Matthew 7:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

NIV: You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

NASB: You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye!

CSB: Hypocrite! First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother's eye.

NLT: Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Jesus has told His audience in direct terms not to judge each other, else they will also be judged (Matthew 7:1). He does not mean that people should have no discernment about sin, even in the lives of other people. Instead, the command forbids playing God (Matthew 7:2). Christians are not to pronounce God's judgment on other sinners while leaving our own lives unexamined or un-judged. We are not qualified to fill God's sinless, righteous shoes. To judge the sin of others while ignoring our own is as absurd as criticizing someone with dust in their eyes, while our own eye is impaled by a stick (Matthew 7:3–4).

However, Christ also says we are qualified to help each other remove sin from our lives. To say to a brother or sister "let me help you remove sin from your life" is different from pronouncing God's judgment on them. Of course, Jesus has emphasized that we are not qualified even for that role until we have addressed the obvious sin from our own lives. Otherwise, we become "hypocrites," a term derived from the Greek word for "an actor or pretender."

Once we have worked to remove some sin from our own lives—or at least dealt with egregious sins—we may be able to help remove the sin from another person's life, in humility and service.

Matthew 7:1–6 delivers Jesus' declaration that His followers must not pronounce God's judgment on each other. Those who do try to take God's role in this way will be judged in the same way themselves. Human beings are not qualified to pronounce judgment because they are blind to their own sin. To help another with a speck in his eye, a person must first remove the log of obvious sin from his own eye. He also warns against wasting time or effort on those who clearly have no interest; they won't appreciate it and may attack you for it.

Matthew 7 is the last of three chapters that record what is now known as the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus commands His hearers not to pronounce shallow or hypocritical judgment. He describes God as a generous Father eager to give good things to His children when they ask. He commands His followers to enter the narrow gate and walk the hard road to life. False prophets can be recognized by their fruit, meaning their actions and choices. At the same time, good deeds are not absolute proof that someone has true faith. To live by Jesus' teaching is like building the house of your life on a solid foundation instead of shifting sand.

Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount in chapter 5, discussing the Beatitudes and the idea that inner thoughts are very much part of sin and righteousness. Chapter 6 denounced hypocrisy, modeled prayer, and opposed anxiety. Chapter 7 discusses the proper manner of judgment, including how to gauge the teachings of others. Jesus also warns against spiritual self-deception. He concludes with an analogy about foundations and storms. The crowd's amazement at Christ's teachings leads into the miracles and encounters of chapters 8 and 9.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.