Dr. Bradford Reaves
Crossway Christian Fellowship
Hagerstown, MD
www.mycrossway.org
If there is one verse in the Bible that everyone will know, regardless of their faith, it is Matthew 7:1: “Do not judge, so that you will not be judged.” So, it is common that most people will take one of two approaches: First, some will go to the extreme to say that what Jesus meant is that Christians are never to make any judgments about any person, ever. The other extreme says, “Yes, that’s what the words say, but what Jesus really meant was…” and then they redefine the words of Jesus. Both of these approaches fail to properly and biblically expound the text. Rather, they take the verse out of context, or they insert meaning into the text that isn’t there. The reason is because we are looking for the text to say something that is agreeable to our own reasoning.
We will do neither this morning, but rather, we will examine the text in the context of Jesus’ sermon and then apply it to our lives today. It is not up to the text to agree with you, but rather, it is up to you to come to agreement with the text. Before we do that, let’s read the passage together:
“Do not judge, so that you will not be judged. 2 “For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with what measure you measure, it will be measured to you. 3 “And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? 5 “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. 6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." (Matthew 7:1–6 LSB)
It is so easy to look around us and make judgments about people while we conveniently forget about our own struggles. It reminds me of a story told by Kathy Plate of Orlando, Florida. She said, “While visiting a neighbor, her five-year-old son, Andrew, pulled out his kindergarten class picture and immediately began describing each classmate. ‘This is Robert; he hits everyone. This is Stephen; He never listens to the teacher. This is Maria. She chases us and is very noisy. This is Stacy; she’s snooty.’ Then, pointing to his own picture, Andrew commented, "And this is me. I’m just sitting here minding my own business." (Jeffery Anselmi, Sermon Central)
Most of us see us as the one who is just sitting there minding our own business. While the rest of the world around us has lost its mind. Have you ever had a situation where someone unfairly and unjustly judged you? Have you ever been in a situation where you made a bad decision and felt that everyone around you was judging you, whether they were or not?
A small-town prosecuting attorney called his first witness to the stand in a trial -- a grand-motherly, elderly woman. He approached her and asked, "Mrs. Jones, do you know me?" She responded, "Why, yes, I know you, Mr. Williams. I’ve known you since you were a young boy. And frankly, you’ve been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you’re a rising big shot when you haven’t the brains to realize you will never amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you."
The lawyer was stunned. Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and asked, "Mrs. Williams, do you know the defense attorney?" She replied, "Why, yes, I do. I’ve known Mr. Bradley since he was a youngster, too. I used to babysit him for his parents. And he, too, has been a real disappointment to me. He’s lazy bigoted, and he has a drinking problem. The man can’t build a normal relationship with anyone, and his law practice is one of the shoddiest in the state. Yes, I know him."
At this point, the judge rapped the courtroom to silence and called both counselors to the bench. In a very quiet voice, he said with menace, "If either of you asks her if she knows me, you’ll be jailed for contempt!" (Dru Ashwell, Sermon Central).
The passage's context is the Sermon on the Mount, as Jesus talks to his disciples of the principles of the Kingdom of Heaven. Specifically, Jesus has spent most of his sermon upending the false religious system. They had denied the Word of God and had established their own standards. The Pharisees believed in an external morality rather than the condition of the heart as Christ taught. Their worship, prayer, fasting, giving, and wealth were based on a hypocritical piety that looked down on others who failed to live up to their man-made standards.
And so to cap off his message, Jesus tells his audience of Jews and Religious Leaders, “Judge not, so that you will not be judged.”
“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” (John 7:24)
But do you presume this, O man—who passes judgment on those who practice such things and does the same—that you will escape the judgment of God? (Romans 2:3)
On the surface, it would appear that the Bible is telling us not to make any judgments, but is that true? Regarding this verse, Russian Novelist Leo Tolstoy said, “Christ here totally forbids any human institution of any law court.” Clearly, however, this is not taught by the rest of Scripture as Romans 13 tells us to be subjected to governing authorities, and the Old Testament establishes the necessity of a court of law for the proper governing of a society.
Perhaps then, what Jesus was saying is that we should never give spiritual or moral judgment, which is popular today. However, in just a few verses, Matthew 7:6 “6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.”
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (Matthew 7:15)
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to the gospel we have proclaimed to you, let him be accursed! (Galatians 1:8)
But now I am writing to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is a sexually immoral person, or greedy, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. (1 Corinthians 5:11)
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting, (2 John 10)
Nowhere in the Bible are we ever told to be tolerant of sin. Yet you have liberals running around quoting Matthew 7:1 preaching tolerance of everyone; unless you are a conservative, a man, a Christian, a capitalist, or any other person who does not agree with them, then intolerance is acceptable.
In fact, Jesus rebuked the Church in Thyatira because they were tolerating false teaching and the spiritual sickness of a false prophet named Jezebel.
‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your last deeds are greater than at first. 20 ‘But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and deceives My slaves so that they commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. (Revelation 2:19–20)
So clearly, there are appropriate times when we are to make judgments. The question is, when? When asking the question, “Are you being judgmental?” you have to deal with the issue of your authority. What is your authority? The word for “judge” in Matthew 7:1 comes from the Greek word “krinw” (krin?). It means, 'To separate, distinguish, and discriminate between good and evil, select, and choose out the good.' (Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary). One aspect this word has is that we assume the seat of judgment. What Jesus is telling his disciples and the Pharisees is that when they are judging according to their standards, no matter how high those standards are, they are assuming a seat of authority that does not belong to them. It belongs to God alone.
The word krin? also has an aspect of diving the good from the bad. This is reserved for Christ at the Great White Throne and illustrated in the Separation of the Sheep and the Goats. What the Pharisees were doing was putting on the judge's robe, taking the gavel, and sitting in his seat, defining what was right and wrong.
For the Christian (or for any person), we have no authority to assume a position intended only for God. However, that does not depose us from making any judgment about right and wrong. We have an authority over us to discern and not tolerate false teaching. Our authority is God’s Word. What we must guard against is looking down on others using the authority of God’s Word as a weapon, which is what the Pharisees were doing.
What Jesus prohibits in our passage is a hypocritical, unloving condemnation on our part. I think the best way to define this kind of attitude is a person with a critical spirit. You look at someone, and you always see the negative side to them. The first thing that you look for in a person is the things that they do to annoy you. We need to defend ourselves from that kind of judgment.
Another way this is manifested is by making assumptions about a person by their appearance. Maybe it’s their tattoos or a haircut. Maybe it’s the way they talk or their facial expressions. However, the first way you are typically judged in public is by the shoes you wear, according to Psychology Today (obviously a female psychologist). What Jesus is saying is first, make sure you’ve walked a mile in their shoes before you seat yourself on the throne of judgment.
So the next question is, if this is such a natural part of my flesh, how do I avoid being wrongly judgmental and having a critical spirit? Jesus gives us some interesting illustrations.
He who responds with a word before he hears, It is folly and shame to him. (Proverbs 18:13)
First, we must understand that the standard we use to judge others will be used against us. Are we going to use bitterness or mercy? Are we going to compare people against us? Are we going to make presumptions that aren’t likely there? You see, these people have a wrong view of others and, therefore, also have a wrong view of God. Usually, in their judgment of others, they believe they themselves are exempt from Judgment, and Jesus tells us that those who have a critical spirit will find themselves under judgment one day.
Therefore you are without excuse, O man, everyone who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. 3 But do you presume this, O man—who passes judgment on those who practice such things and does the same—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:1–4)
Steven Covey recalls riding on the New York subway one Sunday morning. It was a quiet time with many simply reading the paper, resting, or thinking quietly to themselves.
But the quiet was shattered when a man and his children entered the car Covey was sitting in. The man sat down and appeared impervious to the noisy and rambunctious children who began to disturb the other passengers.
After a few moments, Covey could take it no longer. He turned to the man and said, "Sir, your children are really disturbing a lot of people. I wonder if you couldn't control them a little more?"
It brought the man back to consciousness of the situation, Covey says, which caused the father to say, "Oh, you're right. I guess I should do something about it. We just came from the hospital an hour ago, where their mother died. I don't know what to think, and I guess they don't know how to handle it either." Covey goes on to say that he saw and experienced the situation from an entirely different perspective after that and sought to help the man. (Jim Kane, Sermon Central)
And so Jesus offers this almost cartoonish and amusing illustration. He says,
“Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? 5 “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. Matthew 7:4–5)
You can almost amusingly see this guy sitting there with a little speck in his eye, and along comes another person with this log hanging out of his head saying, “Let me help you!” And what he really does is beat the other man up. Why? Because we are unfit judges. Until you’ve dealt with your own sin in your life, you have no business trying to meddle in someone else’s affairs.
Brothers, even if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, each of you looking to yourself so that you too will not be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)
And He also spoke a parable to them: “Can a blind man guide a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 “A student is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher. (Luke 6:39–40)
And then verse 6 comes like a thunderbolt to them. “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. (Matthew 7:6)
Dogs in Jesus’ day, other than the working dogs with the herds, were a bunch of mongrelly scavengers. They weren’t the cute, fluffy, happy, panting puppies with painted nails and fashioned collars. And so Jesus tells us to be discriminating in ministry. Some people will hear God’s word from you and be led by Him through His Holy Spirit and His Word, and there are some who are just looking for a free meal.
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. (2 Peter 2:1)
The unfortunate thing against undiscerning Christians is they tolerate sin, and they tolerate false teaching. The false teaching in the world is what will lead many people astray, even to their peril. So we judge when we’re not supposed to judge and we don’t judge when we’re supposed to judge.
The most important judgment you can make today isn’t out there or around you; it is within you.
