Matthew 7:5
Matthew 7:5 is the fifth verse of the seventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount. This verse continues the discussion of judgmentalism.
Content
In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:The World English Bible translates the passage as:
The Novum Testamentum Graece text is:
Analysis
This verse continues the metaphor of a person with a plank in their own eye who criticizes someone for a speck in that person's eye. In this verse, Jesus argues that one must first remove the plank before going on to remove the speck. This verse warns against hypocrisy, seeing the flaw in another while ignoring the obvious sin in one's own lives. Jesus always made clear that judging was to be done by the Father, and humans should concern themselves with making their own soul ready for acceptance into the kingdom of God. The focus should always be on God’s grace, and in obedience rooting out the sin in our lives rather than concerning ourselves with the sins of others.The implication is that it is impossible for one to ever completely clear away their own flaws, and thus the opportunity to begin judging others will never arise. Hill sees this statement as in the same spirit as the famous "He who is without sin" teaching of.
Uses
Composer Georg Philipp Telemannuses this verse together with Psalm 139:11–12, and John 8:7 as the text in his cantata, Vor des lichten Tages Schein, TWV 1:1483 (Harmonischer Gottes-Dienst, Hamburg 1726.