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.
