The Mote and the Beam

The Mote and the Beam is a parable of Jesus given in the Sermon on the Mount[1] in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7, verses 1 to 5.

[2] In the Wycliffe and King James versions bibles, the word mote refers to a speck, and the beam is a wooden plank or log.

The original Greek word translated as "mote" (κάρφος karphos) meant "any small dry body".

In 21st century English a "mote" is more normally a particle of dust – particularly one that is floating in the air – rather than a tiny splinter of wood.

[6] To judge something as good or bad is to enter into the world of dualities, and this creates psychological, or spiritual, tension.

[6] In The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment Tolle says: To relinquish judgment does not mean that you do not recognize dysfunction and unconsciousness when you see it.

The Parable of the Mote and the Beam by Domenico Fetti c. 1619
The Parable of the Mote and the Beam . Drawing by Ottmar Elliger the Younger (1666–1735).