Mote and Beam - Matthew 7:3-5; Luke 6:41-42

Let's take a look at the scripture. Turn to Matthew 7:3-5. Beam: (large piece of wood) large obstruction of our way of seeing ourselves, the world, our Spiritual walk and even our relationship with the Lord. Mote: (splinter, small piece of wood) small or minor obstruction of our way of seeing ourselves, the world, our Spiritual walk and even our relationship with the Lord. Matthew 7:3-5 (KJV) 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. In verse three we are asked, why do you see the splinter in your brother's eye, but you haven't concerned yourself with the two by four in your own eye? This is clearly telling us that we need to be examining ourselves before we go about examining another's spiritual walk. In verse four we are asked, how will you tell your brother let me help you with your spiritual problem, when you have your own spiritual problems that are of greater concern than your brother's problems? A two by four being significantly larger item than a splinter is. In verse five, we are called hypocrites, because we act as if there is nothing that we need to deal with, while the whole time we need to get right with the Lord on one or more areas of our own lives. Then we are told exactly what we need to do. Get whatever sin that is in our life out of our life. Or, get right with God. Then we will be able to see more clearly what our brother's needs really are. And if he really even has a splinter in his eye to begin with. More on this in a while. Turn to Luke 6:41-42, where we find this same message again in scripture. Luke 6:41-42 (KJV) 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. Pretty much the same as we saw in Matthew chapter seven, but let's keep reading. Luke 6:43-45 (KJV) 43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. The word "For" ties the two sets of statements together. Therefore, we are to watch for the fruit that is being produced as we a clearly instructed in verses 43 through 45. We are also told that the fruit is the treasure (or true values that the person holds) of their heart. Now take that message and tie it to judging whether you have a beam or mote in your eye. What fruit are we producing and it that allowing us to clearly see what fruit our brother is producing, the splinter in his eye. And lets not forget how Jesus started the passage here in Luke's accounting. Verse 39. Luke 6:39 (KJV) 39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? Can the blind lead the blind, will they not both go astray? Even in our times you do not have to be totally lost of all sight to be declared blind. You only need to have your vision obscured enough that you can not see clearly. Not really any different than having a beam or mote in your eye would cause you to not see clearly. Let's turn back to our study text in Matthew and look at the verses that precede them verses one and two. Matthew 7:1-2 (KJV) 1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. What are we being told here? We are not to judge others by our own opinion, so that we are not judge in the same matter. In verse two this is spelled out in more detail. By what opinion you judge other by you will be judged by that same opinion. It also includes that by whatever standard your chose to hold others to you will be held to that same standard. I don't know about the rest of you, but God's standards are high enough to live by, having to live by someone else's standards will be even harder. Especially since we have been told not to do that. Now if you're asking how I know that this is specifically talking about opinions and not judgment in general, that's easy. Look at John 7:24, it says: John 7:24 (KJV) 24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. Here we see that we are told not to judgment by appearance, what we see or what we think we see. But, we are to judge righteous judgment. In other words, God has already judged the world, He has given us this in His word. He has told us what is sin and what is not sin and what can be sin. Therefore, judgment has already been given we are to use His, already stated, standard to deal with ourselves, our brethren and to minister to the unbelievers. Turn to Romans 2:1-3 and let's look at what Paul says there. Romans 2:1-3 (KJV) 1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? We have to know what sin is before we can share with others why they need a Saviour for in the first place. Now let's take a look at some of the verses that follow our study text. Look at Matthew 7:6. Matthew 7:6 (KJV) 6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. Here we are giving a command and it includes a warning. Do not force truth upon rebels who reject it, or give holy things to faultfinders, mote hunters (those who nitpick small issues to make big issues out of them), evil speakers. (Dake's Study Notes) The terms dogs and swine are used here to describe unbelievers, but not just any unbeliever, but unbelievers that do not want to here the truth to the point that they may do you harm either physically or emotionally to get you to stop talking to them. AS we see in the second half of this verse, they trample (or stomp) the truth under their feet (exalt themselves above it) and then turn and rend (attack, tear or destroy) you. Here is some food for thought. If we are the one with the beam, our vision will be so obscured that we believe our brother is missing the mark, even if ever so slightly (the splinter). But what may really be happening, is we are trying to get our brothers vision to be obscured like ours. He's actually seeing things correctly, it's us who is not seeing things clearly. So we can go in and claim to help him to see things clearly,the way we do, our way. Saying we are helping him see the truth, but in reality, we are just trying to put a beam into his eye. That way, we see things the same way. Not Biblically correct, but we are seeing things eye to eye. Now we believe we are in unity, which we are, with each other, not with the Lord. Self deception, leads to more self deception, which leads to others being deceived, especially by our teachings. Now we are both happily deceived. Let's not go there! Let's make sure we are in right standing with God at all times. If we find that we are not in right standing, let's repent and get back in right standing with him. Let's be not only willing to examine ourselves, but be willing to hear from our brothers and sister in Christ that we may be in need of self examination. After all, Matthew 18 tells us if we have an issue with our brother we are to go to him. Our study text on the mote and the beam doesn't tell us not to go help our brother, it tells us to get the beam out of our eye before we go to help our brother. In James 5:16 we are told to confess our faults one to another and to pray for one another that we may be healed. Don't you think someone with a beam or a mote in his or her eye needs a healing? Just as you would need physical healing if an actual piece of wood was in your eye, you need spiritual healing when you have a spiritual beam or mote in your spiritual eye. Then we are told that the fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, doesn't that bless you to know that a person in right standing with God can pray for you and it will availeth (or succeed) much (a lot)? James 5:16 (KJV) 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. In 1 John 1:9 it says that IF we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from al unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (KJV) 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He's a good God, He's only asking that we believe and be faithful and obedient. Not out of a religious duty, but because we love Him and want to have our Heavenly Father to be pleased with us. Amen