Lesson#12

THE PARABLES OF JESUS CHRIST
LESSON #12
THE PARABLE OF THE MOTE AND THE BEAM (MAT 7:1-5)
THE PARABLE OF DOGS AND SWINE (MAT 7:6)

• MEMORY VERSE: MAT 7:1-2

• PRELIMINARY TASK: WRITE THREE THINGS THAT UPSET YOU THE MOST ABOUT THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE DO.
• =1=
• =2=
• =3=

• THE TWO PARABLES IN THIS LESSON ARE STILL PART OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT AND ARE SPOKEN TO THE DISCIPLES.
• READ MAT 6:34-7:8 FOR THE CONTEXT OF THESE PARABLES
• IMPORTANT CONCEPTS OR PRINCIPLES IN THESE VERSES.
• DON’T HAVE ANXIETIES ABOUT THE FUTURE BECAUSE THERE IS ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT TODAY. (6:34)
• IF YOU CONDEMN OTHERS, YOU WILL BRING TROUBLE UPON YOURSELF. (7:1)
• IT IS EASIER TO SEE THE FAULTS OF OTHERS THAN IT IS TO SEE YOUR OWN FAULTS. (7:3)
• IT IS NATURAL TO WANT TO CORRECT OTHERS BEFORE CORRECTING YOURSELF. (7:5)

• THE PARABLE OF THE MOTE AND THE BEAM (MAT 7:1-5)
• THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE:
• WE BRING A LOT OF TROUBLE UPON OURSELVES BECAUSE WE CONDEMN OTHERS FOR THEIR FAULTS SEEKING TO CORRECT THEM INSTEAD OF SEEING AND CORRECTING OUR OWN FAULTS. CONDEMNING OTHERS IS THE GREATER SIN.
• WHAT DOES THE MOTE AND BEAM REPRESENT?
• THE MOTE:
• IN ENGLISH IT IS A DUST PARTICLE IN THE AIR.
• IN GREEK IT IS A SMALL SPLINTER, A TWIG, OR A STALK.
• THE BEAM:
• A MASSIVE PIECE OF TIMBER.
• THE WARNING IS AGAINST SEVERE FAULTFINDING. THE GREATER SIN IS NOT WHAT IS IN YOUR BROTHER, BUT THE SIN OF SEVERE CRITICISM WITHIN YOURSELF.
• THEREFORE, SEVERE CRITICISM WHICH IS CONDEMNATION IS THE BEAM IN YOUR OWN EYE.
• WHY DID JESUS USE THIS ANALOGY?
• JESUS ALREADY SPOKE ABOUT THE HEALTHY EYE (6:22)
• VISION IS AN INTERESTING ANALOGY.
• A SPOT ON YOUR GLASSES CAN BE OVERLOOKED AND NOT EVEN SEEN BECAUSE YOU ARE FOCUSING BEYOND YOURSELF.
• THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DISCERNMENT AND JUDGING:
• IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DISCERNMENT AND JUDGING IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A BALANCE OF SCRIPTURE AND A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PARABLE.
• WE CANNOT HELP BUT NOTICE OTHER PEOPLE’S CHARACTER FLAWS, BUT JUDGING IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD ALL AVOID:
• JUDGING IS CONDEMNATION OF PEOPLE FOR THESE FLAWS.
• USUALLY THE FLAWS THAT WE FOCUS ON ARE THE FLAWS THAT WE OURSELVES HAVE.
• DISCERNMENT IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD ALL DEVELOP.
• WE NEED TO DISCERN GOOD FROM EVIL.
• WE NEED TO DISCERN TRUE FROM FALSE.
• A SCRIPTURAL VIEW OF JUDGING AND DISCERNING:
• THERE ARE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT GREEK WORDS THAT ARE INTERCHANGEABLY TRANSLATED IN ENGLISH AS EITHER JUDGE OR DISCERN:
• =1= Krites = A NOUN THAT IS TRANSLATED, “JUDGE”.
• THE WORD MEANS = A RULER, OR ONE WHO TRIES AND DECIDES A LEGAL CASE. (HEB 10:30) (READ JAM 2:1-4 JAM 4:11-12 JAM 5:9)
• SIGNIFICANCE:
• THE BELIEVER IS NOT TO ACT AS A COURT JUDGE, SHOWING FAVOR TO SOME PEOPLE OVER OTHER PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THEIR OUTWARD APPEARANCE OR POSITION IN LIFE.
• THE BELIEVER IS NOT TO ACT AS A COURT JUDGE, WHO HAS A PERSONAL MOTIVE OF LUST.
• THE BELIEVER IS NOT TO ACT AS A COURT JUDGE, WHEN SOMEONE FULFILLS GOD’S LAW OF LOVE TO A THIRD PERSON.
• =2= Kring = A VERB THAT IS TRANSLATED, “JUDGE”.
• THE WORD MEANS = TO SEPARATE, SELECT, CHOOSE, TO DETERMINE SO AS TO PRONOUNCE JUDGMENT; ASSUMING THE OFFICE OF #1 ABOVE; FORMING AN OPINION OF. (READ MAT 7:1-5 LUK 12:54-57 LUK 7:43 JOH 7:19-24 JOH 8:14-16 ROM 14:1-5, 13-14)
• THE POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE:
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN SPIRITUAL TIMES.
• THE BELIEVER IS TO JUDGE HIS OWN ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES OF LIFE.
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN THE SOURCE OF SPIRITUAL POWER AND ITS MOTIVATION.
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN ANOTHER’S WITNESS OR CONFESSION OF FAITH, HIS LIFE IN THE LORD.
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN HIS OWN ACTIONS THAT THEY NOT HINDER ANOTHER BELIEVER.
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN THE SPIRITUAL LEVEL OF ANOTHER PERSON.
• THE NEGATIVE SIGNIFICANCE:
• THE BELIEVER MUST NOT JUDGE ANOTHER BELIEVER’S FAULTS.
• THE BELIEVER MUST NOT JUDGE OR DISCERN ACCORDING TO FLESHLY APPEARANCE, ACCORDING TO HIS OWN FEELINGS, OR ACCORDING TO HUMAN WISDOM.
• THE BELIEVER MUST NOT JUDGE ANOTHER BELIEVER AS TO HOW HE WORSHIPS GOD.
• =3= Anakrino = A VERB SOMETIMES TRANSLATED, “JUDGE”, AND SOMETIMES TRANSLATED, “DISCERN”.
• Ana IS AN INTENSIVE PREFIX THAT MEANS = TO EXAMINE, INVESTIGATE, QUESTION.
• (READ ACT 17:10-11 1COR 2:14-16 1COR 4:1-5 1COR 14:24-25)
• THE POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE:
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN ANOTHER PERSON’S SPIRITUAL OPENNESS TO GOD.
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN SPIRITUAL THINGS.
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN THE RESULTS OF A PERSON’S MINISTRY.
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN HIS OWN ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS.
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN THE VALIDITY OF A MESSAGE OR PROPHECY.
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN THE UNBELIEVER.
• THE NEGATIVE SIGNIFICANCE:
• THE BELIEVER IS NOT TO DISCERN UNNECESSARILY WHEN HE DOES NOT HAVE ALL THE FACTS.
• =4= Diakrino = A VERB SOMETIMES TRANSLATED, “JUDGE”, AND SOMETIMES TRANSLATED, “DISCERN”.
• THE WORD MEANS = TO SEPARATE, TO DISCRIMINATE, TO DISCERN, TO DECIDE. (READ MAT 16:1-3 1COR 1:29-32 1COR 14:29)
• THE POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE:
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN SPIRITUAL TIMES.
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN HIS OWN ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS AND HIS NEED FOR CHRIST.
• THE BELIEVER IS TO JUDGE WHETHER A PROPHECY OR MESSAGE IS TRULY FROM GOD.
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN THE NEEDS OF OTHER BELIEVERS IN THE CHURCH.
• =5= Kriterion = A VERB TRANSLATED, “JUDGE”.
• THE WORD MEANS = TO HOLD A TRIBUNAL OR COURT OF LAW (READ 1COR 6:2-8)
• THE POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE:
• THE BELIEVER SHOULD JUDGE THE WORLD SYSTEM.
• THE BELIEVER WILL JUDGE ANGELS SOME DAY IN THE FUTURE.
• THE BELIEVER SHOULD JUDGE SMALL MATTERS OR DISPUTES BETWEEN BELIEVERS WHEN HE IS ASKED TO BE AN ARBITRATOR.
• =6= Dokimazo = A VERB TRANSLATED, “DISCERN”.
• THE WORD MEANS = TO TEST, TO PROVE, TO SCRUTINIZE, SO AS TO DECIDE AN ISSUE. (READ LUK 12:56)
• THE POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE:
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN SPIRITUAL TIMES.
• =7= Diakrisis = A NOUN TRANSLATED, “DISCERN” (READ 1COR 12:10 ROM 14:1 HEB 5:14)
• THE WORD MEANS = A CLEAR DETERMINATION
• THE POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE:
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN SPIRITS, WHETHER GOOD OR EVIL.
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN THE WEAK FAITH OF OTHERS.
• THE BELIEVER IS TO DISCERN GOOD AND EVIL.
• THE NEGATIVE SIGNIFICANCE:
• THE BELIEVER IS NOT TO DISCERN OTHER’S OPINIONS ON WORSHIP.
• =8= Kritikos = AN ADJECTIVE TRANSLATED, “DISCERN”.
• THE WORD MEANS = THAT WHICH RELATES TO JUDGING. (READ HEB 4:12)
• THE NEGATIVE SIGNIFICANCE:
• THE BELIEVER MUST NOT DISCERN OR JUDGE THE THOUGHTS AND INTENTS OF THE HEART, BECAUSE THEY ARE JUDGED BY THE WORD OF GOD.
• THE REASONS WHY A CHRISTIAN SHOULD NOT JUDGE OTHER CHRISTIANS:
• READ ROM 14:1-23
• =1= DO NOT JUDGE ANOTHER CHRISTIAN BECAUSE GOD HAS RECEIVED HIM AS A CHILD OF GOD. (ROM 14:3)
• =2= DO NOT JUDGE ANOTHER CHRISTIAN BECAUSE GOD IS HIS MASTER (LORD). (ROM 14:4)
• =3= DO NOT JUDGE ANOTHER CHRISTIAN BECAUSE GOD IS IN CONTROL OF HIS LIFE THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT. (ROM 14:4)
• =4= DO NOT JUDGE ANOTHER CHRISTIAN BECAUSE IT DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE OR HONOR GOD. (ROM 14:8)
• =5= DO NOT JUDGE ANOTHER CHRISTIAN BECAUSE CHRIST WILL ONE DAY JUDGE HIM. (ROM 14:10)
• =6= DO NOT JUDGE ANOTHER CHRISTIAN BECAUSE HE IS PERSONALLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS OWN ACTIONS. (ROM 14:12)
• =7= DO NOT JUDGE ANOTHER CHRISTIAN BECAUSE IT CAUSES HIM TO STUMBLE IN HIS FAITH. (ROM 14:13)
• =8= DO NOT JUDGE ANOTHER CHRISTIAN BECAUSE WE HAVE CHRISTIAN LIBERTY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. (ROM 14:14)
• =9= DO NOT JUDGE ANOTHER CHRISTIAN BECAUSE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO EDIFY (BUILD UP) OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST. (ROM 14:19)
• SUMMARY:
• THE BELIEVER IS TO HAVE A DISCERNING DISCRIMINATION OF SPIRITUAL THINGS, OUR OWN ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS, GOOD AND EVIL. BUT HE IS NOT TO JUDGE WITHOUT SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE.
• THE BELIEVER IS NOT TO JUDGE WITH CONDEMNATION OTHER BELIEVERS BECAUSE:
• IT IS NOT SAFE (MAT 7:1 ROM 2:1)
• WE ARE NOT QUALIFIED (LUK 6:41)
• IT IS NOT WITHIN OUR PROVINCE OF OPERATION (ROM 14:4 JAM 4:11)
• IT IS NOT RELEVANT (1COR 4:3-5)
• GUIDANCE FOR DISCERNING A MESSAGE, PROPHECY, OR DOCTRINE:
• =1= IS IT TRUE TO CHRIST (REV 19:10 JOH 16:13-14)
• =2= DOES IT LINE UP WITH SCRIPTURE (2IM 3:16 ISA 8:19-20)
• =3= DOES IT LEAVE YOU WITH PEACE INSIDE (COL 3:15)
• =4= DOES IT LEAD TO LIBERTY OR BONDAGE (ROM 8:15 2PET 2:17)
• =5= DOES THE LIFE OF THE ONE BRINGING THE MESSAGE PRODUCE GOOD FRUIT (GAL 5:22)
• =6= DOES IT BRING CONFUSION (DEU 18:20-22)
• =7= IS THERE AN ANOINTING FROM GOD (1JOH 2:20)

• APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE:
• WE ALL HAVE FAULTS THAT WE DISLIKE IN OTHERS. THEREFORE, WE SHOULD USE OTHERS AS A MIRROR TO SEE OURSELVES.
• LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE WHERE YOU WROTE THE THREE THINGS THAT UPSET YOU MOST ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE. THAT IS YOUR MIRROR!

• THE PARABLE OF DOGS AND SWINE (MAT 7:6)
• IMPORTANT CONCEPTS OR PRINCIPLES IN MAT 7:6-8:
• BE DISCERNING OF THOSE WHO ARE DOGS AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT, THOSE WHO ARE SWINE AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT. (6)
• TO BE DISCERNING, YOU MUST CONTINUALLY BE SEEKING THE THINGS OF GOD. (7)
• THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THIS PARABLE:
• I NEED TO CONTINUALLY SEEK GOD’S WISDOM IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DISCERN GOOD FROM EVIL IN OTHERS.
• WHAT IS “THAT WHICH IS HOLY”?
• LITERALLY, THE PHRASE MEANS = “THE FLESH OF THE SACRIFICES”
• IN OTHER WORDS, THE FLESH OF CHRIST’S SACRIFICE WAS HOLY. THEREFORE ANYTHING THAT RELATES TO CHRIST AND HIS SACRIFICE IS HOLY.
• (LEV 22;6,7,10,16)
• TRUTH IS NOT TO BE FORCED UPON THOSE WHO REJECT IT, NOR HOLY THINGS GIVEN TO FAULTFINDERS.
• WHAT DO THE “DOGS” REPRESENT?
• THESE ARE THE SNARLING, WILD DOGS LIKE THOSE THAT INHABITED THE GARBAGE DUMP OUTSIDE JERUSALEM. JESUS LIKENED THE GARBAGE DUMP CALLED “GAHENNA” TO EVERLASTING HELL BECAUSE FIRES BURNED THERE CONTINUOUSLY.
• THESE DOGS THAT INHABITED THIS LOCATION REPRESENT NON-BELIEVERS WHO FEROCIOUSLY ATTACK THE THINGS OF GOD.
• WHAT DO THE “SWINE” REPRESENT?
• SWINE ARE PIGS AND CONSIDERED UNCLEAN UNDER MOSAIC LAW.
• THEREFORE, THEY REPRESENT THE NON-BELIEVER WHOSE LIFE HOLDS ITSELF TO UNCLEANNESS.
• WHAT DOES THE “PEARLS” REPRESENT?
• PEARLS WERE CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST COSTLY, MOST PRECIOUS OF ALL JEWELS. (MAT 13:45 1TIM 2:9)
• THEREFORE, THEY REPRESENT THE PRECIOUSNESS OF GODLY TRUTH.
• WHAT IS MEANT BY “TRAMPLE UNDER FEET”?
• IT MEANS TO CONSIDER THEM WORTHLESS.
• LESSON APPLICATION:
• IN THESE TWO PARABLES WE SEE THE TENSION AND BALANCE BETWEEN JUDGING WITH CONDEMNATION THE FAULTS OF OTHER PEOPLE AND IGNORING OUR OWN.
• IN THESE TWO PARABLES WE SEE THE NEED TO DISCERN WITH WISDOM THE EVIL OR GOOD WITHIN PEOPLE.
• WE ALSO SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH BELIEVERS IN THE FIRST PARABLE, AND OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH NON-BELIEVERS IN THE SECOND PARABLE.

HOMEWORK
THE PARABLE OF STONES AND SERPENTS (MAT 7:7-12)
THE PARABLE OF TWO GATES AND TWO WAYS (MAT 7:13-14)
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE OF THE MOTE AND THE BEAM (MAT 7:1-5) AND THE PARABLE OF DOGS AND SWINE (MAT 7:6)
• EXAMINE YOUR ATTITUDES TOWARD OTHER CHRISTIANS. OF WHAT DO YOU FIND YOURSELF CONSISTENTLY CRITICAL? (FOR EXAMPLE, TARDINESS IN OTHERS, ETC.)

• HONESTLY LOOK FOR THIS SAME FAULT WITHIN YOURSELF THIS WEEK AND WRITE YOUR FAILURES HERE. (FOR EXAMPLE, LIST EVERY TIME YOU WERE LATE.)

• ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU OF YOUR CRITICAL SPIRIT. (WE ALL HAVE IT!)
• ASK GOD TO HELP YOU CORRECT YOUR OWN FAULT OR FAULTS THAT YOU LISTED ABOVE.
• ASK GOD TO HELP YOU DEVELOP A FORE-BEARING SPIRIT TOWARD OTHER BELIEVERS.

• PREPARATION FOR THE PARABLE OF STONES AND SERPENTS (MAT 7:7-12) AND THE PARABLE OF THE TWO GATES AND THE TWO WAYS (MAT 7:13-14)
• READ MAT 7:1-27 FOR BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT.
• REMEMBER THAT THESE PARABLES ARE STILL PART OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT SPOKEN TO HIS DISCIPLES.
• MAKE A LIST OF IMPORTANT CONCEPTS OR PRINCIPLES IN THESE BACKGROUND VERSES.

• THE PARABLE OF STONES AND SERPENTS (MAT 7:7-12)
• WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE OF STONES AND SERPENTS?

• WHAT IS THE MEANING OF “STONE FOR BREAD”?

• WHAT IS THE MEANING OF “A SERPENT FOR FISH”?

• RESPOND TO THE PROBLEM OF RESOLVING UNANSWERED PRAYER IN REGARDS TO VERSE 7?

• THE PARABLE OF TWO GATES AND TWO WAYS (MAT 7:13-14)
• WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE OF TWO GATES AND TWO WAYS?

• WHAT IS THE NARROW GATE? WHAT IS THE NARROW WAY?

• WHAT IS THE WIDE GATE? WHAT IS THE BROAD WAY?

• WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO WAYS AND THE TWO GATES?

• WHY DO FEW FIND THE NARROW GATE?

• MEMORY VERSE: MAT 7:7