If you have been misquoted, misrepresented you will know what I mean. You feel transparently impotent. Most people are happy to accept secondary sources and run with them instead of going to the "horses mouth" (so to speak). I honor those who do.
I have read again this week where Jesus was misquoted. It's not the first time. I won't be the last. The scenario is pretty basic. Two people are on two different sides of the fence. One communicates that the other is wrong. His or her opponent volleys with "Do not judge." It is accepted by the majority as a slam dunk. Unfortunately it not only misrepresents what Jesus said; it violates His very character. The fact that someone ripped the words from the context of who Jesus is and what He actually says seems to make no difference. So where does this idea come from?
We read in Matthew 7:1–2 (NIV), "1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." [Emphasis mine]
A close look at this verse, plus the rest of Scripture will show the diligent reader that you can not wield this one sentence to substantiate free choice to do whatever you want to do. It is not a licence to unrestrained moral freedom. By the plethora of evidence throughout the whole Bible, Jesus never intended this verse to remove human accountability. 1Corinthians 5:12-13 is a clear command of Paul the Apostle to judge those within the Church who are sexually immoral by Biblical standards. 1John 4 is another chapter that calls us to judge the teaching and instruction of others.
But what about the Sermon on the Mount? What is Jesus saying? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is clearly teaching that to be His follower, your lives are exemplified by holiness to God. Jesus is teaching here an amazingly high moral standard for people in His kingdom. “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20, NIV). Throughout this oft quoted and obviously oft-misquoted Sermon, Jesus is criticizing the Pharisees who were very quick to see the faults of others but were unwilling to hold themselves to the same standard. That's the point!
As Eric Bargerfuff says, "Therefore, Jesus does not forbid all moral judgment or accountability. Rather, he forbids harsh, prideful, and hypocritical judgment that condemns others outright without first evaluating one’s own spiritual condition and commitment to forsake sin." [1]
So can you imagine how harshly I will be judged if I, in the midst of committing a moral atrocity condemn others for doing the same thing?
Before we through the "do not judge" volley into the court, let's make sure we are using it in the sense that Christ used it. The point being made here is that we are not to judge the inner motives of another. Saying things like, "I know why you're doing that," is a inappropriate judgment. Only God can do that. We are not to render a verdict based upon prejudiced information. Do you and I know all the facts before we draw a conclusion. Nor are we to ignore our own sin. But if those factors are considered well, the most loving thing anyone can do for another is speak to them truthfully and lovingly with the hope of bringing correction and restoration.
“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:1–2, NIV)
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1. Bargerhuff, Eric J. (2012-05-01). The Most Misused Verses in the Bible,Surprising Ways God's Word Is Misunderstood (p. 30). Baker Book Group. Kindle Edition.
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