Matthew 7:3

3 Why seist thou a moote in thy brothers eye and perceavest not the beame yt ys yn thyne awne eye.

Matthew 7:3 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 7:3

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's
eye?
&c.] By "mote" is meant, any little bit of straw, or small splinter of wood, that flies into the eye, and does it damage, hinders its sight, and gives it pain; and designs little sins, comparatively speaking, such as youthful follies, human frailties, and infirmities, inadvertencies and imprudencies; which may be said to be light faults, in comparison of others: and though not to be vindicated, nor continued in, yet not to be severely looked upon and chastised. To scrutinize diligently into, aggravate, dwell upon, and sharply reprove the lighter faults of others, is a conduct, which is here inveighed against, and condemned by Christ; and more especially, when it may be said with the greatest truth and justice to such,

but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye:
by the "beam" is meant, greater sins, grosser abominations, and such as were more peculiar to the Pharisees; as pride, arrogance, a vain opinion of themselves, confidence in their own righteousness, hypocrisy, covetousness, and iniquity; things they did not advert to in themselves, when they loudly exclaimed against lesser evils in others. Such men must be of all persons inexcusable, who condemn that in others, which either they themselves do, or what is abundantly worse.

Matthew 7:3 In-Context

1 Iudge not that ye be not iudged.

2 For as ye iudge so shall ye be iudged. And wt what mesure ye mete wt the same shall it be mesured to you agayne.

3 Why seist thou a moote in thy brothers eye and perceavest not the beame yt ys yn thyne awne eye.

4 Or why sayest thou to thy brother: suffre me to plucke oute the moote oute of thyne eye and behold a beame is in thyne awne eye.

5 Ypocryte fyrst cast oute the beame oute of thyne awne eye and then shalte thou se clearly to plucke oute the moote out of thy brothers eye.