Matthew 7:1

Judge not, that you be not judged.

Eisegesis: 

You cannot judge me or my journey. Only God can judge me. 

Exegesis:   

This verse isn’t a command for believers not to judge. Instead, in context, we are to judge but with the proper motive and the right attitude. We should not be a hypocrite or have an attitude of spiritual superiority when trying to correct someone.

This verse is often used to suggest that people do not have the right to judge other people. However, if we take a closer look at the context, Jesus was not prohibiting judgment. Rather, He was saying that before we pass any judgment on somebody, we should first fix ourselves so that we can adequately pass a correct judgment on someone else. 

We live in a world today that values tolerance as a virtue above all, but only until someone disagrees with our beliefs, opinions, or lifestyles; then, we become highly intolerant. 

This verse is not a warning against those speaking out against certain behaviours or actions of people. In fact, the scriptures give us a clear precedent for judging especially false teachers and their teachings. Jesus said that we could distinguish a believer by looking at their actions “you will know them by their fruit” (Matthew 7:15-20). 

Background of the verse:

Matthew 7:1-5 (NKJV)

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

By reading the verse in its entirety, we can see that Jesus teaches that if we are going to correct someone, we must also be prepared to be held to the same standard. If we judge with anger or aggression, we can expect to be judged with the same ferocity.

We also see a requirement to rightly judge our brothers and sisters (after we remove the speck in our eye, we must remove the speck in our brother’s eye).

As we can see, Jesus is not telling the listeners not to judge; He is telling them to judge AFTER they have repented of their faults and sins. So Jesus is saying that a person should first judge themselves to ensure they’re not committing the same or worse sin. Only when they repent of their faults can they properly correct a brother or sister.

We are called to judge righteously and judge between right and wrong.  

The word judge

The word “judge” (krino) can be translated as “to analyze” or “to evaluate.” It can also be translated as “to condemn.” In the context of this verse, it’s clear that Jesus is instructing us not to condemn others. However, when we consider the full teaching of Scripture, we see that we are called to analyze and evaluate situations with discernment.

While we certainly do not have the right to condemn someone, which is exactly what the religious people of the day were doing. They were focused on pushing others down so that they looked better instead of helping others and correcting them in love.

When Jesus told them not to judge, He confronted them that they weren’t as innocent as they had been pretending to be.

Jesus also judged. 

It’s a mistake to think that Jesus taught us never to judge or that He Himself refrained from judging, as His life and teachings clearly show that He did so regularly (e.g., Matthew 23:13-33, John 8:44, John 2:15-16).

Good discipleship must include correction. 

If we are to exercise good discipleship in the church, we must be able and willing to correct those falling into sin and point out some of their blind spots and potential errors / faults.

More importantly, we are to do this out of love for our brothers and sisters.

Christians often judge the wrong people and are entirely focused on those outside the church, ignoring the sins inside their church. This goes against our calling as Christians, which requires us (in the context of our Christian communities) to correct one another in love.

Conclusion

Matthew 7:1 is not a blanket prohibition against judging others but a call to judge with humility, love, and self-reflection. Jesus instructs us to first examine and correct our own faults so that we can rightly and lovingly help others. Judgment must never stem from hypocrisy, anger, or spiritual arrogance but from a genuine desire to guide others toward righteousness.

This passage challenges us to ask ourselves important questions: Are we hypocritically condemning those around us? Are we ignoring the sins in our brothers’ and sisters’ lives? Are we dealing with our own sin so we can effectively help those around us? The responsibility to judge rightly is a vital part of Christian discipleship, requiring us to discern between right and wrong while lovingly correcting others in alignment with God’s Word.

At the same time, we must ensure our judgments are rooted in love and grace, reflecting God’s character. Our goal should always be to build others up, restore relationships, and encourage growth in Christ.