Jesus Teaching On Judgment

Jesus teaching on Judgment.

Matthew 7:1

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

Luke 6:37

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged.

Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.

Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Luke helps clarify the kind of judging Jesus forbade

Jesus forbade condemnatory, unforgiving , judgementalism

Matthew 7:2

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

A parallel passage to this is found in

Mark 4:24

"Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you--and even more.

What we have here is a rabbinic formula for making judgments.

The rabbis of Jesus day applied this formula when punishing people whose false judgment and testimony were intended to cause harm to a fellow covenant member.

The fact that Jesus repeats this legal formula is an indication of the true meaning of his words

Matthew 7:1

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

He is saying - judgment that is intentionally inaccurate and malicious is wrong.

Matthew 7:3-4

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? [4] How can you say to your brother, ’Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

Here Jesus is using carpenter shop language to define the form of judging he forbade.

The person Jesus speaks of in MT 7:1

Cannot render evenhanded constructive criticism, because they have not dealt with their own faults.

These are the kind of people who nit pick and look for flaws in other people

Further Jesus says of this person

Matthew 7:5

You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

He calls this person a HYPOCRITE

The language used hers is similar to Matthew 23:24

You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

Jesus idea of a hypocrite was someone who focused on minors and external matters.

According to Jesus teaching about judging, anyone who stands in judgment must deal with sin in their own lives that they might function in a positive way

For Righteous judgment is meant to bring another person closer to God, not to exalt oneself at the expense of the person being judged.

Now let’s turn to Paul’s teaching on Judgment

Like Jesus Paul expects the church to make righteous judgment.

1 Cor. 2:15

The spiritual man makes judgments about all things

Accordingly the New Testament places a high value on the gift of discernment, placing this gift on equal terms with tongues, healing, miracles and prophecy.

1 Cor. 12:10

To another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

Paul’s teaching spells out what is inherent in the teaching of Jesus by requiring us to judge in two specific areas

Morality

Doctrine

Matthew 18:15-18

"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. [16] But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ’every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ [17] If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

[18] "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

1 Cor. 5:3-5

Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. [4] When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, [5] hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.

Doctrine

1 Cor. 10:15

I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.

See if it lines up with God’s word

AN area that Paul forbade judgment of one another.

Romans 14:1

Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.

Romans 14:4

Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.