Judge Not
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“Judge Not” means more than merely “don’t condemn.”
v. 20-26, Blessed Are The Poor
v. 27-36, Love Your Enemies
Is there any justice in the universe?
If I don’t look out for me, who will?
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;
give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Scripture consistently teaches that it is not our job to settle the balance sheets of the universe.
So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
We are not the judge. We are the accused.
He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.
We are not qualified to bring justice. If justice were left to us, we would fail.
Is there any justice in the universe?
If I don’t look out for me, who will?
give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Human justice is an empty bag of chips.
Divine justice is an overflowing jar.
Then the word of the Lord came to him,
“Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.”
So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.”
And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”
And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.”
And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son.
For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’ ”
And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days.
The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.
After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him.
And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!”
And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed.
And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?”
Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child’s life come into him again.”
And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived.
And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.”
And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”
We can trust God with justice.
We can trust God with more than justice.