6:39 In this parable the leader evidently represents a disciple and the led someone the disciple is seeking to guide into the way of life. If the disciple is blind, he will not be able to help other blind non-disciples find their way. Both disciple and non-disciple will stumble tragically. On another occasion Jesus called the Pharisees blind guides (Matt. 15:14). However here He compared the disciples to them. The disciples could be blind guides if they did not follow Jesus' instructions about loving (vv. 27-38).
6:40 Changing the figure momentarily Jesus compared a disciple of His to a teacher. It is proverbial that a pupil cannot rise above his teacher in knowledge. The fact that some pupils do excel their teachers is an exception to the rule. The people the disciples would instruct in the truth that Jesus taught them would normally advance no farther than the disciples. This was especially true before the widespread availability of books.213Therefore it was imperative that the disciples pay careful attention to Jesus' teachings about love and apply them. The progress of the disciples' learners depended on it.
6:41-42 Jesus returned to the figure of limited perception (v. 39). It would be easy for a disciple to criticize those he was instructing and fail to realize his own faults since he was in the position of a teacher (v. 40). It would be not only dangerous but hypocritical to try to help a learner overcome his deficiencies without dealing with one's own failings first. If a disciple tried to teach his learner the importance of loving as Jesus taught but did not practice that kind of love himself, he could not remove his learner's knowledge deficiency. His sin would be greater than his learner's ignorance.
Thus Jesus stressed the importance of His disciples applying the truths He had taught them before they tried to teach them to other people. Their failure to do so would make them the spiritual equivalent of blind eye surgeons. They would be judging others but not themselves (v. 37; cf. Rom. 2:1-3).
