Matthew 7:3

3 But what seest thou a little mote in the eye of thy brother, and seest not a beam in thine own 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 Do not ye deem, that ye be not deemed;

2 for in what doom ye deem, ye shall be deemed, and in what measure ye mete, it shall be meted again to you.

3 But what seest thou a little mote in the eye of thy brother, and seest not a beam in thine own eye?

4 Or how sayest thou to thy brother, Brother, suffer I shall do out a mote from thine eye [Brother, suffer that I cast out a mote from thine eye], and lo! a beam is in thine own eye?

5 Hypocrite, first do out the beam of thine eye/do thou out first the beam of thine own eye, and then thou shalt see to do out the mote of the eye of thy brother. [+Hypocrite, cast out first the beam of thine eye, and then thou shalt see to cast out the fescue of the eye of thy brother.]