Most of the time Jesus is teaching people to care more about the Kingdom of God and this passage seems out of place. Here Jesus is saying that spiritual zeal can be misused when it is not aimed at pleasing God, but instead judging other’s performance according to our own standards.

Vs 37-38

This passage is one of the most misapplied passages in the NT. It has become the mantra of everyone who doesn’t want their motives and actions to be challenged or questioned. This is one of the most well known passages amongst skeptics of Jesus.

It sounds very blanket, but He can’t be saying don’t ever make a judgement call about the rightness and wrongness of something.

Luke 6:43-45; 12:54-57, John 7:24

His listeners would not have misunderstood this passage the way we do.

Multiple words in Grk NT translated as “judge.”

Gnome: make assessment, opinion, counsel, advice (giving my 2 cents) 1 Cor 1:10; 7:40; 8:10

Krino: pass judgement, condemn (legal declaration) 1 Cor 4:5; 5:3; 5:12 Paul days there is an appropriate time and place for this to happen.

Jesus speaks in hyperbole often to make a point.

What judgement does Jesus mean then?

1. Misdirected judgement 1 Cor 5:12

We have been duped into thinking that everyone needs to hear my opinion on everything (especially in social media). This has existed in church gossip for millennia. You don’t need to have an opinion on everything you see and hear and you don’t need to share your opinion when you have one. Let’s value repentance inside the body of Christ (and ourselves) more than calling out problems in the world. Am I the appropriate one to be having a voice in calling something out even inside the church? Do I have relationship with the person or a voice in their life?

2. Hypocritical judgement Rom 2:1-3

Is this something I’m struggling with? Often the thing I despise most in someone else is the weakness I see in myself.

3. Unhelpful judgement James 2:1-4

If my intention and end goal is anything other than love and helping someone to grow, I am out of line.

4. Habitual judgement Titus 3:1-2