Bel Air #4
Notes
Transcript
Most misunderstood verse
Most misunderstood verse
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 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? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
Pray
Introduction
I want to examine this
Jesus gave a command
Jesus’ command not to judge is probably one of the most quoted of His sayings
But people neglect and seem to take this quote in complete disregard of it context
This is the verse
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
People will use this verse to silence their critics
Their interpretation is simply saying “You don’t have the right to tell me I am wrong.”
If we take this verse in isolation, this command from Jesus seems to indicate their misunderstanding.
However there is much more than those three words
We have to understand that the command that we do not judge does not mean we can not show discernment
Immediately after Jesus says “Judge not” He says this
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
A little later, He says “Watch out for false prophets … by their fruits you will recognize them”.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Now I have one question
How are we to discern who are the dogs, the swine, and the false prophets unless we have the ability to make a judgement call on doctrines and deeds?
The answer is simple
Jesus gives us permission to tell right from wrong
Also, think about this
the Bible’s command that we should not judge others does not mean all actions are equally moral
it does not mean that truth is relative
The Bible clearly teaches that the truth is objective, eternal, and inseparable from God’s character
What does that mean?
Anything that contradicts the truth is a lie.
Of course, to call something a lie is to pass judgment
To call adultery or murder a sin is to pass judgment
but it is also to agree with God, right
What does that mean?
When Jesus said not to judge others, He did not mean that no one can identify sin for what it is
It is based on God’s definition of sin, right
Think about this
The Bible has a whole book called Judges
The judges in the Old Testament were raised up by God Himself
18 And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.
Our modern judicial system is a necessary part of our society
What does that mean?
In saying, “Judge not” , Jesus was not saying “anything goes”.
I wanted to give this intro before we examine these verses.
At the end, I will go over what is wrong judgment and how we should properly judge as Christians
Our first verse
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Without a doubt, this is the most often misused verse in the entire Bible
Our modern culture will use this command to say we can never disapprove or correct the actions of another
Honestly, this mishandling of Christ’s words is out of context three times over
First and foremost
Christ does not say “never judge”
He warns that there is a consequence to judgment
Second
this command is followed by instructions from Christ on the proper way to use judgment
Third
Jesus’ other teachings explicitly indicate that right judgment is necessary
24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
while hypocritical or shallow judgment is wrong
Even with this clear understanding, this is a favorite quote for those who are attempting to twist Scripture to fit their narrative
Look at these verses
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Jesus has been teaching within the context of Israel’s religious leaders and the way they practiced their righteousness
Jesus called them out as hypocrites who called attention to themselves as they gave to the needy and pray and fast.
Under their leadership, Israel’s worship of God had become about proving one’s worthiness to other people
They were not concerned about humbly serving God.
So they were doing righteous acts to get approval from others
They also looked for opportunities to express condemnation against those they did not see as deeply religious
What did that actually do?
the everyday people learned to perform religious duty for other’s approval and to belittle those who acted differently
So now that brings this verse into a different context, does it not
In this context, Jesus tells the crowds of Jewish people following Him not to judge others unfairly in order not to be unfairly judged
Jesus is talking about having an arrogant attitude and trying to take the place of God.
This is what was meant
Lack of humility and grace in how we perceive others leads us to wrongly declare one person righteousness worthy and another person unworthy merely based on our assumptions
To judge in this way is to assume authority over others that God has not ever given you
This means God will judge those who judge this way
now let us examine this
This does not teach that God’s people should never express an understanding of the difference between right and wrong
Remember this verse
24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
Jesus clearly says His followers must be careful to make right judgments instead of judging on external appearances
Also God clearly gives Christians the responsibility to make judgments about truth and falsehood
Look at these examples
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
We are to hold fellow Christians accountable for sin
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
What is condemned here?
shallowness and hypocrisy
passing judgment on other believers as if one was God
look at these teachings
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
This sneering kind of condemnation is clearly and repeatedly forbidden.
our next verse
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Jesus has commanded His followers not to judge
but this statement is not meant to be ripped out of context and misapplied
Christ now begins giving some context that is needed to interpret those words
Christians should not take God’s place
they should not judge using shallowness or ignorance
They must not be judgmental, implying something unfair or inappropriate
why?
God has never given anyone that authority to judge that way
Those who pass judgment on others for differences of opinion or doubtful matters are attempting to take God’s place of judgment over His people
Jesus now offers a solemn warning
Those who pronounce judgment on others as if they were God will be judged with exactly the same force and to the same degree
Jesus could be expressing a principle of human nature
Judgmental people always end up being judged by everyone else
Their attempt to hold others to a higher standard provokes people around them to measure every action they themselves take
Holding others to unreasonable standards leads to charges of hypocrisy
this parallels the ideas of forgiveness and mercy
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
those who judge unfairly lack understanding of their own limitations
My belief is this is a literal warning
Jesus is warning everyone about the judgment from God
He will judge those who judge others unfairly
He will hold judgmental people accountable for attempting to take on His role.
He will bring perfect justice by judging those who are wrongly critical with using the same exact standards they attempted to afflict on others.
Our next verse
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Christ is condemning the shallow, hypocritical, and selfish criticism of others.
Christ is clear that right judgment includes distinguishing between good and evil
Judging others as if we ourselves are the standard of goodness is completely evil.
God does not give the authority to human beings to judge the righteousness of others using our own preferences as the standard
None of us are perfectly righteous
We are in no position to casually pronounce judgment using ourselves as the standard because we are guilty of sin.
Jesus is showing in this verse that we are often blind to our own sin
This makes shallow condemnation of others even more foolish
Jesus is asking us a simple question
How can we see the mote in our brother’s eye and not notice the beam in our own eye?
This is what He means
Human beings can recognize the smallest of sinful infractions in the lives of others while walking around with obvious and ugly sins of their own.
This is human nature
This is why God forbids His people to assume His role as judge over their brothers and sisters
Our next verse
4 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?
Jesus is calling out the universal human tendency to inflate the wrongdoing of other people while minimizing our own problems.
Jesus has forbidden His listeners from presuming God’s place by making shallow judgments of others
The reason is simple
We are unqualified to pronounce judgment superficially because we are blind to our own wrongdoing.
We are capable of noticing “motes” in the lives of others
While the “beams” in our own lives may be greater than what we are trying to correct in another person.
This was intentionally comical
Try to imagine a person peering intently into someone else’s eye trying to see a tiny fleck of dust.
Now imagine how absurd it is that the helper who is trying to find that fleck of dust has a huge stick jammed into their eye.
So we have a person impaled on a stick examining another person for mere specks
now it is even more ridiculous to tell the person who is impaled on a huge stick that they have an issue that needs to be fixed.
I am sure those who were listening to this may have laughed
the imagery is meant to be extreme and even humorous.
Although the meaning behind this is not funny
Jesus will call the one with the beam a hypocrite in our next verse
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
Now Christ says we are qualified to help each other remove sin from our lives
To say to a brother or sister, “let me help you remove sin from your life” is different from pronouncing God’s judgment on them.
Jesus has addressed that we are not qualified even for that role until we have addressed the obvious sin from our own lives.
Otherwise, we become hypocrites.
We become an actor or pretender
Once we have worked to remove some sin from our own lives or at least dealt with the egregious sins, we may be able to help remove the sin from another person’s life in humility and service.
Conclusion
What is wrong?
Superficial judgment is wrong.
Passing judgment on someone based solely on appearance is sinful.
It is foolish to jump to conclusions before investigating the facts
13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, It is folly and shame unto him.
Simon the Pharisee passed judgment on a woman based on her appearance and reputation, but he could not see that the woman had been forgiven.
Simon thus drew Jesus’ rebuke for his unrighteous judgment
36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. 37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. 40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
Hypocritical judgment is wrong
Jesus’ command judge not is preceded by comparisons to hypocrites
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Jesus follows that command by giving a warning against hypocrisy (verses 3-5)
When we point out the sin of others while we ourselves commit the same sin, we condemn ourselves
1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
Harsh, unforgiving judgment is wrong.
2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
We are to be always gentle toward everyone
It is merciful who will be shown mercy
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Jesus warned that in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you (verse 2)
Self righteous judgment is wrong.
We are called to humility and God opposes the proud
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, the Pharisee was confident in his own righteousness and from that proud position judged the publican; however God sees the heart and refused to forgive the Pharisee’s sin.
9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Untrue judgment is wrong
The Bible clearly forbids bearing false witness
5 A false witness shall not be unpunished, And he that speaketh lies shall not escape.
We must not slander no one.
Now Christians are often accused of “judging” or intolerance when they speak out against sin.
Believers are warned against judging others unfairly or unrighteously, but Jesus commends “right judgment”.
24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
we are to be discerning
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
we are to preach the whole counsel of God
This includes the Biblical teachings on sin
27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
We are to gently confront erring brothers and sisters in Christ.
1 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.
We are to practice church discipline
15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
We are to speak the truth in love
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Lets pray
