Author Topic: Parables of Jesus bit by bit (Read 7549 times)

guest24 · « **Reply #65 on:** July 06, 2021, 04:02:54 pm »

Do Not Judge...
Matthew 7:7 “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. 2 For with the judgment you use,[a] you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the log in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a log in your eye? 5 Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. 6 Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them with their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.
   Most of this teaching seems like common sense, at least till we get to the last line of it. Then suddenly it seems like it doesn’t fit that maybe we got something wrong. Jesus starts out by telling us that we are not to judge. The Webster’s dictionary definition that would fit here is: one who gives an authoritative opinion. There’s an old saying that opinions are a dime a dozen. People as a general rule want to be heard and what they want heard is their opinions because their opinions are in their own mind truth that should not be challenged. It happens all the time in all different walks of life. Politics is a big one where we see it. The political view of the one speaking is assumed by the speaker to be true and there is no compromise in their one mind. It isn’t just politics or theology or even religion where this happens. Unfortunately it also happens when it comes to the character or nature of a person. Jesus warns us against judging others. The reason He gives us for not judging is because if we judge others, we also will be judged.
   As an elementary teacher by trade, one of my pet beliefs is that kids are in the classroom way way too long. I am so passionate about this that when I taught my own kids, I would use anything, even play time that I could use to justify time in class so that their education fit the government guidelines but was on my terms of understanding of what is a good education. Anyone who knows me at all knows how strictly I hold to the idea that kids spend too much time in formal education and yet someone close to me once accused me of putting my kids in school all day long and even past bedtime...lol. The judgment of me was not based on anything that even resembled my beliefs and passion and yet the judgment was made, as unbelievable as it was. Jesus warns us here that if we judge others, we will be judged by the same judgments. In other words, the person who judged me on emotion rather than facts will himself be judged on emotions rather than facts. It is a hard lesson to learn to be sure especially in the heat of battle so to speak when our emotions are going crazy and we want to hurt the other person and so we make judgments to do harm, never thinking about the harm that will come to us as a result. (Romans 2:1) If we take the time to consider what is wise, we will refrain from judging others. First, we ourselves are not without sin. (John 8:7) Even non active things can be sin if we allow our thoughts to venture where they should not go. (Matthew 5:28; Proverbs 6:25) Sometimes, in the heat of our emotional judgments, we speak out of our own sin, our own jealousy and covetous desires. (Exodus 20:17) In fact, instead of judging, we are to forgive. (Luke 6:37) God is our judge and is the only one qualified to judge. (John 8:15-16; I Corinthians 10:29; Luke 12:57; Acts 4:19; I Corinthians 4:5; John 7:24; Romans 14:3) Thus we also need to guard ourselves against man’s judgments of us. (Colossians 2:16; Romans 14:22)
   Measuring is somewhat different from judgment. When we measure another we have a ruler or guide for which we use. For example, there are a set of rules in the classroom. If your behavior does not conform to the rules, you are measured and found wanting. (Daniel 5:27) but again, this is something that God should do. (Job 31:6; Proverbs 16:2; Proverbs 21:2; I Samuel 2:3; I Samuel 16:7; Ephesians 4:7) This does not mean that we cannot correct someone caught in sin, it simply means there is a right way and wrong way to do so. (Galatians 6:1; Psalms 141:5; I Corinthians 2:15; II Corinthians 2:7; Matthew 18:15) Again, whatever measure we use on others will be used on us so make sure it is a measure you can and are living by. (Mark 4:24)
   Jesus' teaching goes on to say that the judges among us are hypocrites. The Pharisees were being so legalistic with the people that they put unnecessary burdens on them because they thought that it was their job and right to judge and measure what they themselves were not willing to live by. (Matthew 23:4; Luke 11:46) The Pharisees were not the only ones who were hypocrites, all who judge are hypocrites according to Jesus teaching here. (Romans 2:1; Matthew 23:31-33) If you must measure, be sure to make it a measure you yourself can measure up to. (Mark 4:24; Romans 7:13) We can remain pure by examining ourselves not others with sober judgment, (Romans 12:3; II Corinthians 13:5; Lamentations 3:40; I Corinthians 9:27; I Corinthians 11:28; Psalms 17:3; Psalms 26:2; Psalms 119:59; Psalms 139:23-24; Psalms 19:12) through the power of the Living God who reveals to us where we ourselves fall short. (Psalms 143:10; Psalms 51:2; Psalms 90:8; I Thessalonians 2:4; Job 31:6) Until or unless we allow God to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, we cannot even begin to help our brother (or sister in Christ) who might not meet up to our desired height of righteousness or idealism.
   Then comes the line that gives so much trouble. Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them with their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.
If we read the sentence using common literary rules for comprehension we see that holy and pearls are referring to the same thing. Just like dogs and pigs are both referring to the same thing. So what is holy? Holy is that which is hallowed, sacred, or sanctified. God is holy, (Revelation 4:8; Exodus 15:11; Isaiah 6:3) and everything that is of God is holy. (Exodus 3:5; Joshua 5:15; Acts 7:33; Mark 6:20; Mark 8:38; Luke 1:72) There are a couple of different ways dogs are used but the one that seems to fit here is that of a dog being an evil person. (Philippians 3:1-11) So don’t put what is holy before evil men and women. In the case of this teaching, don’t put correction before men and women who are evil and want to do evil because they will simply return to that evil as a dog returns to his vomit or a washed pig returns to the mud. Only God can change a heart and thus judge in such a way as to cleanse the one in sin. (II Peter 2:22; Revelation 22:15) There are many passages that talk about a foolish man not adhering to God’s correction or wise counsel, some I found especially interesting. (Proverbs 9:8-9; Proverbs 1:5; Proverbs 10:8, 18-19, 21; and 14; Ecclesiastes 10:12; Proverbs 12:15; Proverbs 26: 7, 8, 11,12, 17, 20, 21, 23; Psalms 39:8; Proverbs 1:7 and 32; Proverbs 13:19; Proverbs 14:8 and 9; Proverbs 16:22; Ecclesiastes 5:1)

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Author Topic: Parables of Jesus bit by bit (Read 7549 times)

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