39 Jesus spoke a parable to them. “Can the blind guide the blind? Won’t they both fall into a pit? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. 41 Why do you see the speck of chaff that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye? 42 Or how can you tell your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck of chaff that is in your eye,’ when you yourself don’t see the beam that is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck of chaff that is in your brother’s eye.”

Luke 6:39-42 - World English Bible

Many scholars consider the parable of the Speck and the Beam a piece of caustic humor, possibly a carpenter's inside joke. Woodworking caused wood chips to fly and could land in the eye of the worker, leaving sensitive organ with discomfort. Imagine the absurdity of a plank of wood in one's eye, while trying to relieve the pain of another bothered by the splinter. Of course, Jesus told the “joke” with an ethical moral. The person should make sure of his own ethical standing before giving advice to another.

The two rhetorical questions just before the parable reinforced the notion of ethical living. A sinner (the blind) could not give moral advice to others (lead the blind) without leading into trouble (falling into the pit). A student of the Torah could not rise above the status of his teacher, otherwise he would look presumptuous and lose his standing.

These verses from Luke 6 urged the disciple to live humbly, focus on one's own behavior and give advice sparingly.

How have you removed “beams from your own eyes?”