Sermon on the Mount (part 3) – Judgment and Forgiveness (Matthew 7)

Scripture reading – Matthew 7

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* Please note that words and phrases in brackets are the author’s amplification.

Today’s second Bible study from Matthew 7 concludes Christ’s Sermon on the Mount.

This chapter moves beyond the spiritual character and attitudes of the followers of Christ (Matthew 5-6) to present a spiritual portrait of a believer’s relationship with others, in contrast to the hypocritical religious leaders. The devotional focuses on Matthew 7:1-5.

Matthew 7

A Call for Righteous Judgment (Matthew 7:1-5)

The mantra of the 21st-century heralds is “Don’t judge me!” Under the guise of inclusivism and political correctness, society demands tolerance and acceptance of deviant practices and behavior. Some quote Matthew 7:1 to support their assertion that they are above judgment. Yet what judgment was Jesus condemning when He said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged?” (Matthew 7:1)?

Jesus was not condemning all judgment, nor was He condemning all Pharisees. However, He reserved some of His harshest judgments for certain Pharisees. For example, in Matthew 23:13-36, He pronounced eight condemnations against the Pharisees, calling them “hypocrites…false prophets…wolves in sheep’s clothing…blind men.” Matthew 7:1-5, however, was not a condemnation of all judgment but an appeal not to be a hypocrite like the Pharisees when judging.

The Pharisees were guilty of judging others without first examining themselves. Jesus asked, “And why beholdest [stare; point out] thou the mote [speck; splinter] that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam [timber] that is in thine own eye?” (Matthew 7:3) The Pharisees were also guilty of glossing over their sins and criticizing others. The LORD questioned them, “How wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote [speck] out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam [of timber] is in thine own eye?” (Matthew 7:4)

How can believers make moral judgments without becoming like the Pharisees?

The answer is twofold: First, we should understand the consequences of harboring a critical spirit, lest we face harsh criticism from others. Jesus warned, “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete [criticize], it shall be measured [dealt] to you again” (Matthew 7:2). 

A second principle is an appeal to self-examination. Before criticizing others, we should examine ourselves. Jesus admonished, “Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5). In his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul encouraged believers, “let a man examine himself…For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged” (1 Corinthians 11:28a, 31).

Closing thought –

By first judging ourselves, we recognize our sinfulness. Self-examination prompts humility, so that we should not criticize others until we have first examined ourselves. The goal of our criticism should fulfill Galatians 6:1, which says, “if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).

Questions to ponder –  

1) What must a disciple do before judging others? (Matthew 7:5)

2) Why should we be cautious before passing judgment? (Matthew 7:2)