In this chapter the Lord speaks of that spirit which should characterize those who were called to enter into the kingdom. It is what their conduct should be towards one another and to men in the world. “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.”
It does not become them to judge others individually as to the motives which govern their actions before God. (This is not to be confused with that which the assembly is called upon to exercise when certain members have fallen into sin. Assembly discipline is presented in 1 Corinthians.) “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” A mote is used to illustrate small failings in contrast to larger faults, called “beams.” Here the Lord Jesus is exposing the hypocrisy of those who see and magnify small faults in others, and pass over greater ones in themselves. He shows that the way to deal rightly, if we desire the good of His people and seek their deliverance from evil, is to begin with self-judgment. Often we will find that when one gets rid of a great fault in himself, the small failing in another will have disappeared too.
Special Treasures
“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” The Lord is not speaking here of the gospel of the grace of God which is for all men everywhere. The pearls would be those precious things which are the special treasures of those who belong to Christ. Examples include the love of Christ for the church His bride, His coming again for her and the place that she will share with Him in His glory. These blessed truths are to be enjoyed by the Lord’s own and are not to be spread before those who have not received the Lord. They are counted as unclean through not having been cleansed from their sins. Such neither value nor appreciate these sacred things and so to place such treasures before them would only cause them to turn and attack the Lord’s disciple.
Then we have the Father’s care over His own in answer to the prayer of faith. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”
After this He tells them that in their conduct toward others they should manifest the same spirit that their Father had shown toward them. “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” It was only in acting according to these principles of faith that they could expect others to act in kindness toward them.
Energy of Faith
Finally the Lord puts before them the energy of faith. “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” This way is in contrast to the natural desires of those who had not heeded the voice of Him who pleaded with them. They would attempt to make the gate large and the road broad and to deny the separated path in which God leads His own in the knowledge of Himself.
Further Meditation
1. What other pearls can you think of?
2. What is meant by the “strait” or narrow gate?
3. You might find Self-Judgment by H. E. Hayhoe an excellent extension of the material in this chapter.