Matthew 7:1

Matthew 7:1
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"The Sermon on the Mount" by Jan Brueghel the Elder (1598).
Book	Gospel of Matthew
Christian Bible part	New Testament

Matthew 7:1 is the first verse of the seventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount. This well-known verse begins the discussion of judgmentalism.

Content

In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

The World English Bible translates the passage as:

Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged.^[a]

The Novum Testamentum Graece text is:

Μὴ κρίνετε, ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε

Analysis

This verse, which appears in a similar form in Luke's Sermon on the Plain, begins a discussion about how a person should relate to their fellows. Daniel Patte feels that this is a natural progression from the earlier discussion of how one should have a positive outlook for oneself to how one should also have a positive opinion of others.^[1]

The judge mentioned in this verse is generally considered to be God. France notes that the author of Matthew frequently shifts to the passive tense when an action is carried out by God. This verse parallels

The term translated as judge, krino, also implies condemnation not just judging. In this verse Jesus warns that one who condemns others will themselves be condemned. The rest of the Bible, including the very next verse, make clear that all manner of judgment is not being condemned. Thus while this verse is sometimes presented as an argument against all forms of disapprobation, most scholars believe that the context makes clear that this is a more limited decree. Obeying Christ's commands in this chapter does not preclude assessing another person's basic character—whether one is a dog (v. 6) or a false prophet (v. 15), or whether one's life shows fruit (v. 16)—since Scripture repeatedly exhorts believers to evaluate carefully.[3]

Morris states it is an attack on the hasty and unfair judgments, and as the further verses show it is also an attack on the hypocrites who criticize others while ignoring their own faults. A wide array of forms of judging are presented favourably elsewhere in the New Testament. The decisions of legal court are seen as valid, the censoring of erroneous believers appears throughout the Bible, and the need for self judgment frequently praised.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Otherwise; He has drawn out thus far the consequences of his injunctions of almsgiving; He now takes up those respecting prayer. And this doctrine is in a sort a continuation of that of the prayer; as though it should run, Forgive us our debts, and then should follow, Judge not, that ye be not judged.^[6]

Jerome: But if He forbids us to judge, how then does Paul judge the Corinthian who had committed uncleanness? Or Peter convict Ananias and Sapphira of falsehood?^[6]

Pseudo-Chrysostom: But some explain this place after a sense, as though the Lord did not herein forbid Christians to reprove others out of goodwill, but only intended that Christians should not despise Christians by making a show of their own righteousness, hating others often on suspicion alone, condemning them, and pursuing private grudges under the show of piety.^[6]

Pseudo-Chrysostom: But that not even thus should Christians correct Christians is shown by that expression, Judge not. But if they do not thus correct, shall they therefore obtain forgiveness of their sins, because it is said, and ye shall not be judged? For who obtains forgiveness of a former sin, by not adding another thereto? This we have said, desiring to show that this is not here spoken concerning not judging our neighbour who shall sin against God, but who may sin against ourselves. For whoso does not judge his neighbour who has sinned against him, him shall not God judge for his sin, but will forgive him his debt even as he forgave.^[6]

Hilary of Poitiers: Otherwise; He forbids us to judge God touching His promises; for as judgments among men are founded on things uncertain, so this judgment against God is drawn from somewhat that is doubtful. And He therefore would have us put away the custom from us altogether; for it is not here as in other cases where it is sin to have given a false judgment; but here we have begun to sin if we have pronounced any judgment at all.^[6]

Notes