Judge Not

How Christ-Followers Are to Approach Relationships

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Jesus, Matthew 7:1–5)

Not Being Critical of Others

            This section of the sermon begins with one of the most well-known (and oft-quoted) verses in our culture: “Judge not, that you be not judged.”  This is a popular theme in a society greatly concerned with promoting tolerance. However, this verse is often taken out of context and must be seen in light of all Jesus is saying here.

            It is true, though, that Jesus is hitting on a principle that needs to be heard by many who are, indeed, intolerant and judgmental. It is ironic that Christians can be most known for having critical attitudes when Christ Himself taught the very opposite. In fact, it seems to be a tendency for religious people in general to fall into this mindset. A graphic example is seen in Luke Chapter 7:

Then one of the Pharisees asked Him [Jesus] to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” (Luke 7:36–39)

So we see that the Pharisee Simon (a religious person) has a very critical attitude toward this woman who was a known sinner. He even questions Jesus’ authority because of how He accepted this woman’s worship, but Jesus uses this situation to teach a judgmental, religious person an important lesson:

And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

So he said, “Teacher, say it.”

“There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”

And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:40–48)

Some religious people (as we have seen earlier in this sermon) have a tendency to think they are better than others. Jesus here shows that this woman (because she recognized she was a sinner and sought forgiveness) loved Jesus more than the one who had been forgiven little (the one who thought he was better). In His sermon, Jesus teaches His followers that they must beware of a critical attitude, though they are pursuing a life of righteousness and it may be easy to look down on others. Sadly, it is true that even Christians can forget this. I remember hearing a sermon by a preacher who was so judgmental that he was actually snarling as he lambasted people for their sinfulness. On the other hand, it must be said that some Christians are wrongly accused of being judgmental simply because they uphold certain moral standards and desire others to do the same.

But it is not only religious people who have a tendency to be judgmental—all people have this tendency at times. One only needs to read blog posts and comments on the internet to see just how harsh, biased, and critical people can be. We must realize that being judgmental is not a set of beliefs, it is the attitude in which those beliefs are held. I have witnessed judgmental attitudes from certain Republicans, and I have witnessed the same from certain Democrats. I have observed judgmental attitudes from some devoutly religious people, and I have observed the same from some devoutly anti-religious people. The standard for Jesus’ followers, however, is not to have a proud, condescending attitude toward others.

Often, a critical mindset assumes something about others which we do not know (such as their motives). Perhaps the Pharisee Simon did not understand the woman’s motive for washing and kissing Jesus’ feet. There are many things that we do not know or see about others, and we must be careful not to jump to conclusions. The following story about the preacher Chuck Swindoll shows why:

At a pastor's conference in Spokane, Chuck Swindoll told of being at a California Christian camp. The first day there a man approached him and said how greatly he had looked forward to hearing Dr. Swindoll speak and his delight at now finally being able to realize that desire.

That evening Swindoll noticed the man sitting near the front. But only a few minutes into the message the man was sound asleep. Swindoll thought to himself that perhaps he was tired after a long day's drive and couldn't help himself. But the same thing happened the next few nights, and Dr. Swindoll found his exasperation with the man growing.

On the last night the man's wife came up and apologized for her husband's inattention to the messages. She then explained that he had recently been diagnosed as having terminal cancer and the medication he was taking to ease the pain made him extremely sleepy. But it had been one of his life-long ambitions to hear Dr. Swindoll speak before he died, and now he had fulfilled that goal.

So it is time to do an attitude check. No matter how loving and tolerant you may claim to be, what is your attitude toward others? Do you find yourself assuming bad things about certain people, or do you truly care about them and pray for them? Do you feel you are better than others, or do you see yourself in as much need of forgiveness as anyone else? Jesus wants followers who have great conviction but who hold this conviction with great concern for others.

Works Cited:

“Sleepy Man” (available at http://www.sermonsearch.com/sermon-illustrations/view/3615/ accessed November 2012; Internet).

All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version.  Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.