There is a common notion among Christians that we are not to judge others on the simplistic premise of Jesus's command, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged" (Matt 7:1; Lk 6:37). This notion is a misreading of Jesus's teaching. In fact, if we are to obey any of Jesus's commandments we have to judge. Let me turn to some of the other teachings of Jesus to see why this is so, and then come back to the passages cited above.
Take Jesus's command in Matthew just five verses down from the passage noted above, i.e., Matt 7:6 — "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 turn and tear you to pieces." Jesus is not here talking about real pearls, of course. There is nothing to dispute that this command is a metaphorical way of saying that we must discern whether a certain cause is worth giving our time and resources to." To obey this commandment requires that we decide whether the people or causes facing us in the decision are in fact "dogs" and "pigs," or not, i.e., whether they are reliable, trustworthy or not. But this is what it means to judge.
Now let us move down another few verses, to Jesus's command to "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves" (7:15). So, how can/do we fulfil this command to be watchful? Jesus immediately provides us some helpful clues: "By their fruit you will recognise them. Do people pick grapes from thorn-bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognise them" (vv16-20). Again Jesus here resorts to figurative language. He is not, of course, talking about real grapes and figs or thorn-bushes and thistles; Jesus means that we are to look at the quality of the prophet's life. This, again, requires that we judge, that is to look at these so-called prophet's life and see if what they say and what follows from what they say are consistent with divine teachings; of holiness, of spirituality, of accountability.
We have to judge if we are to live a holy life. Unless we judge we have no way to tell an evil crowd from a community of saints, an unruly mob from a counsellor of wisdom. So why did Jesus commands us, as in Matt 7:2, "Do not judge"?
Jesus's command in 7:2 is not a command "not to judge"; it is, in fact, a command not to be hypocritical. We have to judge, Jesus is saying, but in so doing we have to remember that we too will be judged by God according to the same standard. V5 confirms that it is at hypocrisy that Jesus is aiming His paedagogical darts: "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." We have to judge; we cannot do otherwise. In doing so, however, we must keep one eye on what we judge and the other on ourselves. Or as the common cliche has it; we have to remember that every time we point a finger to others we have four pointing at our selves. We need to judge if we are not to cast our pearls to the swine. The way to do it is to judge consistently (the same rules applying in the same manner all the time and to all persons) and considerately (with kindness, empathy, and grace). Putting everything together, perhaps, we may say that what Jesus requires of us is "not that we not judge" but "that we be not judgmental," i.e., assuming an attitude and habit of passing opinions on any and everything thing other people do, whether it is needed or not, without at the same time having a clear and honest view of our own deficiencies and lack of wisdom. As an illustration we may say that no Christian should ever behave like a Karen, i.e., a person (though the meme is presently always defined as a "white female") who believes that he/she is entitled to pass judgment on what is happening around them and demand that others submit to his/her pontifications and wimps.
But making personal judgment is not the only kind Christians are required to do. Sometimes, depending on very diverse circumstances and just as diverse reasons, we may also be called to make judgment on other's behalf, whether they are individual or the larger society in which we live. The earliest examples of this kind of responsibility are the judges appointed by Moses reported in Exo 18. The basic principles for exercising this responsibility both for those called to judge as well as those who are to be judged or to provide the evidences that makes such judgment possible is noted in several places in Scriptures:
"Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness. Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, and do not show favouritism to a poor person in a lawsuit. (Exo 23:1-3)
Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty. (Exo 23:6-7)
Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favouritism to the great, but judge your neighbour fairly. (Lev 19:15)
Hear the disputes between your people and judge fairly, whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you. Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.' (Deu 1:16-17)
Resources:
Stephen Liggins, "Jesus' Teaching on Judging Others," Churchman 124.1 (2010): 43-63.
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