Matthew 7:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 7:1-20

Various practical rules issuing out of the central duty of self-consecration. I. CONDUCT TOWARDS OTHERS . 1 . Gentleness in our estimate of the lives of others. The hypocrites trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others; they made an ostentatious display of their own supposed good deeds, and passed stern judgments on their neighbours. The righteousness of Christ's disciples must exceed that of the Pharisees in both respects. Indeed, Christ's words must not... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 7:3

Parallel passage: Luke 6:41 . And why —when it is so contrary to common sense— beholdest thou the mote, etc.? A Jewish proverbial saying, e.g. Talm. Bab., 'Bab. Bathra,' 15b, Rabbi Jochanan (third century A.D.),expounding Ruth 1:1 , says, "A generation which when under judgment ( טפשנש ) judgeth its judges. When one saith to a man, Cast out the mote out of thine eyes, he saith (in answer), Cast out the beam out of thine eyes." In Talm. Bab., 'Erach.,' 16 b , "Out of thy teeth"... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 7:3

Honest self-estimates. It is plain that our Lord's figure is paradoxical. Beams of wood in eyes is quite an impossible conception; and when he spoke of it it must have caused a smile. With a curious realism, the old Bible picture represents a man with a long beam of wood, standing straight out from his eye, and unsupported. Our Lord's teachings require to be read with our faculty of imagination in healthy activity. Probably in this case our Lord used a familiar Jewish proverb, which... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 7:3-5

The heinousness of censoriousness as a hindrance to one's self and to one's work for others. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 7:3-5

The confronting question. The question or questions of these verses arise only too directly out of the matter that immediately precedes. The habit, so human, of sitting in judgment on our fellow-beings is almost invariably aggravated by' other satellite habits, also very human, and that fail to amaze and to shame us only by reason of our too intimate familiarity with them. Thus— I. LITTLE FAULTS IN OTHERS WE SEE VERY LARGE , AND LARGE FAULTS IN OURSELVES WE ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 7:3

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,... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 7:3-5

Matthew 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 καρφος , 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... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Matthew 7:1-6

43. Judging others (Matthew 7:1-6; Luke 6:37-42)People who continually find fault with others only invite judgment upon themselves, both from their fellows and from God. In pointing to the faults in others, they attract attention to themselves. They too have faults, and though they themselves may be unaware of them, other people see them very clearly (Matthew 7:1-5).Nevertheless, there is a kind of judgment that is necessary. Those who present the gospel must be able to judge the difference... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 7:3

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 Matthew 5:22 . considerest. Greek. katanoeo. Stronger than "beholdest" above. See App-133 . beam. Greek. dokos. Septuagint for Hebrew. korah in 2Ki 6:2 , 2 Kings 6:5 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 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?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. The mote and the beam represent the disparity between that which is tiny, insignificant, almost invisible, and... read more

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