Removing the Plank from Your Own Eye
Introduction. One of Jesus’ more intriguing warnings and commands in the Sermon on the Mount centers on removing a plank that we might have in our eye. He made it very clear that if we want to help our friends, family and brethren overcome their weaknesses and help them get to heaven, we must first address this plank. He used the Greek term for the main support beam in a house. His hearers would envision someone with a ten to twenty-foot plank, beam or log in their eye. Clearly with such an impediment, we would be incapable of being of any help to those we love, regardless of the tiny small speck they have irritating their eye and hindering them from growing.
Jesus was not trying to be humorous. Although it is ludicrous to think that any person so incapacitated could be of any help to anyone, it is not funny! If we still have this beam in our own eye, we would be a hindrance to everyone we sought to help. When it comes to judging others and giving them advice, there are multitudes who are so harsh, and so overcome with their own pride and folly, that whatever they do for others is just as hopeless as that man with a plank in his eye!
What we should find most startling is that those with this plank are not even aware that it exists. They stand ready to remove the slightest flaw in those around them, but are incapable of being of any help. Have we searched our hearts to see if we have this beam in our own eye?
It is a two-step process. First, we have to understand exactly what Jesus meant when He revealed this beam. Second and for many, much more difficult is to search our own heart to see if we have one. While some think any larger fault could be this beam, Jesus was not actually speaking of faults here. He was speaking of how we judge others. This is a parable to give light on how our judgement of others can impact our ability to help them.
Jesus revealed the nature of this beam in another parable (Lk. 18:9-14). “He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt.” This reveals the two sides of the beam: First, they “trusted in themselves” and second, “viewed others with contempt.” These are the two fatal flaws we must be vigilant against.
First, because these Jews “trusted in themselves that they were righteous,” they were completely blind! Their own law had revealed “there is none righteous, no, not one,” and the gospel added “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:10, 23). Anyone who does not feel deeply in their hearts as the Publican who: “even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner” cannot see clearly. No one can help another with any flaw until he knows how to deal with His own. Without the deep humility and realization that we too are sinners, we will never see clearly enough to help others.
The second element of the beam was that they “viewed others with contempt.” Instead of viewing themselves on the same level and seeking to help, we witness the sneering statement: “I am not like other men — extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.” How can anyone help another when they have no respect or concern for them? The very fact that we could not sympathize with them in any sin they might commit is another clear sign that we have a beam. No matter what the sin, its wages is death. “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” (Jas. 2:10). If we see the sins we commit as insignificant while the sins of others are contemptible, we still have a beam in our eye.
Paul used the teachings of this parable to reveal this plank in the entire nation of Israel that had kept them from helping the Gentiles. “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.” While they had used the law to hold others in contempt, they had never used it to reveal their own sins and repent of them. They were completely blind to this truth and also incapable of being of any help to others. They were self-condemned men, seeking to help others, when they could not even help themselves! Yet the incongruity of this never dawned on them. Although “confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,” God condemned them because if you want to “teach another, do you not teach yourself?” Those who can’t even learn themselves what true repentance and confession are have no words to give to others that would be of any help to them. Instead of helping the Gentiles, their beam had led to “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (Rom. 2:1-21).
When we contrast these people with someone who we know has no beam in His eye, it becomes more evident that this is its true essence. Jesus came to help all who have motes in their eye. The entire sermon on the mount was designed to help us see and remove these specks. Jesus held no one in contempt! Jesus came with sympathy, truly wanting to help. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Mt 11:28-29). Jesus never sinned, yet treated those who did with love, seeking to lift them out.
Because we know He loves us and truly sympathizes and wants to help us, we can come before Him with boldness because He truly has our best interests in heart: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:15-16).
This was always the mark of a faithful high priest. All were “taken from among men, appointed for men in things pertaining to God.” Whether each was truly helpful or not centered on whether or not he could “have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness.” (Heb. 5:1-2). Does this describe our own attitude toward those around us? Are we compassionate because we too are subject to weakness? There is no moral superiority among God’s people; only a humility and sense of unworthiness that keeps us from acting like we are better in any way.
As we consider our own attitude toward sinners, who is reflected within? Without a beam we are like Jesus, with sympathy, compassion and a true desire to help. We have no judgments to make, since we too are full of weakness and know that with “what manner we judge we will be judged.” How can we feel contempt toward a sinner when we want God to feel sympathy toward us? If we treat others as Israel did, we are afflicted with the beam. Because they had forgotten or never learned how to judge themselves, they trusted in themselves that they were righteous and held others in contempt. If we ever feel contempt toward anyone, we must beware because we are perilously close to developing that beam.
Those who are truly spiritual care nothing about what the trespass is. Large or small, an abomination or a “respectable” sin, it matters not in the least. Regardless of the fall into sin, they are ready to restore in a spirit of gentleness all the while looking to themselves, knowing that it could and still might be them.
Conclusion. Jesus did not come to judge, but to save (Jn. 12:47). If we are like Him, we have exactly the same attitude. We who are spiritual have only one goal when we hear of those in sin. We seek to restore them in a spirit of gentleness. When we put on a heart of compassion, we insulate ourselves from being afflicted by the beam in our own eye.
- “And why do you look at the mote/speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the beam/plank/log in your own eye? 4 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? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Mt. 7:3-5)
Jesus was not trying to be humorous. Although it is ludicrous to think that any person so incapacitated could be of any help to anyone, it is not funny! If we still have this beam in our own eye, we would be a hindrance to everyone we sought to help. When it comes to judging others and giving them advice, there are multitudes who are so harsh, and so overcome with their own pride and folly, that whatever they do for others is just as hopeless as that man with a plank in his eye!
What we should find most startling is that those with this plank are not even aware that it exists. They stand ready to remove the slightest flaw in those around them, but are incapable of being of any help. Have we searched our hearts to see if we have this beam in our own eye?
It is a two-step process. First, we have to understand exactly what Jesus meant when He revealed this beam. Second and for many, much more difficult is to search our own heart to see if we have one. While some think any larger fault could be this beam, Jesus was not actually speaking of faults here. He was speaking of how we judge others. This is a parable to give light on how our judgement of others can impact our ability to help them.
Jesus revealed the nature of this beam in another parable (Lk. 18:9-14). “He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt.” This reveals the two sides of the beam: First, they “trusted in themselves” and second, “viewed others with contempt.” These are the two fatal flaws we must be vigilant against.
First, because these Jews “trusted in themselves that they were righteous,” they were completely blind! Their own law had revealed “there is none righteous, no, not one,” and the gospel added “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:10, 23). Anyone who does not feel deeply in their hearts as the Publican who: “even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner” cannot see clearly. No one can help another with any flaw until he knows how to deal with His own. Without the deep humility and realization that we too are sinners, we will never see clearly enough to help others.
The second element of the beam was that they “viewed others with contempt.” Instead of viewing themselves on the same level and seeking to help, we witness the sneering statement: “I am not like other men — extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.” How can anyone help another when they have no respect or concern for them? The very fact that we could not sympathize with them in any sin they might commit is another clear sign that we have a beam. No matter what the sin, its wages is death. “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” (Jas. 2:10). If we see the sins we commit as insignificant while the sins of others are contemptible, we still have a beam in our eye.
Paul used the teachings of this parable to reveal this plank in the entire nation of Israel that had kept them from helping the Gentiles. “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.” While they had used the law to hold others in contempt, they had never used it to reveal their own sins and repent of them. They were completely blind to this truth and also incapable of being of any help to others. They were self-condemned men, seeking to help others, when they could not even help themselves! Yet the incongruity of this never dawned on them. Although “confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,” God condemned them because if you want to “teach another, do you not teach yourself?” Those who can’t even learn themselves what true repentance and confession are have no words to give to others that would be of any help to them. Instead of helping the Gentiles, their beam had led to “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (Rom. 2:1-21).
When we contrast these people with someone who we know has no beam in His eye, it becomes more evident that this is its true essence. Jesus came to help all who have motes in their eye. The entire sermon on the mount was designed to help us see and remove these specks. Jesus held no one in contempt! Jesus came with sympathy, truly wanting to help. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Mt 11:28-29). Jesus never sinned, yet treated those who did with love, seeking to lift them out.
Because we know He loves us and truly sympathizes and wants to help us, we can come before Him with boldness because He truly has our best interests in heart: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:15-16).
This was always the mark of a faithful high priest. All were “taken from among men, appointed for men in things pertaining to God.” Whether each was truly helpful or not centered on whether or not he could “have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness.” (Heb. 5:1-2). Does this describe our own attitude toward those around us? Are we compassionate because we too are subject to weakness? There is no moral superiority among God’s people; only a humility and sense of unworthiness that keeps us from acting like we are better in any way.
As we consider our own attitude toward sinners, who is reflected within? Without a beam we are like Jesus, with sympathy, compassion and a true desire to help. We have no judgments to make, since we too are full of weakness and know that with “what manner we judge we will be judged.” How can we feel contempt toward a sinner when we want God to feel sympathy toward us? If we treat others as Israel did, we are afflicted with the beam. Because they had forgotten or never learned how to judge themselves, they trusted in themselves that they were righteous and held others in contempt. If we ever feel contempt toward anyone, we must beware because we are perilously close to developing that beam.
Those who are truly spiritual care nothing about what the trespass is. Large or small, an abomination or a “respectable” sin, it matters not in the least. Regardless of the fall into sin, they are ready to restore in a spirit of gentleness all the while looking to themselves, knowing that it could and still might be them.
- “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. (Gal. 6:1).
Conclusion. Jesus did not come to judge, but to save (Jn. 12:47). If we are like Him, we have exactly the same attitude. We who are spiritual have only one goal when we hear of those in sin. We seek to restore them in a spirit of gentleness. When we put on a heart of compassion, we insulate ourselves from being afflicted by the beam in our own eye.
- Put on therefore, as God’s elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering; 13 forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye: 14 and above all these things (put on) love, which is the bond of perfectness. (Col. 3:12-14)