Can the blind lead the blind?

 And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

"But why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."

- Luke 6:39-49

In our current readings, Jesus is preaching what is known as the Sermon on the Plain, so-called as He "stood on a level place," the Gospel tells us.  It is similar in content to the Sermon on the Mount, but yet varies in certain ways.  In yesterday's reading, Jesus preached, "But I say to you who hear:  Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.  To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also.  And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.  Give to everyone who asks of you.  And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.  And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.  But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners love those who love them.  And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners do the same.  And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.  But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.  For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.  Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.  Judge not, and you shall not be judged.  Condemn not, and you  shall not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  Give, and it will be given to you:  good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

 And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye."  These verses are a call for good discipleship.  A blind teacher will create a blind pupil, and both will fall into the ditch.  A perfectly trained disciple will be like his teacher.   This statement follows upon Jesus' teaching regarding mercy and practicing judgment or condemnation.  A true disciple should be focused on his or her own needs for correction and discipline; only then is one able to help another, and not condemn.  My study bible says that Christ does not judge anyone (John 8:15, 12:47), and quotes St. Cyril of Alexandria, who writes that therefore, "if the Teacher does not judge, neither must the disciple, for the disciple is guilty of worse sins than those for which he judges others."

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."  Again, the emphasis here is on discipleship, what one works toward by becoming a disciple of Christ. Here He emphasizes the heart, the inner reality of human beings, and the "good treasure" of the heart which is built and cultivated through true discipleship.   Christ repeatedly emphasizes throughout the Gospels the need not only to know ourselves, but to practice discipleship at the depth of who we are, in our deepest places, even to the point of "cutting off" what seems to be a precious part of ourselves, should it offend.  In Mark 9, for instance, Jesus speaks of cutting off eye, hand, or foot as figurative images of tendencies toward abuse of the "little ones" (Mark 9:42-47).  He makes clear that it is the inner person that is reflected in our outward expression of ourselves.

"But why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."  As disciples, we build our lives upon the teachings and commandments of Christ.  Otherwise, we have no foundation to our discipleship, and we will founder when life's challenges come along.  My study bible comments that hearing the gospel alone is not enough.  Salvation is based not on hearing alone, but also on doing the things which which He says (see James 2:24).

What is discipleship?  Let us remember first of all that, although there are a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, Jesus has directed this Sermon to His disciples (see this reading).  So the idea here is about discipleship.  Jesus strives to teach His followers that the perfect picture of the disciple is the image of the true Teacher.  What He does Himself, so they must do.  One really cannot see others clearly unless one is honest with oneself.  The best way to help with correction of a brother or sister is not with a simply critical mind.  The best way to help others is to be aware of the flaws in oneself, and to do something about them, to choose a way of living and of action that reflects the teachings of the Teacher.  This is what Jesus strives to tell His disciples.  It is an opposite picture of what we see in the more wrathful and vindictive members of the religious leadership, who seek merely to do away with Jesus.  His criticisms of the Pharisees and scribes reflect behavior that is precisely the opposite of what He teaches here to His disciples, and what they should be like.  While He tells His disciples, "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?"   But in chapter 11 He will criticize the religious leaders, and pronounce woes, telling them, "you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God" and "you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers" (11:42, 46).  In Matthew chapter 23, in pronouncing woes upon them, He tells them, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves" (Matthew 23:15).  We may wonder, with our modern sensibilities, how Jesus can teach that we must not judge -- and that He does not judge -- and pronounce woes upon others?  Is that not a conflict?  But there is no conflict if we understand that to reject the commandments of God, to remain outside of God's love and mercy on offer, is to in effect condemn oneself (John 3:18).  When we think of these words, let us also consider that it was Christ our Lord speaking through the Old Testament Scriptures, and Christ who speaks to us in any culture and any time when we are taught what is good, and true, and beautiful, for in Christ our Teacher we serve the Person who is Truth (John 14:6).   In this sense, the world is filled with Scripture which is made more full through Christ.  These are saving commandments that we're given, and they are given out of love.  Discipleship is, in effect, the way to life.  The straight and narrow is salvation.  Jesus tells us, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).  This is the discipleship He offers.  What do we gain through its rejection?  Is it worth the cost?  Can the blind lead the blind?  He offers discipleship as a way to truly see.