Author: Charlie Garrett

Friday, 31 January 2025

Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:5

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Hypocrite! First, you eject the beam from your eye, and then you will thoroughly see to eject the splinter from your brother’s eye” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus spoke about someone saying he wanted to remove the chip from another’s eye while he had a beam in his own eye. Now, He continues that thought, saying, “Hypocrite! First, you eject the beam from your eye.”

The person is identified as a hypocrite because he is attempting to eject a moral defect from someone else while having his own, much greater, moral defect left unresolved. This is one of the tactics of those on the political left.

They identify some supposed fault in those they oppose but they are filled with fifty times more moral corruption than the insignificant point they have called out in their opponents. They make a mountain out of a molehill while sitting on their own heights of hypocrisy. Understanding this, Jesus continues with, “and then you will thoroughly see to eject the splinter from your brother’s eye.”

Jesus introduces the word diablepó. It is derived from dia, through, and blepó, to see. The prefix dia intensifies the thought of seeing. Thus, it is when one can see thoroughly. The meaning is that when a person has a moral defect, even if he sees a defect in others, he cannot clearly identify and root out another’s moral defect.

However, once he has cleaned up what is defective in himself, he will be able to more thoroughly review what is wrong in another. With this clarity of vision, he can then help the person remove what is defective in his own life.

Life application: The city of Chicago has gone from worse to worse in its selection of mayors. In fact, with the selection of a mayor, it seems that whoever is elected turns out to be so bad that there is no possible way the next person can be anything but a step up. Amazingly, however, once elected, it is seen that the new mayor is, in fact, worse than the one before.

How can this be when the people are so fed up with their mayor that they eject him or her from office, but then choose someone worse? The answer is that they are so morally corrupt themselves that they cannot see clearly to choose anything other than another liar whose promises woo them into believing they will be showered with abundance if they only elect him.

The problem is with those who choose the candidate. The candidate is simply taking advantage of the selfish greed of the people. Until the people themselves are willing to clear out the defect in their mode of selection, they will continue to go from one bad choice to another.

This is true at any level of politics. It is true in the selection of pastors for churches. It is true in a variety of ways in life. Critical thinking is not taught in schools. People are also unwilling to stop and evaluate the root of their problems, and so bad decisions continue to flow in their lives.

The only way to truly stem the tide of moral degradation in one’s life is to have a standard that is beyond oneself as a guide for right living. This is true with societies as well. However, for the person or society to be truly godly, that standard must be God.

There are many teachings that claim God as their source, but God is not fickle. He will not present Himself in one way to one group and in another way to others. Rather, He has presented Himself in one historically long and yet readily discernible way, which is through the pages of Scripture.

His presenting the law to Israel and then grace at the coming of Jesus are not two different presentations of Himself. Rather, it is one continuous instructional tool, each dispensation building on the others so that we can fully understand and appreciate His full plan of redemption.

Therefore, if a person or society wants to clear out immoral baggage, following the Bible is the only true way to do so. The further a society moves from the teachings of Scripture, the more morally corrupt it will be. The types of corruption may be different, but they will all be a presentation of morality that is incapable of true and lasting reformation.

God has given us the standard by which we can thoroughly see where our defects lie. It is up to us to accept or reject that truth. May we make the right decision and look to Jesus, the ultimate Standard of God’s proper moral way, as our guide. In doing so, things will go well for us.

Lord God, man is capable of great achievements and productivity, both individually and in societies. But without following Your guiding hand as it is presented in Scripture, there will always be defects in how we do things. Perfection will never come through our efforts. But through Jesus, we know that perfection lies ahead for Your people. Thank You, O God, for Jesus who promises us Your perfection. Amen.

Thursday, 30 January 2025

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? Matthew 7:4

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Or how you will say to your brother, ‘You permit – I may eject the chip from your eye,’ and behold, the beam in your eye” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus asked why someone would see a chip in another’s eye but not examine the beam in his own eye. He now continues that line of thought, saying, “Or how you will say to your brother, ‘You permit – I may eject the chip from your eye.’”

The person Jesus is speaking of is annoyed at the teeny perceived imperfection in someone else’s eye. It is as if it is too much of an annoyance to allow it to continue without being highlighted and removed.

But more, he doesn’t say to the other fellow, “You should work on getting that chip out of your eye.” Instead, he deems it appropriate that he himself will be the one to eject it from his eye. He assumes that he is qualified to mess with such things.

In Jesus’ words, He uses a new word, ekballo. It is derived from ek (from, out of, etc.), and ballo (to throw, cast, etc.). It is the same word used later when referring to casting out demons. It is used in the sense of ejecting something.

In this case, he wants to get his hands on the other guy’s eyeball and squeeze it until the chip comes free. Despite this, Jesus repeats the same thought as the previous verse, noting that his own troubles are far greater, saying, “and behold, the beam in your eye.”

While standing there noting that he can take care of the little chip in another’s eye, he is unwilling to acknowledge the 2×4 sticking out of his own eye. It is the height of hypocrisy because Jesus is actually referring to a moral defect in this person, using the chip and the beam as metaphors for spiritual truths.

People find it very easy to highlight teeny weeny little faults in others, even while they have immense moral defects of their own.

Life application: The words here are given as support for the initial words of Chapter 7, “Not you judge.” Jesus is not telling His disciples to never make judgments. In fact, in the next verse, He will actually tell them it is ok to do exactly that. He will then do so again in the verse following that.

However, there is an appropriate way to do so and there are inappropriate ways of doing so. For someone to walk around judging, when they are committing their own moral transgressions, is not a sound way of conducting one’s life.

And the fact is that everyone commits some sort of transgression at one point or another. Therefore, to arbitrarily judge others without clearing up one’s own personal failings is a hypocritical way of conducting one’s affairs.

Jesus is speaking to His disciples and to Israel in general in these verses, but many of the truths He conveys to them extend beyond the law to people in any culture or time. They are moral precepts that should be considered so that we don’t find ourselves on the receiving end of judgment.

Such is the normal way things will turn out when we go pointing fingers at others while we ourselves are not living in a manner that is appropriate.

Lord God, give us wisdom to apply the moral precepts of Your word to our lives. The book of Proverbs is a great place to learn basic truths about such things. May we read it along with the rest of Scripture to continually refine our thinking and remind ourselves of those things You find acceptable or unacceptable. Amen.

Wednesday, 29 January 2025

And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Matthew 7:3

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And why you see the chip, the ‘in the eye’ of your brother, and in your eye, a beam not you examine?” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus noted that the standard being used by a person in judgment will be returned against him in judgment, and the measure one uses will be measured back to that person. He now continues with, “And why you see the chip, the ‘in the eye’ of your brother.”

Here, He uses the word karphos, a chip. HELPS Word Studies defines it as “something dry and light; a ‘chip or splinter, of the same material with the beam.’” It is derived from karphó, to dry or wither up. It is a dried piece of wood that has separated from a larger piece.

One can think of the pile of wood left behind as a chainsaw cuts. They are teeny weeny little chips that dry almost immediately as they fly out behind the saw. Someone using a chainsaw might get hundreds of them in their eye during a regular workday. Anyone working around the sawman is bound to get them in their own eyes as well.

Jesus uses such a little thing as an example. Someone might see another person with an itty-bitty chip in his eye and say, “Hey, you have something in your eye.” At the same time, however, Jesus says, “and in your eye, a beam not you examine?”

Jesus uses the word dokos, HELPS Word Studies defines this as, “a large beam (joist) of wood; ‘a beam of timber’ (Abbott-Smith); ‘a log on which planks in the house rest (as in the papyri); joist, rafter, plank (Moffatt); a pole sticking out grotesquely.’”

As for the word translated as “examine,” it is katanoeó. Again, HELPS Word Studies provides clarity to its intended meaning, saying, “‘properly, to think from up to down, to a conclusion; to consider exactly, attentively (decisively); to concentrate by fixing one’s thinking’ ‘to perceive clearly’ (kata, intensive), ‘to understand fully, consider closely.’”

One can see that the word “examine” suits the intent well. The guy is standing there with a plank the size of Montana hanging out of his eye while being upset about a bit of sawdust in the other guy’s eye.

The intended meaning from Jesus is that the person is out judging others without examining himself. He has a major fault in his life such as being addicted to pornography, and yet, he rebukes someone else who notices a beautiful lady walking down the street. He is a total hypocrite.

Life application: People often take things to unintended extremes in relation to the Bible. They may read a passage in the Bible about drinking wine that is negative in its portrayal of the subject matter, such as Proverbs 23:29-35. In reading that, and tearing the intent of the passage out of its proper context, he decides that any drinking of alcohol is wrong and condemns anyone who has a glass of wine.

But the Bible never teaches such a thing. In fact, the exact opposite can be easily discerned from a short study of the subject. Likewise, a person may have been saved from a life of alcohol addiction. When he is freed from it, he immediately goes about condemning everyone who has no problem with drinking.

Someone may have had a problem with pornography. In being cured of it, he decides all women should walk around with baggy plain dresses and wear bonnets. The next thing you know, an entire denomination is walking around doing just that.

But the Bible never speaks of such things. In fact, the beauty of women is particularly noted several times in Scripture, such as with Rebekah, Rachel, etc. An entire book, The Song of Solomon, addresses the beauty of a woman numerous times. Just because one person has a stumbling block in his life, it is inappropriate that he force his new mores upon everyone else.

Be sure that when you hear a sermon or study on such an issue, you check to see if what the instruction taught is correct or not. Otherwise, you may be placing yourself under a bondage that the Bible never imposes on God’s people. Be wise, be discerning, and check what you hear. It is your walk with the Lord. Don’t be intimidated into something that is unbiblical.

Lord God, we are so thankful to You for Your word that guides us as we walk through this world. May we direct our feet according to what it says. When we hear something that is given to instruct us in Your word, may we be responsible enough to check out what we hear before we run with it. Help us in this, O God. Amen.

Tuesday, 28 January 2025

For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Matthew 7:2

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“For in what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and in what measure you measure, it will be remeasured to you” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus said to not judge that not you may be judged. Now to continue explaining that, He says, “For in what judgment you judge, you will be judged.”

In other words, and what should be evident from Matthew 7:1 alone, because of how Jesus’ words fit into the rest of Scripture, is that when one judges in a certain manner, that same judgment can be expected to be returned to him. If you pass by people and judge them based on their clothing, it can be expected that the same judgment will be returned to you.

The person who calls the police about people speeding by his house is bound to get ticketed by the police he called for his own driving too fast to get home. He may have only been going 47 in a 40 zone while the people he complained about were going 65, but he is now subject to the same judgment that he expected toward others. If he didn’t call the cops to patrol his road, he never would have received the ticket.

The nagging woman down the road who calls code enforcement over every minor issue will, eventually, have someone call code enforcement on her for her own issues. Examples such as these are the types of things Jesus is referring to.

He was not saying to not make any judgments, period. He is making a point concerning what can be expected by those who go around pointing fingers at others from some supposed position of moral authority that really doesn’t exist except in their own minds. He reconfirms this with another similar example, saying, “and in what measure you measure, it will be remeasured to you.”

The word metron, a measure, is introduced. HELPS Word Studies says it “is the controlling basis by which something is determined as acceptable or unacceptable – preeminently rooting to the Lord Himself as His being is the only ultimate measure of truth.”

When making up one’s own measure instead of using an accepted standard, an equal measure can be expected to return upon the one who has initiated the standard.

This repetition of thought while using a different subject confirms the entire analysis. Jesus is not saying to not judge, period. He is saying that when you do judge in a particular manner, a like judgment is expected to come back to you. Albert Barnes says, “You shall be judged by the same rule which you apply to others.”

A basic example of this measure rule is seen when a person walks down the street and arbitrarily punches someone else in the head. He has set an arbitrary standard of acceptability which stems from his own demented mind.

There are times when the person who is hit will go down for the count. However, some people can take a punch like that and return the same, bringing a measure of pain in return.

If the first person minded his own business and left others alone, he would have been fine. But in measuring out punches during his afternoon walk, he may suddenly be forced to have liquid lunches for the rest of his life.

This type of measurement is exactingly seen in the Lex Talionis provision found in the Law of Moses –

“If a man causes disfigurement of his neighbor, as he has done, so shall it be done to him— ²⁰ fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has caused disfigurement of a man, so shall it be done to him. ²¹ And whoever kills an animal shall restore it; but whoever kills a man shall be put to death. ²² You shall have the same law for the stranger and for one from your own country; for I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 24:19-22

Life application: Matthew 7 began with, “Not you judge.” As a stand-alone thought, one can easily conclude that based on Jesus’ words, Christians are not to make any judgments at all. And this is exactly how those words are used innumerable times a day by others in an attempt to impose their own perverted sense of morality on others.

But those opening words fit into a context that explains just what Jesus meant. To take what He said out of context is to form a pretext. That is now clearly evident after analyzing the rest of Matthew 7:1 along with Matthew 7:2.

Understanding this, doesn’t it seem reasonable that when you are told by someone that you must observe the Law of Moses you should check the context to make sure that what you are told actually fits into the rest of Scripture?

Many verses concerning the law are pulled out of their greater context and are then used in just this way, forming a pretext with the intent of bringing you into bondage to their perverted ideas of doctrine and theology.

Of all of the concepts found in Paul’s epistles, this is the one that he deals with the most. His words, along with a proper contextual analysis of the rest of Scripture, show that the law is fulfilled and annulled through the work of Jesus. Christians are to accept this, live by grace, and not place themselves under a yoke that they were never intended to carry.

Be on guard! Check the context! Live by God’s glorious grace! Come to Jesus and be free from the law.

“And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. ⁴ You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” Galatians 5:3, 4

Lord God, Your word is big and filled with many concepts and precepts, but everything it says must be considered based on the surrounding and the overall context. Help us to consider these things and to not be led astray by people with perverse agendas. May we live by grace in Your presence all our days. Amen.

Monday, 27 January 2025

“Judge not, that you be not judged. Matthew 7:1

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Not you judge, that not you may be judged” (CG).

The previous verse closed out Chapter 6. Now, Chapter 7 opens with one of the top misused verses of all time. Jesus says, “Not you judge.”

Those words alone are what are torn out of their context, shoved in the faces of others, and used as a pretext to claim nobody has the right to ever make a moral decision or render a judgment concerning pretty much any matter someone else doesn’t want to be judged over.

The Greek word is krinó. Essentially, it means to distinguish. From that, its meaning is based on the context of what is being said, such as to decide (whether mentally or judicially), to try, condemn, punish, decree, judge, sue, call into question, etc.

Taking these words out of context and misapplying them as people do essentially means that no person could ever make a decision on anything, ever. However, throughout Scripture judgments are both expected to be made and are openly promoted as necessary. In fact, in verse 7:6, Jesus will instruct His disciples to make necessary judgments.

This continues throughout the gospels, Acts, and the epistles. So what is Jesus saying? The verse continues with, “that not you may be judged.”

Jesus is not actually saying, “Not you judge” period. There is a second half to His words and a greater context in which they are spoken. He says, “Not you judge, that not you may be judged.”

There is a standard that is being conveyed to His disciples. It is a standard that is further explained in His coming words. For now, it is evident that He is telling them that when they judge, judgment will return to them. It almost mirrors Newton’s Third Law of Motion, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

When certain things happen in the moral world of judgment, certain other things of a like kind are to be expected. The more judgmental someone is, therefore, the more judgment he will bring on himself. A good word for a person with such an attitude is censoriousness.

The more censorious someone is, the more censored he can expect to be.

Life application: One of the most nauseating things on the planet is when people post the first words of Matthew 7:1 on social media or cite them in some forum or another. Doing this is an immediate attempt to shut others down about some particular issue or another.

More often than not, it is directed toward Christians by non-Christians. The very people who don’t even believe in the Lord, use His words against those who do, but who are unprepared for responding to such citations.

And far too often, Christians then cave in their stand against moral perversion and even outright wickedness. They are unwilling to learn what the Bible is saying, especially in its proper context. If a person is not a part of the solution, he is a part of the problem.

In the case of citing Matthew 7:1, it is a huge problem. Be prepared to respond to people whose agenda is to restrict, silence, or eliminate the moral standards expected of Christians.

Lord God, help us to make right judgments as we live in Your presence. When we judge, we can expect return judgment, so help us to not make decisions or judgments unwisely. Above all, help us to rightly understand Your word in the proper context for the situations in which we find ourselves. Amen.