Matthew 7: The Sermon on the Mount: Live toward Life’s End (1)

Pray Psalm 82.8.
Arise, O God, judge the earth;
For You shall inherit all nations.

Sing Psalm 82.8.
(Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation)
Rise up, O God, in splendor according to Your worth!
Rise up in pow’r to judge all the nations of the earth!
Rise up, O God our Savior, and hear our fervent call,
for You possess and rule o’er the nations one and all.

Read and meditate on Matthew 7.1-6.

Prepare.
1. How does Jesus warn us with respect to judging others?

2. What is the prerequisite for being able to judge others with righteous judgment?

Meditate.
This passage ranks high on the “Most Misunderstood” list of Scriptures. Many people are of the opinion that Jesus’ teaching here gives them a pass on having opinions about anything, or prohibits them from pointing out sins in others. But this passage does not forbid exercising righteous judgment, whether about issues or people. It simply raises some caution flags for practicing righteous judgment.

Jesus elsewhere commands us to judge with righteous judgment (Jn. 7.24). He further told His disciples – and by extension, us – that we are to judge one another, with Him, as He would (Matt. 19.28). So not judging is not an option.

We cannot avoid judging others. But we must make sure that we judge people the way we want to be judged (v. 2). Judging this way anticipates the Golden Rule, which Jesus will put forth in verse 12. In order to judge righteously, fairly, truly, and in love, we have to first judge ourselves (vv. 3-5). It would be hypocrisy to try to correct someone else as long as sin remains with our own souls. We must exercise continuous vigilance over our souls, and all our lives, lest sin take root there (cf. Prov. 4.20-27). If we are clean and clear of sin in ourselves, we’ll be in a position then to help our neighbor with the speck we have observed in his eye (v. 4). We are called to admonish and correct one another, and to build one another up; we can’t do that without exercising righteous judgment.

Verse 6 is added for two reasons. First, we who are entrusted with the Good News of the Kingdom must broadcast it widely, paying careful attention to receptive hearers, that we might cultivate them for Kingdom fruit. If we spend all our time trying to argue hard-hearted people into the Kingdom, we’ll end up with them running roughshod over us and our teaching, with little Kingdom fruit to show for it. Second, Jesus wants us to understand that some people who hear the Good News from us will regard it as something to be trampled underfoot. Don’t be alarmed when that happens. Instead, realize that you’re just fulfilling what Jesus spoke of here and elsewhere.

Reflect.
1. What are some ways that Christians must judge one another?

2. What are some aspects of life in the world that require Christians to exercise righteous judgment?

3. What can we do to help ensure that all our judging is righteous judging?

The word hypocrite is aptly employed here, since the denouncing of evils is best viewed as a matter only for upright persons of goodwill. When the wicked engage in it, they are like impersonators, masqueraders, hiding their real selves behind a mask, while they portray another’s character through the mask. Augustine (354-430), Sermon on the Mount 2.19.64

Help me to make righteous judgments today, Lord, especially as I…

Pray Psalm 82.1-7.
God calls His rulers – those to whom He has entrusted His Kingdom – to judge righteously. Pray that He will enable you to do so today.

Sing Psalm 82.1-7.
Psalm 82.1-7 (Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation)
God stands amid His people to judge their rulers all:
How long will they oppress those who on His favor call?
How long will they the wicked show partiality,
and treat with scorn the meek who their proper care should be?

Behold the weak and orphaned in need of loving care;
the destitute and smitten are with you everywhere.
Do justice, then, you rulers, to all God’s needy lambs.
Redeem, revive, retrieve them from wicked, sinful hands.

They do not understand, they in darkness walk around,
while Zion’s walls are shaken  and scattered on the ground.
God says to them, “My children, the sons of God Most High,
though you be high exalted, like all men you shall die.”

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006). All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).