Matthew 7:1
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Original Language Analysis
μὴ
not
G3361
μὴ
not
Strong's:
G3361
Word #:
1 of 5
(adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas g3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether
Cross References
Luke 6:37Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:Luke 6:41And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?Matthew 7:5Thou 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 7:2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.James 3:1My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.Isaiah 66:5Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.
Historical Context
Jewish legal tradition involved careful judgment regarding Torah observance. However, rabbis also warned against harsh judgment. Rabbi Hillel taught 'Judge not your fellow until you have come into his place.' Jesus echoes yet radicalizes this wisdom. His teaching targets Pharisaical tendency toward judgmental legalism that burdened others while justifying self. The principle of measure-for-measure judgment appears throughout Scripture (Obadiah 15, James 2:13). Early Christians struggled with judgmental divisions (Romans 14:1-13, 1 Corinthians 4:5).
Questions for Reflection
- What is the difference between righteous discernment and prohibited judgmental condemnation?
- How does recognizing we'll be judged by the standard we apply affect our judgment of others?
- In what areas are you most tempted to harshly judge others while excusing yourself?
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Analysis & Commentary
Jesus commands 'Judge not, that ye be not judged' (Greek: μὴ κρίνετε, ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε, 'do not judge, so that you may not be judged'). The verb κρίνω means 'judge, condemn, evaluate.' Context clarifies this isn't prohibiting all moral discernment (7:15-20 requires judging false prophets) but condemning hypocritical, harsh, self-righteous condemnation. The passive construction 'be judged' (divine passive) indicates God as judge who will judge us by the standard we apply to others. This establishes reciprocity principle - the measure we use determines the measure applied to us. The command targets censorious judgment that ignores one's own failures.