Church Fathers Commentary Luke 6:39-42

"And he spake also a parable unto them, Can the blind guide the blind? shall they not both fall into a pit? The disciple is not above his teacher: but every one when he is perfected shall be as his teacher. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother`s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own 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." — Luke 6:39-42 (ASV)

St. Cyril of Alexandria: The Lord added to what had gone before a very necessary parable, as it is said, And he spoke a parable to them. Since His disciples were the future teachers of the world, it was fitting for them to know the way of a virtuous life, having their minds illuminated, as it were, by a divine brightness, so that they would not be blind leaders of the blind.

And then He adds, Can the blind lead the blind? However, if any should happen to attain a degree of virtue equal to their teachers, they should stand in the measure of their teachers and follow their footsteps. This is why it follows, The disciple is not above his master. This is also why Paul says, Be you also followers of me, as I am of Christ. Since Christ, therefore, did not judge, why do you judge? For He did not come to judge the world, but to show mercy.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Or else, if you judge another and sin in the very same way yourself, are you not like the blind leading the blind? For how can you lead him to good when you yourself also commit sin? For the disciple is not above his master. Therefore, if you sin—you who think of yourself as a master and guide—where will he be who is taught and led by you? For the perfect disciple will be one who is like his master.

The Venerable Bede: Or, the sense of this sentence depends upon the former one, in which we are enjoined to give alms and forgive injuries. If, He says, anger has blinded you against the violent, and avarice against the greedy, how can you with your own corrupt heart cure his corruption? If even your Master Christ, who as God could have avenged His injuries, chose instead through patience to make His persecutors more merciful, it is surely binding on His disciples, who are merely men, to follow the same rule of perfection.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Or, He added the words, Can the blind lead the blind?, so that the people might not expect to receive from the Levites that measure of which He says, They shall give into your bosom, because they gave tithes to them. And He calls these Levites blind because they did not receive the Gospel, so that the people might instead now begin to hope for that reward through the disciples of the Lord. Wishing to point to them as His imitators, He added, The disciple is not above his master.

Theophylact of Ohrid: But the Lord introduces another parable taken from the same figure, as follows: But why do you see the mote (that is, the slight fault) which is in your brother’s eye, but do not regard the beam which is in your own eye (that is, your great sin)?

The Venerable Bede: Now this refers to the previous parable, in which He forewarned them that the blind cannot be led by the blind—that is, a sinner cannot be corrected by a sinner. Hence it is said, Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me cast out the mote that is in your eye,’ if you do not see the beam that is in your own eye?

St. Cyril of Alexandria: It is as if He said: How can someone who is guilty of grievous sins (which He calls the beam) condemn another who has sinned only slightly, or in some cases not at all? For this is what the mote signifies.

Theophylact of Ohrid: But these words are applicable to all, and especially to teachers, who, while they punish the least sins of those under them, leave their own unpunished. Therefore, the Lord calls them hypocrites, because they judge the sins of others so that they themselves might appear to be just. This is why it follows, You hypocrite, first cast the beam out of your own eye...

St. Cyril of Alexandria: That is to say, first show yourself to be clean from great sins, and then afterward you shall give counsel to your neighbor, who is guilty only of slight sins.

St. Basil the Great: In truth, self-knowledge seems the most important of all. For not only does the eye, while looking at outward things, fail to use its sight upon itself, but our understanding also, though very quick in apprehending the sin of another, is slow to perceive its own defects.