“Judge not, that you be not
judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the
measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at
the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own
eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from
your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own
eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you
will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
“Do not give what is holy to the
dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their
feet, and turn and tear you in pieces."
(Jesus, Matthew 7:1–6)
As
mentioned previously, tolerance is a prominent theme in our culture, and based
on what Jesus says about not being judgmental at the beginning of this passage,
many would be quick to conclude that Jesus would have us pass no judgment upon
others. But His message is more nuanced than that, as seen when considering the
whole of Jesus’ point.
It has been
said that before we criticize someone else, we should walk a mile in their
shoes, to which someone added, “that way after we have criticized them we are a
mile away from them and we have their shoes.” All humor aside, though, Jesus
does make it clear that a first step for all people is to take the plank out of
their own eye. It is far too easy for us to see what is wrong with others and
fail to see our own faults, though to others they may be as plain as day. When
we take an honest look at ourselves first, however, we can then approach others
with the right attitude.
I
personally love to golf, and I know enough to possibly give some pointers to a
new golfer. But it would be ridiculous for me to condescendingly criticize
another golfer when it is obvious (for anyone who has played with me) that my
game is nothing to boast about, to say the least. Recognizing my shortcomings
allows me to help someone else with a sympathetic and relatable attitude. Jesus
teaches that to relate to others in the correct way, we must always see
ourselves for what we really are first, and this means coming to grips with our
own weaknesses and failures.
Once we
sincerely deal with the plank in our own eye, though, there is no mistaking that
there is certainly a place for taking the speck out of another person’s eye.
Jesus teaches elsewhere that there are times when it is appropriate to correct
another person, particularly someone who is also a follower of Christ. He
states:
“If another
believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If
the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But
if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so
that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If
the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or
she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a
corrupt tax collector (Matthew 18:15–17, NLT).
Obviously, followers of Christ are
to take sin very seriously and have the responsibility
of pointing out issues that need to be dealt with. On the
other hand, Jesus also teaches in the passage we are looking at here: “Do not
give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they
trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” There are
people who are not willing to listen and accept what we are saying, and even
though our words may give valuable insight, it is not worth continuing
discussion with those who have no concern for what is good and true. It is also
interesting to note Jesus’ use of “dogs” and “swine” as analogies reveals that
He makes certain judgments about the character of others, again reinforcing
that there is a place for judgment.
In summary, Jesus says that in
relating to others, His followers must not have a critical attitude but should
help others with a sense of their own weaknesses and shortcomings. This point
is succinctly conveyed by the apostle Paul, who says, “Brothers, if anyone
is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him
in a spirit of gentleness” (Gal. 6:1, ESV).
Works Cited:
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken
from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980,
1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy
Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House
Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
