Do Not Judge

Jesus said, “Do not judge,” or “judge not,” (depending on your translation) in the Gospel of Matthew. It’s one of the most well-known statements of Jesus. But it’s also one of the most misunderstood and misquoted sayings in the entire Bible.

I ran across a meme some time ago which reflects how how many see or interpret this biblical phrase:

Some act as though Jesus called everyone’s attention, said “do not judge,” then said nothing else. But this is not what happened.

Matthew 7:1 is part of one of Jesus’ most well-known sermons, the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapter 5-7). The Sermon on the Mount is a guide to Christian ethics. Don’t miss this–“do not judge” appears in a sermon on Christian ethics.

Here’s the biggest mistake I see in relation to this phrase: many believe that “do not judge” means we should never make any type of ethical assessment between right and wrong.

“Do not judge,” for example, is often spouted as an objection when we (believers) say that certain types of sexual behavior (such as homosexuality) are immoral/sinful. But let’s once again consider the context.

Here’s something Jesus said in Matthew 5:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 

Matthew 5:27-28

According to Jesus, an intense desire to have sex outside of marriage is just as evil as the act itself. The only thing lacking is opportunity when someone’s heart is in this sinful state. It’s beyond ludicrous to use Jesus’ words from this same sermon to justify an “anything goes” approach to human sexuality.

What exactly was Jesus warning us about, then? Let’s look at Matthew 7:1-5:

1“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 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 7:1-5

Here’s the point Jesus is making:

We should honestly look at ourselves before looking at others.

This doesn’t mean that we must be completely sinless in order to call something sinful. No one could make any type assessment if that was the case.

It does mean we should be constantly vigilant against hypocrisy. We all have a strong tendency towards self-deception and self-righteousness. It is very easy to see others’ flaws while being blind to my own. The Pharisees were masters of this hypocrisy, but we should be just the opposite. I like the way AW Tozer put it:

A pharisee is hard on others and easy on himself, but a spiritual man is easy on others and hard on himself.

-AW Tozer

The worst form of hypocrisy is to hold others to a standard that I myself am violating. Jesus used an outlandish (and humorous) image to make his point: imagine trying to remove a small piece of sawdust out of your brother’s eye while you have a huge plank protruding from your own.

Having a foreign object in your eye is not good–we all know the irritation a single eyelash can cause. Jesus did not say, “Ignore the log and the speck because after all I just said don’t judge.” Instead He said I must first examine myself so I can see clearly to help someone else come to repentance.

Part of my role as a pastor is to correct and rebuke (2nd Timothy 2:4). This happens through the proclamation of God’s word and can even happen privately. But I should always be harder on myself than I am with others.

This is the heart of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 7:1-5.

Lord, please give me the courage to relentlessly examine my own heart and life in light of Your word. I pray that my own sin grieves me more than anyone else’s. May any correction from me come from a place of love and humility, not hypocrisy and self-righteousness.

Your Words Reveal Your Heart

Matthew’s Gospel includes many confrontations between Jesus and the Pharisees, the religious leaders of ancient Judaism. His warnings were not just for them–they are in the Bible for us to read and apply.

Matthew 12:34-35 is a prime example. Jesus explained a universal principle regarding the relationship between our words and our hearts.

You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 

Matthew 12:34-35

Jesus compared our hearts to a “treasure,” which could be translated “treasury.” The concept is that of an invisible storehouse where one’s ambitions, plans, desires and all such personal notions are all kept. These are either good or evil, and they exist in an abundance that eventually spills out (or overflows) through our words.

A heart transformed by Jesus will bring out good treasures: words of wisdom, testimonies of God’s grace, insights from the scriptures, encouragement, etc. Even a word of rebuke from a godly person is a source of life (Proverbs 27:6).

The opposite is also true: words tend to reveal any evil that is festering in one’s heart.

There’s an all-too tragic irony in this: we can be oblivious to the messages we are constantly speaking to those around us. We can be deaf to the megaphone that is loudly broadcasting our hearts’ contents to the world.

Here are a few examples:

Have you ever been around someone who is perpetually angry and/or bitter? His words are probably as toxic as a viper’s venom. They are symptoms of a heart issue–usually an unforgiving spirit. He might object to this diagnosis, but his words will consistently prove it to be accurate.

What about an individual who is constantly criticizing everyone? There’s a good chance that there’s a lack of grace in her heart. If only she realized how much grace God has shown her!

One more example: do you complain non-stop? This probably means you lack gratitude, because gratitude and complaining cannot peacefully coexist.

I would like to issue a challenge to you in light of this scripture: listen to yourself this week and respond accordingly. Your words may reveal heart issues that require confession and repentance.

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
    Cleanse me from these hidden faults.

Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
    Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt
    and innocent of great sin.

May the words of my mouth
    and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
    O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:12-14