Luke 6:42

Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.

Either {G2228} how {G4459} canst thou {G1410} say {G3004} to thy {G4675} brother {G80}, Brother {G80}, let me {G863} pull out {G1544} the mote {G2595} that is in {G1722} thine {G4675} eye {G3788}, when thou {G991} thyself {G846} beholdest {G991} not {G3756} the beam {G1385} that is in {G1722} thine {G4675} own eye {G3788}? Thou hypocrite {G5273}, cast out {G1544} first {G4412} the beam {G1385} out of {G1537} thine own {G4675} eye {G3788}, and {G2532} then {G5119} shalt thou see clearly {G1227} to pull out {G1544} the mote {G2595} that is in {G1722} thy {G4675} brother's {G80} eye {G3788}.

How can you say to your brother, `Brother, let me remove the splinter from your eye,' when you yourself don't see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye; then you will see clearly, so that you can remove the splinter from your brother's eye!

How can you say, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while you yourself fail to see the beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Or how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me cast out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.

Commentary on Luke 6:42 (KJV)

Luke 6:42 is a powerful and memorable teaching from Jesus Christ, emphasizing the critical importance of self-examination before attempting to correct others. It serves as a stark warning against hypocrisy in judgment.

Context

This verse is part of what is often called Jesus' "Sermon on the Plain" (Luke 6:20-49), Luke's version of the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew. Preceding this passage, Jesus has taught on loving enemies, turning the other cheek, and the principle of giving without expecting return. The immediate verses before Luke 6:42 speak of the blind leading the blind and a disciple being like his master (Luke 6:39-40), setting the stage for the necessity of one's own spiritual clarity before guiding or judging others. This teaching is fundamentally about the prerequisites for effective and righteous correction within the community.

Key Themes

  • Hypocrisy Condemned: The central message is a strong rebuke of hypocrisy. Jesus uses vivid, exaggerated imagery to highlight the absurdity and moral failing of someone who is quick to point out minor flaws in others while being blind to their own significant shortcomings. This spiritual blindness prevents genuine help.
  • Self-Examination First: Before one can effectively help a "brother" (fellow believer or neighbor) with their faults, they must diligently address their own. This involves honest introspection and repentance. This principle is echoed in other parts of Scripture, such as 2 Corinthians 13:5, which urges believers to "examine yourselves."
  • Authentic Help and Discernment: Jesus is not forbidding all forms of correction or discernment. Rather, He is establishing the foundation for it. Only after clearing one's own spiritual vision (removing the "beam") can one "see clearly" enough to offer genuine, loving, and effective assistance to another. This ensures that correction comes from a place of humility and spiritual integrity, not self-righteousness.

Linguistic Insights

The power of this verse lies in its striking imagery, which uses hyperbole for maximum impact:

  • "Mote" (Greek: karphedon): Refers to a tiny speck, splinter, or straw. It signifies a very minor fault or imperfection.
  • "Beam" (Greek: dokos): Denotes a large piece of timber, a rafter, or a log used in construction. The contrast between a tiny speck and a massive beam is intentionally absurd to emphasize the severity of the hypocrite's self-deception.
  • "Hypocrite" (Greek: hypokrites): This term originally referred to an actor or one who wears a mask on stage. Jesus uses it to describe someone who pretends to be morally superior or righteous, while inwardly harboring significant sin or blindness.

Practical Application

Luke 6:42 remains profoundly relevant for individuals and communities today:

  • Cultivate Humility: This teaching calls us to a posture of humility, recognizing our own fallibility and need for grace. It encourages us to be quicker to confess our own sins than to condemn others'.
  • Prioritize Personal Growth: Before offering advice or criticism, we should first look inward and address our own spiritual health. This makes our counsel more credible and our actions more consistent with our words.
  • Foster Constructive Relationships: When we approach others from a place of self-awareness and humility, our efforts to help or correct become genuinely loving and constructive, rather than judgmental and destructive. This principle is also found in the parallel passage in Matthew 7:5.
  • Beware of Self-Righteousness: The verse serves as a constant reminder against the danger of self-righteousness, which can blind us to our own faults and alienate us from those we claim to help.

Ultimately, Jesus teaches that true spiritual vision and the ability to help others effectively stem from a clear, unhypocritical heart that has first dealt with its own significant obstacles.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Romans 2:21

    Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

  • Romans 2:29

    But he [is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that] of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God.

  • Matthew 23:13

    But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in [yourselves], neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

  • Matthew 23:15

    Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

  • Psalms 51:9

    Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

  • Psalms 51:13

    [Then] will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:10

    Ye [are] witnesses, and God [also], how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:

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