Question 1

What does Jesus mean by “Judge not, that ye be not judged”?

Accepted Answer

Jesus is warning against a harsh, condemning attitude toward other people. He is not saying we should never call sin what it is, but that we must not take God’s place as the final judge or enjoy picking others apart. The point is that the standard we use on others will be used on us. If we are quick to condemn, we show we have forgotten our own sins and our need for mercy. Jesus calls us to be careful, humble, and kind when we think about other people’s faults.

Question 2

What are the mote and the beam in this passage about the eye?

Accepted Answer

The mote is a small speck of dust or straw, and the beam is a large piece of wood. Jesus uses this picture to show how silly and wrong it is to focus on small faults in someone else while ignoring bigger sins in ourselves. The beam stands for our own larger, often hidden problems, like pride or bitterness. The mote is the smaller fault in another person. Before we try to fix others, Jesus says we must honestly face and turn from our own sins first.

Question 3

Does this passage mean Christians should never correct anyone?

Accepted Answer

No, Jesus is not banning all correction. He is warning against proud, unfair, or hateful judging. In the same passage he speaks of taking the mote out of a brother’s eye after removing the beam from our own. That means there is a place for gentle correction, but it must come after real self-examination and repentance. When we see our own need of mercy, we are more patient and careful in how we speak to others about their sins, aiming to help, not to shame.

Question 4

What does it mean to first cast out the beam from your own eye?

Accepted Answer

To cast out the beam from your own eye means to take your own sin seriously before you deal with someone else’s. It calls for honest self-examination, not excuses or comparison. Instead of thinking, “My issues are small; theirs are big,” Jesus wants us to reverse that. We should confess our sins to God, turn from them, and seek a clean heart. When we do that, we see more clearly and can approach a brother or sister with humility and love, not with pride or harshness.

Question 5

Who are the “dogs” and “swine” in the warning about holy things and pearls?

Accepted Answer

In this picture, the “dogs” and “swine” are people who have shown hard resistance and open contempt for God’s truth. The holy things and pearls stand for what is sacred and precious, especially the good news about God and honest correction from his word. Jesus is saying that when people clearly mock or trample what is holy, we should be careful about pushing more truth on them. They are likely not only to reject it but to turn against the one who speaks. This calls for wisdom, not hatred.

Question 6

Why does Jesus warn that with what measure you mete it will be measured to you?

Accepted Answer

Jesus is teaching that the way we treat others will in some way come back to us. If we use a strict, unkind measure on people, we should expect a similar measure in return, both from people and from God’s just judgment. If we measure with mercy, patience, and fairness, that shows a heart that knows God’s mercy. This principle is meant to make us slow to condemn and quick to remember our own need of grace when we think or speak about others.

Question 7

How can I apply this teaching about judgment and pearls in daily life?

Accepted Answer

In daily life, this means checking your heart before you speak about someone else’s fault. Ask, “Am I dealing with similar or worse sins in myself?” It also means speaking correction, when needed, gently and with a real desire to help, not to win or embarrass. At the same time, it calls for wisdom in conversations about faith. If someone only mocks and attacks what is holy, you may need to step back instead of arguing on and on, and keep praying for God to soften their heart.

Question 8

Why might this passage about judging and pearls feel hard to understand?

Accepted Answer

It can feel hard because on one side it says not to judge, and on the other it expects us to see specks in a brother’s eye and to know who acts like dogs or swine. The tension is on purpose. Jesus is not giving a simple rule but shaping our hearts. We must avoid a proud, condemning spirit, yet still call sin what it is and use wisdom about when and how to speak. This balance between mercy, truth, and discernment takes practice and prayer.

Matthew 7:1

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

Judging Others

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Matthew 7:1

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

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Judging Others

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