Jesus said; Judge not

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgement you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get” (Matthew ch7 vv1-2).

I want to offer some observations on the scope of the injunction “Do not judge”.
Is this meant to be a complete embargo on any kind of criticism?
That’s how some people would like to understand it (if they’re coming under any criticism themselves).
But if we follow that line of thought to its logical conclusion, it leads to a paradox.
The reason is that the assertion “It’s wrong to criticise other people” has to be counted as one of the ways of criticising other people (namely, the people who criticise).
So anyone who makes that assertion is condemning himself out of his own mouth.
The only way to escape the paradox is to limit the meaning of “judging”, in the negative sense, to make it less absolute.

For that matter, the example of Jesus himself suggests that “judging” and “criticising” are not the same thing.
He told us not to “judge”, but he was also offering some very trenchant criticisms of his own compatriots.
He told the Pharisees they were hypocrites. He told the Sadducees that they did not know the scriptures, nor the power of God.
He cannot have thought that he was contradicting himself.

Now it might be argued that he was privileged.
One of the objections to “judging” is that it implies an inflated sense of superiority over the other party.
As James says, “Who are you that you should judge your neighbour?”
But if Jesus was what Christians believe him to be, his knowledge and his authority would give him a unique right to make judgemental assessments.
The rest of us cannot make these absolute judgements.

Nevertheless, we’re not only allowed but obliged to make relative judgements.
We can’t attempt to follow the right path without assessing the difference between right and wrong, between what God wants and what he rejects.
We might use the term “discernment” to describe this kind of necessary judgement.

On a number of occasions, Jesus positively commanded his disciples to discern differences and make judgements between them.
He told them to beware of false prophets (Matthew ch7 v15), he told them to “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees (ch16 v6).
“You cannot serve God and mammon” involves a rejection of mammon.
It can all be summed up in the instruction to be “wise as serpents, but harmless as doves” (ch10 v16), discerning clearly, but with honest intent, the difference between good and evil.
In other words, Jesus did not mean to inhibit us from saying “That’s wrong”.

We’re also encouraged to help our brethren follow the right path, which might involve sharing our understanding of the difference between right and wrong.
“Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins rebuke him, and if he repents forgive him” (Luke ch17 v3).
This is necessary not only for their own benefit, but also for the benefit of those in the community who might be tempted to follow their example.

How can we prevent this from tipping over into “judging”, in the negative sense?
We need to be conscious that our judgements cannot be absolute. We can only make relative and provisional assessments.
We must avoid any sense of superiority (“…the mote that is in your brother’s eye…”).
So it’s a question of attitude.
I associate “judging”, in the negative sense, with positively wanting to find fault in others, actively seeking it out, and finding it unjustly or untruthfully.
That’s the kind of judgement we would not want to be used against ourselves.

The discernment of good and evil needs to be cautious, objective and without malice, and then it can be more easily defended against the charge of “judging others”.

a reply to: DISRAELI

Judge not unjusty, but make a righteous judgement.
Judge not unfairly, but make every judgement in righteousness.
Be wise in how you judge, least you be judged for your own unrighteousness.

a reply to: wasaka
That looks like a good summary, thank you.

The problem is that the idea of a divine plan is a f#cking joke. Either God is some twisted f#ck@d up b#sta#d or the plan is crap. Also why is it that part of his plan is that he sends huge amount of his loved humans to Hell for acting as he knew they would. If he is god and so omnipotent then what an evil git he is giving people f'cked up twisted lives like those we live on Earth and then why they do something wrong send them to Hell. Although if there is a God he must be an artistocrat and if he was alive now the f#cking b'stard would be an old etonian. All this crap about the rich and their chances of getting to Heaven like pushing a camel through the eye of a needle, he must he laughing his arse off at that one. A better way to screw over a large amount of people could not be found. So I for one would rather assume that the christian God doesn't exist and crap on the gates of Heaven if they exist than wait around for the long route to Hell via christianity. Also just a reality check the world and civilization could not exist if everyone stopped breaking the 10 commandments.

a reply to: dartyparty
Nothing in that relates to the topic of the thread.
The title is" Jesus said; Judge not".

a reply to: DISRAELI

Jesus judge not. OK then criminals must go free they cannot be judged. Charles Manson he goes free no one is allowed to judge him. See the problem religion usually only works if you leave your brain in the toilet.

a reply to: dartyparty
The whole point was that Jesus was not intending to discourage all possible kinds of "judging".
The object of the exercise was to look at the difference between the kinds of "judging" he was and was not talking about.
I suggested that "judging" was acceptable if it was "cautious and objective and without malice".
If that describes the judging of criminals, then there is nothing wrong with it.

a reply to: DISRAELI

Who judges if the judging is cautious and objective, and who judges that those judging that are being cautious and objective and who judges the judging judges who judge the judges........

a reply to: dartyparty
Doing something about criminals is a job which needs to be done and they get on with it.
Since that isn't the kind of "judging" which Jesus was objecting to, then his comments don't affect their work.

(In the end, if they really are unjust, then God will judge them when the time comes).

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: wasaka

That looks like a good summary, thank you.

The key for me is understand the term "righteousness."

Being righteous means being in a "right" relationship.

In other words, don't judge. Don't be unrightous.
Don't judge (cause harm) lest harm find you.

a reply to: DISRAELI

Judging what is right and wrong isn't judging?

originally posted by: wasaka
a reply to: DISRAELI

Judge not unjusty, but make a righteous judgement.
Judge not unfairly, but make every judgement in righteousness.
Be wise in how you judge, least you be judged for your own unrighteousness.

Thats pretty much how I interpret it.

If you are going to judge then judge fairly.
If you expect fairness come your own judgement.

a reply to: dartyparty
Did you read the OP at all, or did you just respond to the title?
I made a point of showing that Jesus himself both distinguished between right and wrong and told his followers to do the same, so this distinction (which I called "discernment") was obviously not the kind of "judging" which he was objecting to.

I refer you back to the opening post. Have a look at it, and then you will know what the thread is talking about.

originally posted by: OneManArmy

originally posted by: wasaka

a reply to: DISRAELI



Judge not unjusty, but make a righteous judgement.

Judge not unfairly, but make every judgement in righteousness.

Be wise in how you judge, least you be judged for your own unrighteousness.

Thats pretty much how I interpret it.



If you are going to judge then judge fairly.

If you expect fairness come your own judgement.

I think of it like the Hippocratic Oath. It includes the promise "to abstain from doing harm" however, it is my understanding that MDs no longer take the Hippocratic Oath. Sad if true.

Primum non nocere is a Latin phrase that means "first, do no harm." Non-maleficence, which is derived from the maxim, is one of the principal precepts of bioethics that all healthcare students are taught in school and is a fundamental principle throughout the world.

Christ is telling you not to judge. But if you do judge, do it at your own risk! For he did not come to judge while on earth but at your end he will judge you in your same way and your same measure. So he is saying it is better for you if you do not.

He even speaks in righteous judgment.

John 12:48
He that rejects me, and receives not my words, has one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

His teachings do the judging for his words are true. We as Christians it is better that we do not judge but let our teachings teach in right or wrong. There is a difference in teaching and judging.

Know ye not that you will judge the angels
1st Corinthians 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1st Corinthians 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

a reply to: DISRAELI

7 “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. 2 For the way you judge others is how you will be judged — the measure with which you measure out will be used to measure to you. 3 Why do you see the splinter in your brother’s eye but not notice the log in your own eye?

First get the third eye working and let the unconscious information rise up to the conscious level from my point of view. Then you will have a feeling for objective judgment and see beyond subjective wants.

originally posted by: Created There is a difference in teaching and judging.

Yes you can teach right and wrong, but it still takes judgement to decide which is which.
If you see someone doing what you have been TAUGHT to be wrong, then you judge them accordingly as a wrongdoer.
And judge if their "crime" is worthy of police intervention, or even justice, however that may be served. There was a time when stoning was a preferred choice of serving justice, but let he without sin cast the first stone.

Im not a christian, but I do love those little soundbites that have great wisdom in so few words.

Like "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you".

a reply to: DISRAELI

Hello there, OP.

The way I interpret what Jesus was warning us of about judgement acting in a karmic way, rebounding on the one who judges, is very much relative to Law (particularly the Law of the OT).

The Gospels inform us of the incident involving the woman who was about to be stoned for adultery (judgement as in punishment for breaking the Law). Jesus rebuked the would be executioners with this retort;

"Let you who is without sin cast the first stone."

He is informing us that in God's perception we all can be found wanting in righteousness, we are all sinful to one degree or another. As we know Jesus simply let the woman go and told her not to do it again and that her sins were forgiven. He was revealing to us that God is merciful and forgiving and that we should be, too.

Another of His Teachings was;

"How can you see to remove a splinter from your brother's eye if you have a plank in your own? First remove the plank from your own eye then you will see more clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's."

He reveals here that we are not qualified to put others right, prescribing penance or punishment, when we, too, are also guilty. This demonstrates that only God is truly qualified to judge and to prescribe the correct punishment or penance.

I have thought often about the judging nature of us humans. As we know people are very quick to make judgements. The knee jerk reaction is actually most dangerous because it is an act blinded by ignorance in the form of vengeance and heat of the moment anger; such actions lower us to depths of depravity and barbarism.

There are modern examples. Consider the way some extremists will prescribe punishment; beheadings, limbs hacked off, dragged through the town by motorcycles, etc. Then it becomes clear that what Jesus is teaching is an influence of civility.

As we know Jesus lived up to every syllable of what He taught. Even when they crucified Him He had words of love asking God to,

Forgive them, for they know not what they do".

The judges had crucified a man who had no sin or guilt as a criminal in their blindness.

Also, I have wondered about modern Law. For example, if someone was to murder me how can I or my family be somehow magically consoled by the fact they go to prison for a very long time or are even executed (as some U.S states still practise)? It is a punishment, but it is not true justice. It can be no more than a deterrent or destruction of the criminal so that the crime is not repeated. In such a circumstance what would Jesus tell me to do? He would say, "Forgive them because they do not know what they are doing!". The victim of sin has but one recourse and that is to forgive and let God be the judge because only He is informed enough and qualified enough to pass correct judgement.

Judgement is an act of Law and an act of decision making. There are different meanings. Jesus is relating it to sin and punishment. He is telling humanity that we are not qualified to dispense true justice.

I made a decision to avoid revenge, that is an eye for an eye. I made that informed decision because I know how human beings behave, myself included, and we make some literally blinding mistakes - errors of judgement - like putting innocent people in jail or executing them for crimes they did not commit and even crucifying innocence because we judge it.

To me it is common sense and that is why I have faith in Jesus as a Teacher of morality, because everything He said speaks common sense and creates civility; bringing light to the darkness to coin John's beautiful metaphor.

originally posted by: guitarplayer
Know ye not that you will judge the angels
1st Corinthians 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?

Yes, Paul is referring there to the "discernment of right and wrong" which is the "acceptable" kind of judging.
"Judging" in that sense is something which has to be done.
Obviously Jesus was warning them against a particular kind of judging, rather than "judging" in general.