Cairo: Jesus in Egypt & God's Unusual Leaning
God seldom gives us all we need to understand, but He always gives us what we need in order to obey. The story of Jesus in Egypt as a boy offers a...
The best-known Bible verse used to be John 3:16. But our culture has a new favorite. In fact, it has become the trump card played to justify any and every lifestyle. It’s even a quote from Jesus.
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
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The phrase is often quoted as “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” While the meaning is the same, it’s interesting we have learned the wrong wording from the 1611 King James Version. It should be: “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” The verse often is taken to mean nobody has the right to judge anybody for anything at any time.
The problem? The verse has a context. Jesus told us what He meant.
When Jesus spoke these words on the slopes surrounding the Sea of Galilee, He wasn’t saying never to judge. He simply warned about doing it the wrong way—by telling us how to make judgments the right way.
And believe me, it ain’t easy.
Later in the same book, Jesus commands we do confront a fellow Christian caught in a sin (Matthew 18:15-17). This awkward obligation is supported elsewhere in the Bible (Galatians 6:1).
So, what did Jesus mean, then, when He said, “Judge not lest ye be judged”? The verse that follows explains—and often it isn’t quoted. Jesus tells us exactly what He meant:
Do not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. — Matthew 7:1-2
Jesus wasn’t confused in His teaching. He didn’t mean we should never make a judgment about right and wrong. As He explained, He meant we shouldn’t make a judgement hypocritically. The verses that follow make this patently clear (Matthew 7:3-5).
We know no one is perfect, but we expect it anyway. Except in ourselves. We often excuse our own shortcomings because we claim God’s grace. But then we turn around and demand others be perfect—a standard we ourselves don’t meet.
This is precisely what Jesus was warning against.
The fact is, we never know all the facts.
Wouldn’t it be better to tap the brakes on our judgment—especially when we don’t know all the facts? Before we call into question someone else’s walk with God, we should scrutinize our own.
The world needs the gospel, not rules alone. Otherwise, they may confuse rules with the way of salvation.
Yes, there is a point when we must confront the sin in another Christian’s life. Otherwise, we’re failing to obey the process Jesus and Paul explained in Matthew 18:15-17; Galatians 6:1; and 1 Corinthians 5:3-5.
However, that process should only occur after we’ve gone through a more basic examination with our own lives.
“Judge not lest ye be judged.” Jesus meant that our priority for life change should first be to ourselves—then to others.
Learn the top 6 Lessons from Visiting the Holy Land more than 20 times in 21 years with Dr. Wayne Stiles, a longtime devotional scholar who is passionate about sharing the practical application of bringing God's Word to life.
Tell me what you think: Has anyone ever quoted you, “Judge not lest ye be judged”? What did he or she mean by it? To leave a comment, just click here.
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