"Judge not, that you be not judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned." [Matt 7:1] [...] Just as He [Jesus Christ] commanded all the other commandments in a general manner to all people - priests as well as lay people, but nonetheless especially to teachers, who ought to be more perfect in discipline to the degree that they are higher in rank - so also this commandment about not judging one's neighbors pertains indeed to all, but especially nonetheless to teachers. Therefore, if you diligently examine the matter, there are some commandments that do not apply to the laity at all or at most just a little, but by all means apply to teachers. An example of this kind of commandment is that which follows. "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." [Matt 7:3-5] Everybody can see the speck that is in the eye of a brother, and yet not everybody can remove it, but only teachers can, who can cast out sin (be it large or small) from the mind of his brother through teaching or godly rebuke. Just as that saying goes, "Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine." [Matt 7:6] Not everybody, but holy people have the ability to have holy things or pearls and to know how to dispense either good or bad things and to discern which people are dogs and which are swine. Therefore God wants all the teachers of Christians first to do this and then to teach it, just as in every other form of righteousness, so that they may commend their good doctrine with an even better life and implant knowledge by teaching well but implant fear by living well, because such people are salt of the earth, flavoring all with the example of their lives, and they shine brightly as they illuminate others with their teachings. But who would listen to any teacher who does not listen to himself? So he says to all, but especially to teachers, "Judge not, that you be not judged." If a teacher is mindful of an injury or grief and keeps the memory of the evil deed alive in his soul, the whole state of the church collapses - whether you look at the time of the apostles or our own. At the time, as we read, they found it difficult to convert others to faith in Christ, unless previously they had suffered many torments. For once the devil had been wearied, so to speak, and overcome by their suffering to the point of death, and as the apostles were leaving behind the hearts of the unbelieving and now no longer have any strength to further arm their hearers, the grace of God drew near and their hearers were converted to Christ. But if the apostles had been mindful of injuries that they had suffered from the unbelievers, the apostles would never have taught them afterwards in love and would never afterwards have willingly received them into faith in Christ. But since also now teachers are wronged by lay people, whether justly or unjustly, as the devil sows surprise attacks, if the teachers are mindful of injury and pain, they destroy the whole church. For wherever there is a recollection of injury or pain, the teacher does not gently teach the laity, and the laity do not gladly hear him. Perhaps the teacher opens his mouth unwillingly to teach, but because the laity altogether lack the fear of God, they are not content to hear him looking at him face to face but turn their back on him and exit, despising both themselves and the preacher - and themselves and the preacher - and do not perceive the loss of their soul, since they have been enraged just as a beast that has been exasperated by a wound that has pierced itself does not perceive anything. [...] Therefore, because he had spoken the words "judge not that you be not judged" chiefly to teachers, as we have noted, he fittingly adds and says, "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" That is to say, if you do not see the log in your own eye, why do you see the speck in your brother's eye? It is as if he were to say, "It is better not to teach or upbraid the laity than to teach and upbraid them and subject yourself to the reproach that such teaching of a teacher is not to be heard but laughed at. For this reason, let every priest first teach himself, if he wishes to teach the people. But if he does not wish to teach himself about whatever he teaches or to scold himself about everything that he is scolding, then let him not teach others or scold anyone, so that even if he does not escape the judgement of God at least he may not experience the reproach of other people.

 

(trans. Kellerman 2010: 138-41)