Jesus speaks of the measure a person uses being measured back to that person. The saying draws upon the ordinary act of measuring goods in commercial and household life.
Jesus in Context
Measures and Measuring in Daily Life
Jesus uses the familiar marketplace practice of measuring commodities as an image of the standard applied to others.
Introduction
Historical and Cultural Context
Grain and other commodities were commonly quantified with standardized containers or measures. Fair dealing depended upon the measure being applied consistently, making measuring a natural image for the standard by which something—or someone—is assessed.
Why It Matters
The everyday commercial image gives Jesus' saying its force. The standard applied outwardly becomes the standard returned to the person applying it.