Luke 6:37–45, Judge not…Give…Can the blind…a good tree. What can we learn from these seemingly unrelated statements of Yeshua? Simply this: When we are a giver, not only does the Divine Giver repay us from his heavenly storehouse, but other people will bless us in our bosom—in the depths of our innermost being. This is the law of reciprocity at work: You reap what you sow. 

Now what does Yeshua’s discussion of the blind leading the blind have to do with giving? Let’s connect the dots. When we’re not a giver or being river of life to others, but are stingy, niggardly, selfish and self-absorbed, and it blinds us from seeing our way forward. It also hinders us from helping others to see their way forward. Therefore, the blind are leading the blind. 

Our stinginess and lack of generosity brings bad fruits, which then leads us to the next point that Yeshua makes. A tree is known by its fruits. Those who are generous will be like trees that produce good fruit, while those who are stingy and selfish will be like trees that produce bad fruit. We see the law of reciprocity at work here—you reap what you sow. 

Yeshua concludes by saying that when one has an evil (or stingy) heart, then the result or fruits of one’s life will be evil, for the words of one’s mouth are the window into the heart or the fruits that reveal the true condition of one’s innermost being. 

Now let’s wrap this back around to verse 37 to where Yeshua warns us against judging other. When our heart is evil, our heart will be blinded to our own sinfulness or spiritual blindness, and we will be unable to render accurate or righteous judgment (John 7:24) on any matter. Instead, we will be rendering unrighteous, blind or hypocritical judgment, and, as such, we’ll stand in danger of being judged ourselves.

Luke 6:40, Perfectly/fully trained. Those disciples of Yeshua, the Master-Teacher, who are properly trained, fit out, prepared or equipped can become like Yeshua the Master-Teacher. Those who aren’t properly equipped or trained to teach are like the blind leading the blind and will cause others to fall into a spiritual ditch (Luke 6:39). 

The person who isn’t properly trained, but who is trying to lead people spiritually, not only will be like a blind man leading the blind, but will also be hypocritical in their judgments and assessments of things. This is because they lack the experience, wisdom and skills to be able to point out the faults of others because they are still inexperienced and have too many blind spots themselves, and are still like the blind leading the blind (Luke 6:41–42). 

This is why Paul very carefully lays out the qualifications for those in spiritual leadership in the local congregation. A spiritual leader was not to be an inexperienced individual, a new convert or a novice (1 Tim 3:6), but well-discipled in YHVH’s truth before hand (Tit 1:9). 

Paul goes on to say that it is good thing for a person to desire to be a spiritual leader (1 Tim 3:1), but it isn’t a good thing if they don’t meet the criteria or qualifications, which Paul then lays out (1 Tim 3:2–13). 

The problem is that in our day, there are many individuals who desire to be leaders and teachers, but who are self-appointed, and who have not been perfectly or fully trained. Since the advent of the internet, such people now have an easily accessible pulpit-platform from which to egotistically influence others. Sadly, they are like the blind hypocrite in Yeshua’s parable leading many astray and causing many to stumble and to fall into spiritual ditches of false doctrines and errant teachings. Just because someone has a website, a YouTube channel, has published a book, has spoken at a conference, even has academic credentials or has been on radio and television doesn’t mean they have been perfectly equipped or fully trained for the position of a Bible teacher or a leader in the spiritual body of Yeshua. 

True, we may not always know what a person’s background or qualifications are, but the spiritual fruit they produce, whether good or bad, can be an excellent indicator as to what type of spiritual tree they are, as Yeshua goes on to say in the next verses (Luke 6:43–45). 

The bottom line is this. Those who sense a divine calling on their lives to teach or to lead YHVH’s people need to be first discipled and raised up by older and mature, wise spiritual leaders who have a proven track record of good spiritual fruit. This is the biblical way!