Matthew 7:3 - Forerunner Commentary

Matthew 7:3

Do Not Judge

1 “Judge¹ ^anot, that you be not judged.

2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; ^aand with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

3 ^aAnd why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?

4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?

5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

6 ^a“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

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Matthew 7:1-5

So Jesus' statement, "Judge not" is a rebuke to the hypocritical, judgmental attitude that tears others down to build oneself up. It is not a blanket statement against all critical thinking, but a call to be discerning rather than negative. Give people the benefit of the doubt.

So Jesus tells us to examine our own motives and conduct instead of judging others. The traits that bother us in others are often habits we dislike in ourselves, and often our unbroken bad habits and behavior patterns are the ones we most want to change in others. Now if we are ready to criticize someone, we must check to see if we deserve the same criticism. We should judge ourselves first and then lovingly forgive and help our neighbor.

Excerpted from When Actions Contradict Stated Beliefs by Martin G. Collins

Do Not Judge

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