Judging Rightly

Matthew 7:1–5

7“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. 2For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. 3Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? 4Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.

Historical Context

Matthew 7 is the last of three chapters that record what is now known as the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). The Sermon on the Mount is one of five major collections of the teaching of Jesus found in the gospel of Matthew (Matt. 5–7; 10:1–11:1; 13:1–53; 18:1–19:1; 23:1–26:2). Matthew arranges the teaching of Jesus this way in order to parallel the five books of Moses (Genesis–Deuteronomy).

The Sermon on the Mount is by far Jesus’ longest explanation of what it looks like to live as His follower and to serve as a member of God’s Kingdom. In many ways, Jesus’ teachings during the Sermon on the Mount represent the major ideals of the Christian life. For example, Jesus taught about subjects such as prayer, justice, care for the needy, handling the religious law, divorce, fasting, judging other people, salvation, and much more.

Theme: Judging Rightly

The word used for “judge” in Mathew. 7:1 can mean to analyze or discern, but it can also have the sense to condemn or to evaluate harshly. It is this latter practice that Jesus prohibited. Jesus’ call to evaluate others by their fruits and the instruction to point out sin to a fellow disciple as a necessary step on the road to repentance and restoration (Matt. 18:15-17) would be impossible without analysis or discernment.

What Jesus did prohibit was a judgmental attitude toward others that is motivated by a desire for self-promotion and arrogance rather than redemption. To live with a fault-finding mentality and treat others commensurate with our findings is to usurp the place of God, who alone is capable of judging rightly. Human beings are incapable of usurping God’s judgment because our own judgment is so clouded by our lack of objectivity, our tendency toward ignorance of our own sins and arrogance.  Thus, the translation “Do not condemn” captures in English Jesus’ meaning.

In Matt. 7:2, Jesus introduced the principle of reciprocity as a deterrent to condemning others. The image of measurement, “You will be measured by the same measure you use,” comes from ancient practice of measuring out grain in the market. The same instrument would be used by both buyer and seller to measure out the grain. Thus, the same standard of measurement would be applied to both parties.

Society rejects those who hold others to standards they are unwilling to live by. Even more alarming is the reality that God is the final and ultimate judge. How can we expect God to show us mercy if we have refused to show it to others?