Questions About Judging

September 13, 2015

Matthew 7:1-6 (text vs. 3-4)
This Scripture is one of the most used, and misused and abused verses in the Bible. It is a favorite verse of liberals, drunkards, drug addicts, fornicators
and cultists. It is often taken out of context to justify themselves when they are confronted with some sin or fault in their life. Whenever you point out a person’s false doctrine or sinful behavior, they say, “Judge not!”

I. The PROPRIETY in judging. Obviously Jesus is not condemning ALL judging (cf. vs. 6, 15-20).

John 7:24 — “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
Jesus commended Simon for rightly “judging.” “And he said unto him, Thou hast RIGHTLY judged” (Luke 7:43).
Luke 12:57—”Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?”
1 Cor. 2:15—”…he that is spiritual judgeth all things…”

II. The PROHIBITING of judging.

A. Censorious judgment— Hypercritical. Being a fault finder. Looking for the worst in someone instead of the best.
Don’t be a “mote/speck detective.”

B. Presumptuous judgment. Judging a someone’s actions or motives are sinful. You judge someone because you are suspicious
of their intentions. Paul calls this “Evil surmising.” Surmise means “to suspect; to imagine without certain knowledge” (Webster).

C. Premature judgment. Jumping to conclusions. Quick to judge before you have all the facts. “He that answereth a matter before
he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him” (Prov. 18:13)

D. Prejudicial judgment. Judging someone without a Scriptural basis. It is not that they are doing something that is specifically
forbidden in the Bible, but they are doing something you personally don’t think is right (Rom. 14:1-10, 13). Dress, music, worship,
a TV program or movie.

E. Unwarranted judgment. Entering into judgment over matters that do not pertain to you. Dr. Ruckman says, “Don’t judge cases
that are not in your courtroom.” Don’t be a busybody in other people’s affairs (1 Pet. 4:15).

F. Hypocritical judgment (context vs. 3-5). Jesus calls a person who judges in this manner a “hypocrite.”

1. The INVOLVEMENT in the judging—These are “brothers.”
2. The IRRITANT in the eyes. Both have something in their eye that doesn’t belong there and needs to be removed.

A “mote.” The word “mote” is like the word “mite” (as in “the widow’s mite”). It is a tiny particle of something. It
this case it is the equivalent of a speck of sawdust or a tiny splinter.

A “beam.” A beam is large piece of timber, used to support a roof or floor in a house (2 by 6). Could be a log.

These objects symbolize some fault or sin in the lives of these two brothers. One sin is very small, but the other is HUGE.

3. The IMAGERY of the judging (vs. 3-4).

The question contains bit of sarcasm, which Jesus often used, when driving home a point. Try to visualize what Jesus is saying. Picture someone trying to remove a tiny speck from a person’s eye while he has a protruding log stuck in his own eye! It is ludicrous—ridiculous. Those are the elements of humor that make something laughable.