21:13 ; Isa 21:16-17 full of precious gems, gold, and pleasant odours. Arabia looked rudely yet by searching it regularly, there were to be found things of greatest price. So is it with many of God’s people, especially in the scorching heat of temptation, desertion, or outward affliction, &c. He that follows his own conjecture, may condemn a dear child of God, and approve a detestable heretic, as Philip did Simon Magus. If his eyes be too fast fixed either on the saints’ infirmities or the hypocrites’ fair pretences, they may bring forth, as Jacob’s shoe did, spotted fruits.
But considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye ] Most men’s minds are as ill set as the eyes; they can turn neither of them inwards. They tell us of a kind of witches, that stirring abroad would put on their eyes, but returning home, they boxed them up again. e The philosophers call upon us to look to the hinder part of the wallet. And St James saith, “Be not many masters” or teachers: and mark the reason, which he prescribeth as a remedy; “for in many things we sin all,” Jas 3:1-2 . Now those that in the sense of their own sinfulness are poor in spirit, will soon be meek and merciful to their fellow sinners; they that have proved their own works, and found all to be (not good and very good, as God did his, but) naught and stark naught, as the figs in Jeremiah, Jer 24:2 will be content to bear one another’s burdens, and restore such as are overtaken in a fault with the spirit of meekness, considering themselves lest they also be tempted, Gal 6:1-2 ; Gal 6:4 . They will be as willing to lend mercy now, as they may have need to borrow mercy another time f And consciousness of their own corruptions will make them compassionate towards others in this kind. The Greek word that signifieth to censure, signifieth also, and in the first place, to be idle. g Whereunto agreeth that of St Paul (speaking of wanton widows), “they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house: and not only idle, but tattlers also, and busy bodies, speaking of things that they ought not,” 1Ti 5:13 . Those that travel not with their own hearts, have both leisure and list to be meddling with others.
a Generaliter significat quod siccum et leve est. Tertullianus stipulam vertit.
b Vituperant homines quam commendant promptius. Plaut.
c Vultures ad male olentla feruntur. Basil.
d Aspidi hebetes oculi dati, eosque non in fronte sed in temporibus habet. Pliny, 16. 14. Non est huic similis malitia, haec habentibus pessima est. Seneca.
e Lamiae apud Plinium.
f Erratis veniam poscenti reddere par est. Hor.
g , arguo, proprie ferior, post, reprehendo. Becman.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
3 5. ] Lightfoot produces instances of this proverbial saying among the Jews. With them, however, it seems only to be used of a person retaliating rebuke. ‘Dixit Rabbi Tarphon, Miror ego, an sit in hoc sculo, qui recipere vult correptionem; quin si dicat quis alteri, Ejice stramen ex oculo tuo, responsurus ille est, Ejice trabem ex oculo tuo:’ whereas our Lord gives us a further application of it, viz. to the incapability of one involved in personal iniquity to form a right judgment on others, and the clearness given to the spiritual vision by conflict with and victory over evil. There is also no doubt here a lesson given us of the true relative magnitude which our own faults, and those of our brother, ought to hold in our estimation. What is a to one looking on another, is to that other himself a : just the reverse of the ordinary estimate.
. and ., not as referring to a known proverb, but because the mote and beam are in situ, .
, beholdest, from without, a voluntary act: , apprehendest not, from within, that which is already there, and ought to have excited attention before. The same distinction is observed in Luke.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 7:3-5 . Proverb of the mote and beam . Also current among Jews and Arabs ( vide Tholuck). , a minute dry particle of chaff, wood, etc. , a wooden beam ( let in , from ) or joist, a monstrous symbol of a great fault. A beam in the eye is a natural impossibility; cf. the camel and the needle eye. The Eastern imagination was prone to exaggeration. This is a case of tu quoque (Rom 2:2 ), or rather of “thou much more”. The faults may be of the same kind: , a petty theft, , commercial dishonesty on a large scale “thou that judgest doest the same things” (Rom 2:2 ); or of a different sort: moral laxity in the publican, pride and inhumanity in the Pharisee who despised him (Luk 18:9-14 ). , : the contrast is not between seeing and failing to see, but between seeing and not choosing to see; ignoring, consciously overlooking. The censorious man is not necessarily ignorant of his own faults, but he does not let his mind rest on them. It is more pleasant to think of other people’s faults.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
beholdest. See App-133. This is in contrast with “considerest”. Jewish proverb.
mote. Anglo-Saxon, mot = a particle of dust, something dry: i.e. any dry particle, as wood (splinter), chaff, or dust.
brother’s. See note on Mat 5:22.
considerest. Greek. katanoeo. Stronger than “beholdest” above. See App-133.
beam. Greek. dokos. Septuagint for Hebrew. korah in 2Ki 6:2, 2Ki 6:5.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
3-5.] Lightfoot produces instances of this proverbial saying among the Jews. With them, however, it seems only to be used of a person retaliating rebuke. Dixit Rabbi Tarphon, Miror ego, an sit in hoc sculo, qui recipere vult correptionem; quin si dicat quis alteri, Ejice stramen ex oculo tuo, responsurus ille est, Ejice trabem ex oculo tuo:-whereas our Lord gives us a further application of it, viz. to the incapability of one involved in personal iniquity to form a right judgment on others, and the clearness given to the spiritual vision by conflict with and victory over evil. There is also no doubt here a lesson given us of the true relative magnitude which our own faults, and those of our brother, ought to hold in our estimation. What is a to one looking on another, is to that other himself a : just the reverse of the ordinary estimate.
. and ., not as referring to a known proverb, but because the mote and beam are in situ, .
, beholdest, from without, a voluntary act: , apprehendest not, from within, that which is already there, and ought to have excited attention before. The same distinction is observed in Luke.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 7:3. , in the eye) In that part of the body which is the most noble, the most delicate, and the most conspicuous.- , in thine own) See Rom 2:21; Rom 2:23.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
why: Luk 6:41, Luk 6:42, Luk 18:11
but: 2Sa 12:5, 2Sa 12:6, 2Ch 28:9, 2Ch 28:10, Psa 50:16-21, Joh 8:7-9, Gal 6:1
Reciprocal: Hos 4:4 – let Mat 15:3 – Why Mar 2:24 – why Mar 7:2 – they found Mar 10:25 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7:3
The terms mote and beam are used figuratively to illustrate the inconsistency of a hypocrite. Two wrongs do not make one right, neither must a man profess to be “as pure as an angel” before he has the right to condemn sin in others. It should be noted that both these men were afflicted in the same manner (in the eye), only one was less than the other. The illustration pictures a man with a serious obstruction in his eye and wanting to operate on the eye of another who is much less affected. In practice it would be like a man condemning another for getting drunk every Saturday night when he was himself drinking every day.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 7:3. And, since the principle of Mat 7:2 is correct, why beholdest thou? The verb means to observe, to voluntarily stare at; the context shows that the one addressed could not have clear vision; the question indicates that such observing was unnecessary. The singular thou is pointed, too much so for a direct address to the Pharisees present
The mote, or splinter; the foreign substance in the eye is of the same kind in both cases.
Considerest not, apprehendest not Stronger word than beholdest.
The beam, a hyperbolical expression for a great fault, to show the relative magnitude. No reference to one class of sins. The mote which might be overlooked is looked for, the beam of which one must be conscious is not considered.
Mat 7:4. Or how wilt thou say, have the face to say. A step in folly beyond that represented in the last verse.
Let me cast out (as in Mat 7:5); permit me, I will cast out. The friendly language presents the censoriousness as hypocritical. True to nature! The epithet of Mat 7:5 is not abruptly introduced.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
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.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Mat 7:3-5. And why beholdest thou the mote, &c. In particular, why do you open your eyes to any fault of your brother, while you yourself are guilty of a much greater? The word , here rendered mote, according to Hesychius, may signify a little splinter of wood. This, and the beam, its opposite, were proverbially used by the Jews to denote, the one, small infirmities, the other, gross, palpable faults. And how wilt thou say, &c. With what face can you undertake to reprove others for smaller faults, while you are guilty of much greater yourself, and are neither sensible of them, nor have the integrity to amend them? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam, &c. It is mere hypocrisy to pretend zeal for the amendment of others, while we have none for our own. Correct, therefore, the errors of thy judgment, and the enormities of thy life. And then When that which obstructed thy sight is removed, thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye And mayest attempt it with more decency, and a greater probability of success. We may lay it down as a fixed and certain truth that the more we advance in genuine piety and virtue ourselves, we shall be the better able to form a correct judgment of the conduct of others, and the better qualified, both in point of skill and authority, to reprove and reform any thing that we may see amiss in their dispositions or behaviour. Our judgment of their character and actions will be the more charitable, and for that reason so much the more just: our rebukes will be the more mild, prudent, and winning; and our authority to press a reformation upon them so much the more weighty. How happy would the world be, if all who teach the Christian religion would conscientiously observe the precept given them here by their Master.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Verse 3
Beholdest thou the mote, &c. The mote represents the smaller faults of our neighbor; the beam, greater and more serious ones of ourselves.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
The "speck" (Gr. karphos) could be a speck of any foreign matter. The "log" or "plank" (Gr. dokos) refers to a large piece of wood. Jesus again used hyperbole to stress the folly of criticizing someone else. This act reveals a much greater problem in the critic’s life, namely, a censorious spirit.
Such a person is a hypocrite and his actions carry him away. He does not deceive others as much as he deceives himself. Other people may realize that his criticism is unjustifiable, but he does not. A proper attitude is important in judging oneself and other people (1Co 11:31; Gal 6:1). Censorious critics are not helpful. That is what Jesus warned against here (cf. Luk 6:39-42).
"The disciples of the King are to be critical of self but not of their brethren. The group is to be noted for their bond of unity, which is indicated by a lack of criticism. This is fitting, since the kingdom is characterized by peace. (Isa 9:7)." [Note: Toussaint, Behold the . . ., p. 113.]