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Judging Others (Lk. 6:37-42)

Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. 38 Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” 39 And he told them a parable, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? 40 No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. 41 Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? 42 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.”

Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5:1-7:29) was comprised of a collection of teachings by Jesus given to a primarily Jewish Christians audience.  Luke’s Sermon on the Plain (Lk. 6:20-49) drew on the same collection of teachings by Jesus but Luke’s audience was primarily Gentile Christians.  In Matthew, there were some problems that were specific to his Jewish Christian audience (Mt. 5:17-20; 6:1-8; 6:16-18) so Luke did not include them in his Sermon on the Plain. 

Jesus warned that those who follow his teaching would be judged as they judge others.  If they forgive others God will forgive them, and if they are generous, God’s generosity to them will be superabundant.  Jesus’ followers must demonstrate their love of neighbor (Lk. 10:27) by acts of forgiveness and generosity.  They must share their possessions even with their enemies (Lk. 6:30).  Those who have not had their eyes opened by his teachings are blind and cannot lead another to salvation.  Once they fully understand Jesus’ teaching, they can guide others, but they must first discipline themselves and learn the ways of God.  They will then be able to properly guide others. 

Almighty God, through your grace may our faith be strengthened by the Holy Spirit so we can live according to the Gospel preached by your Son.  Open our eyes so that we can correct our faults, be willing to forgive offences, and share with others the bounty you provide.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen!

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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.

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