Matthew 7:1 Commentary and Bible Study

The subject here is hypocritical judgment, and hypocrisy is defined as judging others for the very things that we do ourselves. This is about being judgmental, critical; it is about pride which looks down on others. It is not saying that we should not form proper opinions about all manner of things and exercise discernment. Paul tells us, ‘he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man’ (1 Corinthians 2:15). Yet some teach that we should never judge at all. Because no one is without some sin, we are all unqualified to pass judgment and are involved in hypocrisy if we do so. We should therefore leave all judgment to God. We should never offer a critical opinion of another, or say anything negative about them. But no, not all judgment is forbidden: only this censorious judgment. It is not hypocrisy for someone who is less than perfect to pass judgment on a matter, for there is a difference between one who passes judgment while doing the very same thing, and one who in general terms hates what is evil, but must nevertheless confess some specific sins to the Lord every day. Even within the Sermon on the Mount we are taught that there are situation in which we must exercise judgment. Immediately after these words we read, ‘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’. How can this command be obeyed without making a judgment about what a person is and discerning who is and who is not fit to hear certain things? Similarly, at the end of the chapter, Christ says, ‘Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits.’ We must make judgments about true and false prophets or else we cannot obey this command. But to identify a false prophet is to judge them, to regard them as false and their words as untrustworthy. How can we obey both instructions at once? The word of God cannot contradict itself and so we must interpret it in a way that makes it agree with itself. Other passages tell us that believers must exercise judgments not only within the church (1 Corinthians 6) but also on the unbelieving world around them (Titus 1:12-13; 2 Timothy 2:14). The apostle Paul passed judgment on every situation that arose in the church, and he expected Christians generally to do the same and argued that it was a shameful thing for them to shirk this duty. How can the church be kept pure if there is no judgment upheld, no standard of behaviour enforced among its members? Christians will assist in the final judgment at the last day (1 Corinthians 6:2) and will even judge the fallen angels (1 Corinthians 6:3). It is essential that Christians recognise true and false doctrine, and Paul expected the Galatians to agree with him when he ruled that if anyone preaches any other gospel, he should be accursed. Calvin says (p 347), ‘We are not only permitted, but are even bound, to condemn all sins; unless we choose to rebel against God himself, - nay, to repeal his laws, to reverse his decisions, and to overturn his judgment-seat ... only we must preserve such modesty towards each other, as to make it manifest that he is the only Lawgiver and Judge (Isaiah33:22)’.And yet there is a form of judgment that is condemned here. Christ is talking about personal judgment, not the judgment that is made by law courts. It is personal judgment and it is hypocritical judgment that is in mind. The consequence of passing judgment on another when we are guilty of doing the very same thing ourselves, is that we bring judgment on ourselves. There is a connection between our passing judgment on others and our being judged ourselves. We prove to God, who marks and judges all things, that we know the standard and yet choose not to observe it ourselves. If we judge, we are in danger of being judged ourselves. If we judge others, we are likely to be judged by our fellow man in return and they won’t like it, for as Martin Lloyd Jones points out they are often the most sensitive of people. However there is something far more concerning than the judgment of men that we face if we are censorious; we face the judgment of God.