Bible Study Materials

DO NOT JUDGE

by   06/25/2010  

Question


1. What does Jesus command here? (1) Why such a command? How is it emphasized? (2) 2. What two consecutive questions does Jesus ask? (3,4) What can be the answer of each question? What is Jesus’ clear teaching? (5) 3. Read verse 6. What does this verse mean?


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Message


Thank and praise God for blessing our 2010 SBC so abundantly accepting all our prayers and your labour in the Lord. We could see the work of the Holy Spirit. May each of us retain one word and be able to catch and follow the work of the Holy Spirit continually, rejoicing that we participate in the sufferings of Christ. May God help us to see the fruit of Matthew’s gospel study throughout this year. In the previous lesson Jesus taught us not to worry about life. For we are more valuable than the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. A life full of worries is a sorrowful one. YetJesus said repeatedly, “Do not worry…” (pray) Jesus wants each of God’s children to be as free, joyful and happy than the birds of the air and each one’s life to be as beautiful as the lilies of the field by trusting in our heavenly Father and his unfailing provision. So life in Christ Jesus means not to worry but to seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness first. May we advance the gospel and expand God’s kingdom in any human condition. Today we are going to study Matthew 7:1-6. It is about relationships. Jesus teaches us to have a non-judging spirit and discernment in our relationships. First, “Do not judge” (1-5). Look at verse 1. “Do not judge…” In the Sermon on the Mount there are several negative commands, which are important in the lives of Jesus’ disciples: in chapter 5, Jesus’ anti-theses of the commandments, “You shall not murder” and “You shall not commit adultery,” and his extended teachings, “Do not swear at all” and “Do not resist an evil person,” and in chapter 6 “Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men,” namely, “Do not live before men,” and “Do not worry.” All these negative commands are essential in life. Now Jesus says, “Do not judge.” This command is as important as the command, “Do not worry.” “Do not worry” is related to one’s personal life, and “Do not judge” to one’s relationship with others. Jesus said, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” Here we should understand Jesus’ saying, “Do not judge.” Without making judgment, how can we live in the world? Life seems to be a continuation of making judgment whether the judgment is right or wrong. Especially Christians cannot live in this world without exercising critical judgment. So when Jesus said, “Do not judge”, it might well mean that we are to refrain from hypercritical, condemning judgment. There is a universe of difference between being discerningly critical and hypercritical. A discerning spirit is constructive. A hypercritical spirit is destructive. A judgmental, condemning spirit, is prevalent in sinful human beings. It is very easy to have a judgmental attitude and condemning spirit. There are so many improper judgments and superficial judgments. People tend to make quick judgments without knowing the whole story of a certain event or person. People can also easily side with judgers without clear evidence or personal conviction. One misjudgement can make someone suffer throughout the person’s entire life. We should be watchful against quick and superficial judgment. Once Jesus said to the Jews, “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment” (Jn 7:24). The point of Jesus’ saying is not just, “Do not judge.” He said, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” In our understanding those who judge others seem to be free. Only those who are judged seem to be hurt. But Jesus said, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” Those who judge others will be judged. Those who misjudge others will be misjudged. We don’t want to be misunderstood and unfairly judged. But it is up to our attitude. This is a significant teaching of Jesus in Matthew’s gospel. Luke wrote, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned” (Lk 6:37). In Matthew’s gospel Jesus put an emphasis on this returning result of judging others, saying continually, “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Those who judge others are not free at all. They will be judged in the same way. If they judged others with a strict measure, the same strict measure would be used for their own judgement. It is because God is living and man has a conscience. In the parable of an unmerciful servant, a king treated the servant as he had treated his fellow servant (Mt 18:32-34). When Cain judged and killed his brother Abel, he thought he would be free since Abel was gone. But he was not. He felt that somebody was chasing him to kill him, and he was afraid. 2 Samuel 2:27 says, “to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.” The same thing is written in Psalm 18:26. In light of this Jesus wants us not to judge others for our own sake. Then how can we not judge others? First of all, we must know that judgement belongs to God. Apostle Paul said in Romans 14:10b-13a says, “For we will all stand before God’s judgement seat. It is written: ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’ So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another.” He also said in 1 Corinthians 4:4b-5, “It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.” And James 4:12, “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbour?” We must know that it is God who judges. He knows everything. He can judge fairly, impartially, and accurately. So we must entrust all the judgment to God and not judge. Secondly, in order not to judge others we should examine ourselves. Look at verses 3-5. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the planks in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.’” It is interesting that Jesus talks a lot about eyes in the Sermon on the Mount: lustful eye (5:28,29), good and bad eyes (6:22,23) and then eye with the speck of sawdust and eye with a plank. In 7:3-5 Jesus questioned first, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the planks in your own eye?” Jesus helps us to think of this “why”. In many cases people are blind to see a plank in themselves. It is like not being able to see one’s own faith without a mirror. Then Jesus asks, “How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?” The answer to this “how” is “you hypocrite.” Then Jesus gives a solution: “first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” According to Jesus the eye with a plank has a serious problem. Those whose eyes have the plank judge others and in most cases their judgments are wrong. Jesus’ solution to this eye is “Take the plant out of your own eye.” There is nothing in the human body more sensitive than the eye. The instant we touch it, it closes up. So no one can take the plant out of my own eye. I myself should take the plank of my own eye. But unless we see the plank in the eye, we cannot take it out. For this we need a mirror of God’s word, for the word of God tells us who we are and where we are and how we should live. When Adam sinned, God said to him, “Where are you?” Through these words God wanted him to see himself and come to God. When the Israelites went astray, God sent his prophets to speak God’s word to them so that they might see themselves and turn to God. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” The word of God helps us to see whether we are right before God. When we see the plank in our own eyes, we become repentant. When we are repentant before God, we cannot judge others. We despair for our sinfulness and come to God for his mercy. As we studied at the conference, when Peter could see himself correctly, he said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man.” He was repentant and knelt down at Jesus’ feet for mercy. We need constant examination of ourselves through sincere and faithful Bible study so that we may see ourselves and live before God, not judging others. The blessing of those who study the Bible and live before God is that they can see clearly and know how to help others. Thirdly, in order not to judge others we should learn God’s merciful heart and grow in it. God is the one who can judge and condemn mankind. But John 3:17 says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” Jesus also said in John 12:47, “…I did not come to judge the world but to save it.” God has no part with condemning spirit. He is merciful to save sinners. God wants his people to understand their fellow men and learn his merciful heart. It takes time to understand a person. Understanding requires genuine talk and faithful prayer. With an understanding mind we can learn God’s merciful shepherd heart. Jesus said in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Second, have discernment (6). Look at verse 6. “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.” This verse seems to be out of joint, having no part with the previous teaching of Jesus, “Do not judge.” But it is put here rightly. When people superficially understand Jesus’ teaching, “Do not judge,” they think that we should accept everything without judgment and discretion. In our times people think that everything should be accepted in tolerance, not thinking of right or wrong. People can use Jesus’ word, “Do not judge,” to justify whatever they do. They may say, “Jesus said, ‘Do not judge,’ so don’t judge me. It is not your business.” But here is Jesus’ strong teaching. He said, “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.” It is obvious that sacred things and pearls should not be given to those who do not know the value of these things. They will treat valuable things like garbage. Valuable things should be given to those who know the value. As we studied, the words of God are truly valuable. But these precious words of God should not be forcibly given to those who have no ears to hear. Good advice should be given to those who have ears to hear. When a Gentile woman came to him for mercy, he said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” It was to see whether she had the right heart attitude to receive something truly valuable from Jesus. When Jesus sent out his disciples for a field work training, he told them to shake the dust off their feet when people would reject their gospel message (Mt 10:14). Proverbs 9:8, “Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.” Once Jesus lamented of his own generation, for the Son of the living God was displayed before their very eyes, speaking to them directly, but they did not know its value and respond terribly, despising him and rejecting his words. Jesus said, “…The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here” (Mt 13:41-42). Finally the people of Jesus’ time joined in the scheme of killing Jesus. In light of this teaching of Jesus we must know the value of what we have in Jesus. Paul said that Christ in us is the treasure in jars of clay. There is nothing more precious than Jesus. Also, through SBC, I could newly see that our mission of teaching the Bible to college students and raising them as Jesus’ disciples is very valuable. It is true that there is no higher purpose of life than catching men. “From now on you will catch men.” We serve this mission along with our 2nd gens and our further descendants, generation after generation until we pioneer all campuses in our country before our Lord Jesus comes again. Seeing the work of God through SBC was more exciting than watching a World Cup Soccer game. Of course it is much more valuable. We should not trample on what we have, our Lord Jesus and his words and his given-mission. We should not take God’s grace for granted but bear it with a trembling heart. Thank God for the life-giving words of Jesus in our relationship with others, “Do not judge.” May these words be in our heart and guide us in our relationship with others. May we also know the preciousness of what we have in Jesus and keep them and use them discerningly. We are not to judge, yet we are to be wisely discerning.


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