Sermon Tone Analysis

We live in a world that uses slogans all the time—in advertising, politics, and even religion.

Matthew chapter 7 has as many striking sayings as the previous ones—sayings easily turned into slogans.

The trouble with slogans is that, while they fix an idea in the mind,

that idea can often be misleading and convey a completely wrong impression.

That is certainly the case here.

Christ’s injunction against judging (7:1), the so-called ‘Golden Rule’ (7:12) and building on the rock (7:24)

have all been used to support wrong and dangerous teachings.

Therefore, it is vital that we continue to read Christ’s sermon as a whole and take these verses in their context.

The first few verses, about judging, strike a very different note from chapter 6, with its stress on God’s care for his children, although this subject soon returns (7:11).

It is best to see them, not as just another aspect of the righteousness that the kingdom requires, but as an introduction to the conclusion about judgement, at the end of the chapter.

That will distinguish between true and false disciples, genuine believers and hypocrites like the Pharisees.

The first six verses warn us against various errors in preparation for this.

“Judge not” is the sort of statement that our culture would eagerly embrace,

without bothering to discover precisely what Jesus meant by it.

But was Jesus really opposed to all judging?

Would Jesus condemn anyone who condemned others?

Would Jesus let each man’s conscience be his guide?

The first step in discovering Jesus’ intent is to put his teaching in its biblical context.

The last verse of and the first verse of

both begin with prohibitions: “Do not worry” (6:34) and “Do not judge” (7:1).

When Jesus says, “Do not worry,” he forbids a negative attitude toward our own affairs—worry.

When he says, “Do not judge,” he prohibits a negative attitude toward others—a critical spirit.

Just before that, Jesus said, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” (6:33).

Here Jesus reinforces that command, [as He supplies the BIG IDEA for our passage] saying in effect,

“Do not criticize the unrighteousness of others.

Address your own unrighteousness first, then perhaps you can address others.”

Jesus is Concerned about Your Assessing others.

(1-2)

Do not judge (7:1–2)

Doriani, D. M. (2008).

Matthew & 2. (R. D. Phillips, P. G. Ryken, & D. M. Doriani, Eds.) (Vol. 1, p. 271).

Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing.

"“Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged.

"For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use.” ()

Do not judge (7:1–2)

One of the dangers that threaten the sincere seeker after God’s ‘kingdom and his righteousness’ is that of looking down on others who do not do so.

Righteousness can easily become self-righteousness,

so Christ begins by warning his disciples

not to think that they stand in God’s place as judges.

On the contrary, they too are subject to judgement and must act accordingly.

‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged,’ Jesus warns.

Contrary to much popular opinion, Jesus is not

forbidding them to exercise discernment or to assess the position of others.

Verses 5 and 6 command exactly that.

We must understand men’s position and needs if we are to help them:

to evangelize them,

counsel them, or

exercise church discipline

with regard to them.

These are not the issues here.

Certainly we must not be over-critical or harsh, but Jesus is saying more than that.

The real fault is when we see ourselves as being in God’s place,

to judge,

to refuse forgiveness,

to pass sentence and punish.

Instead, we should always be aware that we too are sinners,

that we need forgiveness and that,

if we have received mercy, we must show it to others in our turn.

Jesus will have more to say on this subject in chapter 18.

For the present, Jesus is content to warn His disciples that they must

see themselves in the light of standing before him on the judgement day.

Then they will be judged ‘in the same way as [they] judge others’, and ‘the standard [they] use’ will be used on them (7:2).

As the Apostle James puts it, ‘Speak and act as those who are going to be judged … because judgement without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful’ ().

He also said, "Don’t criticize one another, brothers and sisters.

Anyone who defames or judges a fellow believer defames and judges the law.

If you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.”

()

If we are conscious of our own need for forgiveness, we shall be

longsuffering with people, instead of writing them off as useless and hopeless.

We shall be longsuffering with people, instead of writing them off as useless and hopeless.

We must take Paul’s warning not to ‘judge someone else’s servant’ ().

Our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees, who condemned the common people who believed in Jesus as ‘this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse upon them’ ().

We don’t know the hearts of one another, nor each others intentions, but it’s God prerogative to test the hearts,

so we dare not step into His throne.

We don’t judge the eternal welfare of anyone, nor do we call others hypocrites, reprobates, and castaways!

These all go beyond our scope!

Counsel one another, help one another, serve one another but we don’t judge one another as God!

Jesus is Concerned about Your Accusing others.

(3-6)

"Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye?

"Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a beam of wood in your own eye?

"Hypocrite!

First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye.

"Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.”

()

Jesus then takes the matter further.

How much easier it is, he says, to see others’ faults, ‘the splinter in your brother’s eye’, than your own!

Jesus then takes the matter further.

How much easier it is, he says, to see others’ faults, ‘the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye’, than your own!

So often we have worse sins ourselves, but are ignorant of them.

We feel justified in trying to correct others by removing the speck, ‘when all the time there is a plank in [our] own eye’.

Perhaps the best example of this is King David.

When Nathan the prophet told his parable about the poor man’s ewe lamb, David was able to see the speck of a rich man stealing another’s animal, but unable to see the plank of his own adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah ().

The self-righteousness of the ‘hypocrite’ always leads to hardness and harshness.

If we examine ourselves before God, we shall become aware of our own sin and this should soften our hearts.

How can we insist on the strictest of rules for others, when we ourselves fall so far short?

We are not judges of others, but fellow-sinners.

So often we have worse sins ourselves, but are ignorant of them.

We feel justified in trying to correct others by removing the splinter, ‘when all the time there is a beam in [our] own eye’.

Perhaps the best example of this is King David.

When Nathan the prophet told his parable about the poor man’s ewe lamb,

David was able to see the splinter of a rich man stealing another’s animal, but

unable to see the beam of his own adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah ().

We learn that there are degrees in sin.