Jewell Posted September 7, 2008 Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 The humor is in the picture it creates (although that picture is also somewhat painful). The comparisons are the extreme of each other, the speck representing the sin of another, the plank representing our own sin (which to us should be seen as extremely larger and more important to correct than that of another). It is okay to remove a speck only after we have dealt with our own sins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindap Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 Q3. (Matthew 7:3-5) What about this parable is humorous? Why do you think Jesus compares a speck of sawdust with a plank or beam? What does the speck represent? What does the plank represent? According to this parable, when is it okay to remove a speck? When is it not okay? Nothing is humorous about a large sin sticking out of our eye. He is letting us see that if we have sinned and not asked for mercy we should not be judging our brother who has also sinned. They both represent sins. It is only okay to remove a speck when we ourselves have come to God and asked for mercy and to be forgiven for the sins we have committed. It is not okay when we have not come to God for he sees us as hypocrites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
servant for Christ Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 Q3. (Matthew 7:3-5) What about this parable is humorous? Why do you think Jesus compares a speck of sawdust with a plank or beam? What does the speck represent? What does the plank represent? According to this parable, when is it okay to remove a speck? When is it not okay? I think this is humorous because if we have a beam in our eye, how in the world are we going to see even sawdust in someone else? We have to judge ourselves before we even try to judge somebody else. My sin is just as big as anybody's in God's eyes. The speck is the sin of someone else, the plank is our own sin. It is only okay when we ask God to forgive us our sins, and remove the plank from our eye so we can help other's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanks Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Q3. (Matthew 7:3-5) What about this parable is humorous? Why do you think Jesus compares a speck of sawdust with a plank or beam? What does the speck represent? What does the plank represent? According to this parable, when is it okay to remove a speck? When is it not okay? It is difficult to picture a person with a large plank in his eye performing eye surgery on someone who has only a speck of dust in their eye. Jesus purposely exaggerated the situation to drive home the point. Someone with a plank in his eye often finds fault with the speck in the eye of another, not even noticing his own condition. Jesus exposed our tendency to see a small fault in someone else while ignoring the same fault in ourselves. It is hypocritical to suppose that we could help someone with a fault when we ourselves have a greater fault. We must remedy our own faults before criticizing them in others. The speck could represent comparatively little sins like perhaps; acting rashly and without discretion; unintentional occurrences; youthful mistakes done without any malice. Whereas the plank could represent greater sins like pride, arrogance, conceited opinion of self, confidence in one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jr4624 Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 Q3. (Matthew 7:3-5) What about this parable is humorous? Why do you think Jesus compares a speck of sawdust with a plank or beam? What does the speck represent? What does the plank represent? According to this parable, when is it okay to remove a speck? When is it not okay? It's quite ridiculous to think of someone trying to remove a piece of sawdust from another's eye while he has a huge board obstructing his own vision. I think He is trying to show us how much worse it is to be a hypocrite with no humility than it is to have some small fault or sin. Some small fault or sin that you might perceive in a brother or sister. Our own lack of humility and inability to acknowledge the sins in ourselves. When we have humbled ourselves before the Lord, confessed our own sins and repented of them-after we have taken the plank out of our own eye. When you haven't yet done those things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marloes Posted November 16, 2009 Report Share Posted November 16, 2009 Q3. (Matthew 7:3-5) What about this parable is humorous? Why do you think Jesus compares a speck of sawdust with a plank or beam? What does the speck represent? What does the plank represent? According to this parable, when is it okay to remove a speck? When is it not okay? If it really were possible to have a plank in our eye, we wouldn't see a thing - certainly not a small thing like a speck. The speck and the plank represent sins: the speck just a sin but the plank the same sin with some hypocrasy added. It's okay to remove a speck if we do it to help people. It's not okay if we do so to look better ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted September 15, 2010 Report Share Posted September 15, 2010 Q3. (Matthew 7:3-5) What about this parable is humorous? Why do you think Jesus compares a speck of sawdust with a plank or beam? What does the speck represent? What does the plank represent? According to this parable, when is it okay to remove a speck? When is it not okay? Well it conjures up an amusing image of someone with a huge plank stuck in their eye trying to perform a delicate operation. I think that Jesus chose this image because the plank and the speck of sawdust are made of the same material (they are both wood) and they both represent the same thing (sin)but their comparative sizes make the whole concept ridculous. It is impossible for us to remove a speck from someone elses eye when we are effectively blinded by the thing in our own eye and it would be riduculous to even try. This is the point which Jesus is making. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaiden Rochelle Posted October 8, 2010 Report Share Posted October 8, 2010 Q3. (Matthew 7:3-5) What about this parable is humorous? Why do you think Jesus compares a speck of sawdust with a plank or beam? What does the speck represent? What does the plank represent? According to this parable, when is it okay to remove a speck? When is it not okay? I don't see anything humorous about this parable, but I am probably not seeing what I should here. Anyway, Jesus is comparing a speck fo sawdust with a plank or beam because He wants us to see the difference between a large problem and a small one. The speck represents sin or a fault and so does the plank, and they actually are equal in size because sin is sin to God. The difference between the speck and the plank is that when I am ready to criticize someone, I must realize that my sin is very great (my critical spirit) but it is more important than the one in the other person's eye because it is my sin. I am responsible for my own sins. It is okay to remove a speck from my brother's eye, or to talk to him or to her about their sin when I have dealt with my own. Until then, I should not talk to him or to her about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
home4ed Posted November 4, 2010 Report Share Posted November 4, 2010 Q3. (Matthew 7:3-5) What about this parable is humorous? Why do you think Jesus compares a speck of sawdust with a plank or beam? What does the speck represent? What does the plank represent? According to this parable, when is it okay to remove a speck? When is it not okay? It is humorous to think of a plank in one's eye let alone someone with a plank in their eye trying to pull a sliver out of someone elses. It doesn't seem as humorous to think of it as sin because sin doesn't have a physical size but yet how well can we even see others problems/sin when our own is so huge it would obstruct our view and therefore how good could we be at identifying and removing it? When we have sin in our life who would take us seriously when pointing out sin. It's kind of like an overweight person giving diet advice. When you have been overweight and then lost it then you can give advice credibly, likewise when you have dealt with your own sin then you are credible to help someone else with theirs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highohfaith Posted May 24, 2012 Report Share Posted May 24, 2012 Q3. (Matthew 7:3-5) What about this parable is humorous? Why do you think Jesus compares a speck of sawdust with a plank or beam? What does the speck represent? What does the plank represent? According to this parable, when is it okay to remove a speck? When is it not okay? I'm a very serious person and don't find humor in this parable. I think Jesus wants us to realize that each sin is the same. We are all sinners, a speck of sawdust or a plank, a sin is a sin!! Jesus is asking us to consider "what's the difference?" We all fall short of the glory of God. Jesus is reminding us that we are ALL SINNERS! God looks at all sin the same. John 8:7 (NIV) When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raph Posted June 30, 2012 Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 Q3. (Matthew 7:3-5) What about this parable is humorous? What is humorous in this parable is a picture of a man with a large plank of timber in his eye stooping down to perform minute eye surgery on a man with only a sawdust speck in his eye. Why do you think Jesus compares a speck of sawdust with a plank or beam? I think Jesus compares a speck of sawdust with a plank or beam to show the intensity of wrong doings (sins) towards God. What does the speck represent? The speck represent non-serious sins. What does the plank represent? The plank represent serious sins. According to this parable, when is it okay to remove a speck? It is ok to remove the speck when one removes the plank. When is it not okay? It is not ok when one still has a plank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgandy Posted November 23, 2013 Report Share Posted November 23, 2013 This parable is funny if you can visualize a man with a plank in his eye trying to help a man with sawdust in his. There is no way the man could help anyone. Jesus uses this comparison I think, because if you are busy criticizing another what about your issues. What have you done? I think the speck represents our judging others when we shouldn't. The plank represent our own sins and short comings. When one corrects their own sins, then helping another is not a problem if done out of love and with kindness. If you need to demean a person and make them feel small it is not okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DebLam3teach Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 This parable is humorous becuase of the stupidity of trying to remove a speck of sawdust from someone's eye, while ignoring the plank of wood in my own eye. I can't see what I am doing, and I am not dealing with the bigger problem that is in myself. Both the speck and plank are sin, but I am not taking ownership of my own sins. The plank is an obvious sin, while the speck is a smaller, discreet sin. I need to humbly deal with my own sin before I attempt to remove my brother's speck. This is needed to bring correction in the right attitude. We need to seek God to show us any sin in our own lives and repent of it before we are used by Him to speak truth to others. When we do this, then we are serving othrs in love, not pride. We will speak with gentelness and compassion, for we know the pain of being corrected by truth. It's not fun! "All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness," Hebrews 12:11. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eager Bver Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 Q3. (Matthew 7:3-5) What about this parable is humorous? Why do you think Jesus compares a speck of sawdust with a plank or beam? What does the speck represent? What does the plank represent? According to this parable, when is it okay to remove a speck? When is it not okay? A person with a large board in his face preparing to remove a tiny speck out of someone's eye is humorous. He want us to see ourselves for our fault before trying to help others. The speck is a tiny unimportant thing. The plank is a large board of many faults. After you allow God to cleanse you of your faults, you are then able to help someone else. As long as you have your fault, you cannot help as you are a hypocrite. Like This Quote MultiQuote Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoanG Posted May 9, 2015 Report Share Posted May 9, 2015 I believe that the speck of sawdust are the sins of people that are truly sorry for them and are repentant to God. I believe that the plank is the sins of those that are critical of fellow Christians but never look at the sins in their own lives. They feel that they are above judgment. We need to repent of the sins in our lives before we can even think to help others. We must be right before God and ourselves. Without this forgiveness of our sins, we have no right to judge other Christians. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Jerry Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 The parable is humorous because it is taking the small and comparing to the biggest thing that he could compare it to. I think that Jesus compares the speck of sawdust with a plank because he wanted the listener to look very carefully at is life and make sure that he wasn’t doing the same thing but in a much greater deed. The plank represents what is happening our life that we are to think about. In this parable we can remove the speck form the other eye examined our own lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen11 Posted April 27, 2018 Report Share Posted April 27, 2018 On 12/19/2007 at 10:55 PM, Pastor Ralph said: Q3. (Matthew 7:3-5) What about this parable is humorous? Why do you think Jesus compares a speck of sawdust with a plank or beam? What does the speck represent? What does the plank represent? According to this parable, when is it okay to remove a speck? When is it not okay? Seeing a plank in someones eye. Something small compared to something bigger. A sin someone is carrying. The sin in our own lives. Once you have asked for forgiveness yourself..when you are carrying around sin of your own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmela Posted December 24, 2020 Report Share Posted December 24, 2020 3.1 What about this parable is humorous? I see it as a fantastic picture. When there is a beam of timber in your own eye -you can see nothing - so what exactly do you then recognize as a small particle in someone else's eye? 3.2 Why do you think Jesus compares a speck of sawdust with a plank or beam? Sawdust is a small particle of a plank or beam. Both represent sin. Sin remains sin. It is anything and everything that separates you from God. Hidden sin and obvious/blatant sin .... all of it is SIN. 3.3 What does the speck represent? Semi-hidden sin in a brother's life. Maybe sin that you are aware of in their lives, that is sort of hidden ... but still hurting his/her reputation as a believer 3.4 What does the plank represent? Obvious sin in your own life. 3.5 According to this parable, when is it okay to remove a speck? When you have seen to and removed the "log" {the disturbancee, the hindrance, (in plain English), the sin} in your own eye (life) by confession and repentance, and the person is willing for you to help, only then is it okay to remove a speck. 3.6 When is it not okay? When you yourself are still struggling or stumbling over the self-same sin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Wolf Posted November 8 Report Share Posted November 8 Q3. (Matthew 7:3-5) What about this parable is humorous? Why do you think Jesus compares a speck of sawdust with a plank or beam? What does the speck represent? What does the plank represent? According to this parable, when is it okay to remove a speck? When is it not okay? Jesus certainly illustrated the words recorded in the first two verses of chapter 7, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." In verses 3-5, He calls his listeners hypocrites. When we notice a small fault with another while toting around huge faults of our own. I think the illustration contrast of a speck and a plank in ones' eyes as humorous. I think Jesus compares those two opposite pieces of wood because He was a carpenter, and He spent a lot of time with sawdust and wood planks. It was a very clear illustration! The sizes of those two examples are certainly different! We can remove the speck from our brother's eye if FIRST we have removed the plank from our own eye! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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