01.19. The Sermon on the Mount (27)
The Sermon on the Mount (27) A Judgmental spirit
Matthew 7:1-5 The subject of Matthew 7:1-6 is the disciple’s relation to his neighbour. First of all the Lord Jesus speaks of judging falsely (Matthew 7:1-5) and then of being able to discern (Matthew 7:6).
Necessary Judgment
’Judge not, that ye be not judged.’ (Matthew 7:1) This is a well-known verse! It has - as many others too - nearly become a saying. But it is sad to say that often even true believers do misunderstand and misuse it. For the Lord Jesus does not at all forbid his disciples to have a healthy, spiritual judgment. On the contrary the Lord presupposes in his following words (Matthew 7:6) that they are able to discern what to do and what not to do. The apostle Paul also encouraged his readers to judge what he wrote to them (1 Corinthians 10:15).
One could argue that discern and judge cannot possibly be the same. And yet the Greek word (krinein) has not only this meaning but others also. The spectrum reaches from ’discerning’ over ’judging’ to ’sentencing, condemning’. As disciples of the Lord we ought not only to judge ourselves in God’s light and if necessary condemn things (Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthians 11:31) but we ought to judge arising spiritual matters as well (1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 John 4:1). On top of this the assembly of God bears the responsibility to condemn evil with determination and to judge those who persevere in an obviously wicked conviction or wicked state: ’Do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person’ (1 Corinthians 5:12-13).
These kinds of judgment are absolutely necessary in the life and fellowship of believers. They are necessary for the honour and holiness of God but also for our own spiritual well-being and growth. They are therefore indispensable and helpful supports of the life of faith. Where this biblical judging lacks indifference and worldliness are ’invited to come in’.
False Spirit of Judgment And yet this so unpleasant being occupied with the evil has to happen in the spirit of love, grace and humbleness, for the first aim is to reach and win the heart and conscience. When brethren have to speak with someone who has sinned, will not do it in such a spirit but in a judging spirit, they cannot possibly a help but will make the situation even worse. The end of it will often be bitterness and hardening. In Galatians 6:1 we read of how to react in such a case: ’Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.’ (Compare also with Matthew 18:15-18)
’Judge not...’ does therefore not mean judging sin in the right spirit and attitude. The Lord Jesus here judges something totally different, that is the spirit of judgment, the ’Pharisaic’ inclination to constantly elevate ourselves above others and to judge not only their deeds but also their motives in a negative light and loveless manner. This spirit of judgment reveals:
Rashness, because one judges before knowing all the circumstances;
Injustice, not knowing the motives of the other before having spoken to him in brotherly love;
Arrogance, because the judging one elevates himself above the brother;
Hypocrisy, because one takes love and zeal for the Lord as cloak for one’s own reputation
Merciless, because open weaknesses are all too easily interpreted as ’evil’.
It is of such dangers the Lord Jesus is warning us here with all forcefulness/urgency. The apostle Paul also warns the Corinthians of hastily judging (1 Corinthians 4:5) and the Romans of narrow-mindedly judging (Romans 14:3; Romans 10:1-21; Romans 13:1-14). At the same time he encourages the Romans to judge themselves. With what Measure do we mete? The Lord Jesus then adds: ’... that ye be not judged’. These words may be understood as follows: One who judges others without authorisation does not need to wonder when his fellowmen and brethren do the same to him. But the following shows that this judgment goes farther and that in the end God is the judge here.
Everyone who does not want to accept the Son of God as his Saviour does only await a fearful judgment and eternal condemnation. But everyone who believes on him knows that he will not see judgment. And yet he knows that God chastens his children in their lives upon earth as a Father and without respect of persons (Hebrews 12:4-11; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 Corinthians 11:32). Likewise all believers will one day be made manifest before the judgment seat of Christ and receive reward or suffer loss (1 Corinthians 3:15; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
These serious/earnest thoughts ought to preserve all disciples of the Lord of a haughty spirit of judgment, ’for with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again’ (Matthew 7:2). Of course this explanation does not mean that God will deal with someone who judges unrighteously in an unrighteous manner as well, but every man will be judged by him according to his perfect righteousness. With this goes the assurance that the disciple who judges in love and grace will also receive a loving ’treatment?’ of his heavenly judge. This is why we ought to mete in reverse with the measure with which we are measured by God and with the judgment with which we are judged by him. In this the sonship of God will be practically manifest: ’Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy... Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect’ (Matthew 5:7; Matthew 5:48). ’And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’ (Ephesians 4:32) Mote and Beam in the Eye
’And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?’ (Matthew 7:3-4) The Lord Jesus now shows his disciples with a most distinct picture how foolish the one is, who thinks to judge his brother/neighbour looking down on him. The mote in the brother’s eye is the false (thing) which one thinks to recognise with him. But the beam in the eye is the evil in the own heart which one oversees deliberately and which is yet clearly to recognise. An experienced brother once said: ’I do not know as much evil of anyone as of my own self. This makes me careful in judging others.’ The picture of the eye points to the state of the heart as is does in Matthew 6:22-23. The Lord seems to especially think of the spiritual ability to judge. How could someone whose ability to judge is badly hindered by own, unjudged sin, be helpful to another who may have been overtaken in a fault by spiritual unwatchfulness? This is just impossible. The Lord has already used the expression ’hypocrite’ three times in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:2, Matthew 6:5, Matthew 6:16). In contrary to his disciples he is always speaking of the religious hypocrites amongst the Jews. As he uses this expression again is shows that even the disciples are not safeguarded against the danger of hypocrisy. ’Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out f thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.’ (Matthew 7:5)
We will only be able to judge others if we have recognised and confessed our own sins in the light of God. Only by living conscious of the grace by which God has forgiven us all sins (and as Father is forgiving us again and again) we shall be of real spiritual help to our errant brethren.