"Therefore thou art inexcusable [without defense], O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things" (2:1).
In chapter one Paul painted a picture of the deplorable condition of the heathen. The apostle knew, however, that there would be a whole class of people who would say “amen” to what he had said about the heathen. These were the self-righteous moralists. So Paul expands his argument to show that “all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” includes the moralist as well as the heathen. The moralist is inexcusable when he judges the heathen for sin. He only condemns himself when he condemns another. “For thou that judgest doest the same things.”
I. THE HYPOCRITE IS GUILTY (2:1).
It is obvious that the moral person is not involved in the sexual deviations of the heathen. But he was inwardly living in an identical manner as the heathen was living outwardly. Perhaps the moral person did not commit adultery, but did he lust? Our Lord put them in the same category. He said, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28).
Maybe the moral person did not steal, but did he covet? Stealing and covetousness are listed together in Mark 7:22.
It is not likely that the moral man committed murder, but did he hate? The Bible says if you hate your brother you are guilty of murder. The Apostle John wrote, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer” (1 John 3:15).
No one dares judge another while he is doing the same thing because he is then condemned by his own judgement. Illustration: Rev. Jesse Jackson did not condemn President Bill Clinton’s adultery.
Here is how J. B. Phillips translates this verse: “Now if you feel inclined to set yourself up as a judge of those who sin, let me assure you, whoever you are, that you are in no position to do so. For at whatever point you condemn others you automatically condemn yourself, since you, the judge, commit the same sins.”
Those who judge others while doing the same thing are hypocrites. [Read Matthew 7:1-5.]
The word “hypocrite” comes from a word which means “to act a part as on a stage.” The hypocrite is an actor. He puts on a show to look good in the eyes of others.
The story is told of a man who was on his way to attend a costume ball one Sunday evening. He was wearing a red suit with a tail and a skintight mask with horns. He looked like Satan, or rather the false but widely accepted picture of the devil. As he hurried along, he was caught in a sudden rainstorm, so he sought shelter is a church where the service was just ending. When he ran into the building, he shocked the members, who thought he was the real thing. A flash of lightning and a clap of thunder added to the illusion. The congregation panicked and rushed for the rear exits. The intruder thought the church had been struck with lightning and was on fire, so he raced after them. Everyone got out except one elderly lady. Turning in fear, she stretched out her hands and pleaded for mercy, “Oh devil, please don’t hurt me. I know I’ve been a member of this church for 30 years, but I’ve really been on your side all the time!”
We are given several examples of hypocrites in the Bible. Let’s consider three.
1. The prodigal son’s older brother: the moral hypocrite.
If ever there was a pious fraud, it was he. If ever a hypocrite betrayed himself, it was he. He was so angry that the repentant younger brother had been received back fully forgiven that he refused to have any part in the celebrations. When the father came out to urge him to participate, the older brother made a speech simply oozing with self-righteousness. “Lo,” he cried, “these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf” (Luke 15:29-30).
Notice the “I,” the “me,” and the “my” in that speech. Notice also how he refused to be identified as the prodigal’s brother—“this thy son,” he said. Notice too how he had the far country in his own deceitful, hypocritical heart all the time. He wanted to make merry too! He wanted to live it up and sow his wild oats! The only difference between the two sons was that the younger had more courage and was no hypocrite. The younger son was guilty of sins of the flesh, but the older brother, with his pride, stubbornness, bitterness, and hypocrisy, was guilty of sins of the spirit. He was just as much a rebel against his father as the younger brother, and much harder to win. The indictment, “Thou doest the same things,” can be written in large letters across his outwardly blameless and respectable life.
2. The pharisee praying in the temple: the religious hypocrite.
Read Luke 18:9-14.
The Lord Himself declared that this parable was intended to expose those “which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.” The publican, conscious of his sin, smote his chest and cried to God for mercy. But the pharisee, in a speech full of personal pronouns, proceeded to tell what a great man he was. And what did Jesus say concerning this smug sinner? “He prayed thus with himself,” was His comment. The pharisee really uttered no true prayer at all. The man was simply a hypocrite and his hypocrisy had found him out.
3. David: the saved hypocrite.
The sin of the hypocrite is that of being indignant at other people’s shortcomings and of being indulgent of his own. David is the classical biblical example of this. David had sinned as deeply as is humanly possible. He had seduced the wife of one of his own mighty men when the woman’s husband , loyal to David almost to the point of fanaticism, was on the front line fighting David’s wars. Then he recalled the man from battle in a futile attempt to cover up his sin. Next he issued sealed orders to Joab, his commanding general, to have Uriah killed in the heat of battle. Finally, when confirmation had arrived that the man was dead, David married the widow.
For some time all seemed to go well and it looked as if he had successfully covered his sin. But then suddenly the prophet Nathan appeared before David. He told a story about a certain poor man who owned nothing but a cherished lamb. He had been robbed of even that by a rich neighbor who used the stolen lamb to prepare a feast for the rich man’s guest. David was angry. He said, “As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity” (2 Samuel 12:5-6). “Thou art the man” was Nathan’s conscience-smiting reply.
“For wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself.” It is all too easy to be indignant at other people’s sins and indulgent of our own. This is the very essence of hypocrisy.
II. THE HYPOCRITE WILL BE JUDGED (2:2-16).
Every person will one day be judged. Paul gives us three principles for evaluating all mankind.
A. It is according to truth (2:2-5).
"But we are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgement of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God" (2:2-5).
When God judges it is always according to truth or in accordance with the facts. The hypocrite may be able to fool others, but he cannot fool God. The writer of Hebrews declared, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do [to whom we have to give an account for all we have done].”
Since the judgement of God is according to truth, it is foolish for the moralist to believe that God will judge the heathen and not him. Since he does in his heart what the heathen does in his life, the moralist must withstand the same judgement as the man he condemned.
“The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.” In judging others, the moralist has completely missed the truth that the purpose of God’s goodness is to lead to repentance. It never occurs to the moralist that he personally needs the goodness of God just as the heathen does. He is unaware of his need for repentance.
J. B. Lightfoot wrote, “The blackest of sin is not righteousness violated, but mercy despised.”
After years of glossing over his personal sin and guilt, the pride of the moralist will not allow him to have a change of mind which is repentance. Thus his pride and sinful heart stockpile the wrath of God so that in the day of God’s righteous judgement, the Lord will deal as justly with the moral person as He does with the heathen.
B. It is according to works (2:6-10).
"Who will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; but glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile" (2:6-10).
On the surface this passage may seem to teach that salvation is by works; that eternal life can be earned by patient continuing in well-doing. Such an idea, however, is foreign to the whole theme of Scripture. To resolve the difficulty we must bear in mind that this passage has to do with God’s basis for judgement. In the Bible judgement is according to our works; salvation is by faith.
Every person will one day be judged according to his works—the saved and the unsaved.
Galatians 6:7 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall be also reap.”
The eighth-century emperor Charlemagne wanted to have a magnificent bell cast for the church he had built. An artist name Tancho was employed to make it. He was furnished, at his own request, with a great quantity of copper and a hundred pounds of silver. He kept the silver for his own personal use, however, and used highly purified tin instead. When the work was completed, he presented the bell to the Emperor, who had it suspended in the church tower. But the people were unable to ring it. So Tancho himself was called in to help. He pulled so hard to make it ring that its clapper fell down and killed him.
The saved person will be judged at the Judgement Seat of Christ. This is a judgement to determine a person’s degree of rewards. Paul tells us, “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be reealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:13-15).
The unsaved person will be judged at the Great White Throne. This is a judgement to determine a person’s degree of punishment. Jesus told us there will be degrees of punishment in hell. He said, “But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more” (Luke 12:48). Christ also said, “Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgement, than for you” (Luke 10:13-14).
The expression “to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile” highlights the fact that increased light brings increased responsibility. The hypocrite’s punishment will be worse than the heathen’s for the simple reason that his opportunities have been so much greater.
C. It is without favoritism (2:11-16).
"For there is no respect of persons [favoritism] with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: ans as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which shew the work fo the law written in their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel" (2:11-16).
God condemns without favoritism, and He saves without favoritism.
The Jew had the written law of God; and Paul writes that the Gentiles have “the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness.”
No one every perfectly obeys God’s law, and no one has every completely lived up to his conscience.
Conclusion
One day the hypocrite’s secrets will all be exposed and he will be shown for what he really is.
jonathanrmcleod@yahoo.com
