Driving Down the Highway

Meditation June 11, 2020

Matthew 7

 

1“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 

 

A lot of time could be spent, was spent, plowing through the myriad of speculations by various scholars and commentators about the meaning of this verse and its appearance here. Most critical commentators say it doesn’t belong, was not part of the original, and was added either by Matthew or by a later copyist. Pharisees were a judgmental group, to wit, the prayers of the Pharisee and the Publican (Lk. 19:10ff); consequently, a few scholars, J. A. Alexander among them, speculate that Jesus is taking an aside here to chide Pharisees who may (or may not) have been among Jesus’ listeners on the mountain – an explanation Alexander himself admits is a “supposition…nothing more.” All this confusion about whether these verses do or do not belong here or even in the sermon stems from the fact that these verses just don’t fit with the structure of the sermon as they understand it. And if you look at the structure and the leading thought of the sermon as they have formed it, they are correct. Not too surprisingly, it seems to have occurred to none of them the problem may not be whether or not these verses fit the structure but whether or not they have correctly assessed the structure. Anyhow, that is over my head. But being of a simple mind and supposing, as noted as we have moved through the sermon, that Jesus is teaching new believers who and what they are and how as such they are to live, these verses fit very well that purpose. Any suppose believers, left without correction, are any less prone to judging as were the Pharisees, either have not been long among God’s people or they simply have not been paying attention. We are, without corrective direction, and too often in the face of it, prone to judging.

 

I am going to approach these verses from that direction and assume Jesus is speaking to us, believers, and saying to us as it were, “You, yes you, do not judge….” The first thing we realize is that we need to determine what he means by do not judge. In just a few sentences He will tell us not to give holy things to dogs and to beware of false prophets whom we will know by their fruits. Knowing a dog from those who are not dogs requires making a judgment. Determining false prophets from those who are not false prophets by the works they do requires judging actions, works, against a standard. In Matthew 18 Jesus teaches us that if our brother sins against us, we should go to him. That requires judging. The Bible is replete with exhortations for believers to watch over one another, to exhort one another; to correct one another. None of that can be done without judging; without observing thus says the Lord and thus you do contrary to what the Lord has commanded. All that considered, we can say without doubt Jesus is not here giving and absolute rule against judging.

 

Pastor Allen, in a sermon on this passage, made the apt observation “I have often wondered what would happen if such people (those who want to make this an absolute rule) were to say those words the next time they're pulled over for speeding. What if the traffic cop pulled them over, rapped on their window, and told them, "Do you realize, sir, that the posted speed limit is 35 miles-per-hour, and that I clocked you in at 50?" Can you imagine if that person stuck their head out the window and said, "Judge not, that you be not judged"?  Pastor Allen goes on to say he hopes that officer would have the presence of mind to reply, “Sir, I'm not judging you. The judgment has already been made by an authority higher than either you or me; and I'm simply charged with the responsibility of making sure that it's enforced!" In like manner, as believers, as those who are salt and light, we are charged with making sure others know God’s law, understand God’s law and are aware when they are contrary to God’s law that they may as we ask “What must we do to be saved?”

 

Pastor Allen makes and important observation. If we live as God has called us to live, how can we avoid judging between good and evil, between good people and evil people, between true prophets and false prophets; between brothers and wolves in sheep’s clothing? God has commanded us to judge. One can hardly read more than a verse or two in the Bible without seeing this. In fact, in the Scripture it is soon seen that the power, the ability to make good judgments is something to be desired, sought after and developed. A person lacking in the ability to make sound judgements, whether a believer or a pagan, is rightly seen (judged – isn’t that ironic) to be buffoon, a simpleton or in the current derogatory assessment, a snowflake or sheep.

 

I am in agreement with G. Campbell-Morgan that Jesus, in keeping with His teaching in this sermon focused on things of the heart as they are manifest outwardly, is talking about the attitude of believers in judging and not judging per se. He is giving a warning against censorious judgments, judgments by which we determine ourselves better than other or other less than ourselves. Understanding judging in that manner is perfectly is in keeping with that which follows; i.e., seeing a spec in the eye of another and missing the log in your own eye. These two verses begin to lose their mystery when put into context. Paul touches on this same subject in the first chapter of Romans when referring to the Gentiles he says “They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. “They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” And all the people are understood as if saying, Amen, brother Paul preach it – until he catches his breath and adds “such are you.” (Romans 2:1)

 

The problem was not judging the Gentiles to be such for they surely were such. The problem was the attitude that I am better because I am not such. “I thank God I am not like that Publican (those Gentiles).” Listen up, “such are you.” Did you so soon forget being angry without cause, looking and lusting, etc. “Do not judge…” lest you be judged in the same manner.

 

Krino (judge) has numerous possible English as well as Greek meanings depending on the context in which it is found. The root meaning is to separate or distinguish negatively or positively; i.e. by approval or rejection. The problem comes when I attempt to hide my log by diverting attention to your speck, when I disapprovingly point to your behavior with the intent, with the attitude, that I am better than that.

 

It is more than ironic, isn’t it, that almost always those who retort, “Judge not lest you

be judged” are in fact doing just that. You judge others, I don’t; I am better than you.

The fruit of a self-righteous spirit will soon or late show its folly. Many years back I had a pastor who was well known to “drive like Jehu.” One day he and his wife were traveling when a car zoomed past him. He knew he was himself driving considerably in excess of the speed limit and quickly judged the car that had just passed him was therefore driving dangerously over the limit. Obviously anyone driving at such speed needed the benefit of his indignation. So, putting the pedal to the medal, after a few miles chase he caught up with the speeder and honking his horn pulled up beside him and motioned for him to pullover. The other driver gave a look of disdain but nonetheless pulled over and as my pastor approached to give the driver what for, because he had been driving at such speed, the driver stepped from his car, showed my pastor his credentials and proceeded to write him a ticket for speeding while telling him “I was driving almost 100 MPH when you caught me. You are lucky I am not taking you to jail.”

 

In like manner, the spirit of judgment against which Jesus is warning, the spirit that sees the speck and misses the log, that is either ignorant of or diverting attention from its own faults will soon or late prove to be the judgment by which the one so judging is judged with the embarrassing consequence that the one who engages in such judgment appears ludicrous when in the midst of priding himself on the veracity of his judgment he discovers he has himself been judged a police in an unmarked car.