“And he told them a parable, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye. “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. That one is like a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built. But the one who listens and does not act is like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed (Lk. 6:39-49).”
This passage is about sharing possessions, as Jesus described in the Beatitudes (Lk. 6:20-38), with emphasis on the 'poor'. Based on Christ’s teaching, Christians should share their possessions (Acts 4:32) even with their enemies. Those who have not had their eyes opened by the teachings of Christ are blind and cannot themselves lead or teach anyone. Once they fully understand what Jesus meant by sharing possessions then they can teach others. It is wrong for us to see the major failings of others when it comes to sharing possessions but not see how we are also lacking in sharing our possessions. Our goodness and the desire to share comes from a heart that has been truly converted by the teachings of Christ. Hearing the Word of God and praising God but not doing his will is not enough. Christians must build their spiritual foundation on the teachings of Jesus and live his teaching.
Almighty God, external expressions of piety only have value if we live our lives according to the Gospel preached by your Son. Your light is ever radiant O God. Open the eyes of your blind children so that we may look at you through the eyes of faith and see you and the glory that we will someday share. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
References:
Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, & Roland E. Murphy, (Eds.). (1990, 1968). The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentis Hall, Inc.
Jose M. Casciaro, Santiago Ausin, Gonzalo Aranda, Claudio Basevi, Vincente Balaguer, Francisco Varo, James Gavigan, Brian McCarthy & Thomas McGovern (Eds.). (2017). The Navarre Bible - New Testament. Dublin 8, Ireland: Four Courts Press.
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