I am pretty sure I read or hear this phrase at least once a week. It is usually in the context of someone saying something about someone else's sin (or just a specific sin in general), which ramps everyone up to the point of insults and false accusations. A sad picture, definitely, but it causes me some heartburn every time I hear it because that phrase is used as a trump card even though they are not using it properly. Let me explain.
First, let's understand where this phrase even comes from. In Matthew 7:1, Jesus says "Judge not, that you be not judged." People rightly then give Jesus the authority He has and apply this Scripture to attack people who they think are judging: "See, Jesus said not to judge!" The problem lies in the fact that Jesus didn't actually say that. If we keep reading the rest of His statement, we see that He actually meant something other than simply "don't judge." He continues, "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you" (Matthew 7:1-2). Notice what Jesus is doing here. He is not saying not to judge; He is saying that if you do, you better be willing to have the same standard placed on you. In essence, then, Jesus is condemning hypocritical judgment, where I hold you to a higher standard than I hold myself, where I let myself slide on issues that I condemn you for or in areas of life where you struggle but I don't.
Jesus then illustrates this hypocritical judgment powerfully: "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:3-4). In other words, before you go around pointing out others' faults, understand that you have major issues too (see this funny movie short). So according to Jesus, having anything in your eye is not good, and everyone has something.
Jesus then gives His solution to the problem: "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" (Matthew 7:5). So notice again what Jesus has just done. He has not said not to judge; every one of us must make "judgments" every day about people and issues and food and about everything. No, Jesus has said not to judge hypocritically. The standard you hold for someone else should be at least the standard you hold for yourself. But don't miss this about His illustration: Jesus doesn't want anyone to have anything in their eye! He wants us to flourish, and having a piece of sawdust in your eye is a constant irritant, let alone having a 2x4 in it. You can't live the life you were meant to live with that foreign body in there, so He wants us to be able to see clearly enough to help others have clear vision too. This means that it is actually a loving thing for me to humbly help you see sin in your life, as long as I am open to receiving the same correction in every area of my life as well.
Here's where this leads us, though. What is that standard of judgment? Is it the shifting sands of the culture? Is it my constantly changing feelings? Is it what I like or don't like? If it's any of those subjective things then we are in trouble because what I think is a speck might be a plank to you and nothing to someone else. What we need is an objective, outside authority that sets the same standard for every person. And we have it in the Word of God. The One who created everything has the right to say how everything goes. He also understands the best way everything works. So why would we not want to submit to that? But since none of us (me included) can reach that standard of perfection that He demands, we are in danger of His wrath and need rescue. Even one sin separates us from Him. But thankfully, Jesus lived the perfect life I couldn't live and died the death that I deserved for my sin, then didn't stay dead but in His resurrection defeated the enemy of sin and death that I can't defeat--all in order to bring us into full relationship with the Father. Praise Him!
So the only answer to your speck and my plank is Jesus. We all have sin in our eyes that we can't wipe away. Only the blood of Jesus can wash us clean. My hope in humbly pointing out your speck is to direct you to the only One who can help us both, to the One who lived up to that standard in my place and who has an abundant life in store for us when we turn from our sin (our "specks") and turn to Him in faith and obedience. I pray that you would do that today--all of us.
(Trevin Wax also recently wrote an outstanding article on hypocrisy here.)
First, let's understand where this phrase even comes from. In Matthew 7:1, Jesus says "Judge not, that you be not judged." People rightly then give Jesus the authority He has and apply this Scripture to attack people who they think are judging: "See, Jesus said not to judge!" The problem lies in the fact that Jesus didn't actually say that. If we keep reading the rest of His statement, we see that He actually meant something other than simply "don't judge." He continues, "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you" (Matthew 7:1-2). Notice what Jesus is doing here. He is not saying not to judge; He is saying that if you do, you better be willing to have the same standard placed on you. In essence, then, Jesus is condemning hypocritical judgment, where I hold you to a higher standard than I hold myself, where I let myself slide on issues that I condemn you for or in areas of life where you struggle but I don't.
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| Image source here |
Jesus then illustrates this hypocritical judgment powerfully: "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:3-4). In other words, before you go around pointing out others' faults, understand that you have major issues too (see this funny movie short). So according to Jesus, having anything in your eye is not good, and everyone has something.
Jesus then gives His solution to the problem: "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" (Matthew 7:5). So notice again what Jesus has just done. He has not said not to judge; every one of us must make "judgments" every day about people and issues and food and about everything. No, Jesus has said not to judge hypocritically. The standard you hold for someone else should be at least the standard you hold for yourself. But don't miss this about His illustration: Jesus doesn't want anyone to have anything in their eye! He wants us to flourish, and having a piece of sawdust in your eye is a constant irritant, let alone having a 2x4 in it. You can't live the life you were meant to live with that foreign body in there, so He wants us to be able to see clearly enough to help others have clear vision too. This means that it is actually a loving thing for me to humbly help you see sin in your life, as long as I am open to receiving the same correction in every area of my life as well.
Here's where this leads us, though. What is that standard of judgment? Is it the shifting sands of the culture? Is it my constantly changing feelings? Is it what I like or don't like? If it's any of those subjective things then we are in trouble because what I think is a speck might be a plank to you and nothing to someone else. What we need is an objective, outside authority that sets the same standard for every person. And we have it in the Word of God. The One who created everything has the right to say how everything goes. He also understands the best way everything works. So why would we not want to submit to that? But since none of us (me included) can reach that standard of perfection that He demands, we are in danger of His wrath and need rescue. Even one sin separates us from Him. But thankfully, Jesus lived the perfect life I couldn't live and died the death that I deserved for my sin, then didn't stay dead but in His resurrection defeated the enemy of sin and death that I can't defeat--all in order to bring us into full relationship with the Father. Praise Him!
So the only answer to your speck and my plank is Jesus. We all have sin in our eyes that we can't wipe away. Only the blood of Jesus can wash us clean. My hope in humbly pointing out your speck is to direct you to the only One who can help us both, to the One who lived up to that standard in my place and who has an abundant life in store for us when we turn from our sin (our "specks") and turn to Him in faith and obedience. I pray that you would do that today--all of us.
(Trevin Wax also recently wrote an outstanding article on hypocrisy here.)
