Judge Not

Judge not?

Yeshua (Jesus) in His Sermon on the Mount, made it a point to encourage His followers to not judge one another.

MATTHEW 7:1-5 NRSV Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbors eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye.

We should note here that it was okay for them to go ahead and work to remove the speck out of their brother's eye once they had first gotten rid of the log that was in their own eye. Evidently, Yeshua wasn't forbidding them from judging all together, but rather He was only denouncing them for judging hypocritically.

We can have confidence that this is what He intended, because just a short time later, in the same chapter of MATTHEW, and in the very same Sermon, Yeshua instructed them to beware of false prophets (15). He then revealed to them that the way they were going to know whether or not the prophets were false was by their fruits (16). Of course this would require them to observe the prophets actions and then measure them so as to determine if their fruits were good or evil, if they were producing thorns or thistles. This is in essence precisely what it means to judge.

This Greek word krino, from which our word judge comes, has several different nuances. As such, it should therefore be considered according to the context within which it was used. According to The New Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon it can mean,

1) to separate, put asunder; to pick out, select, choose.
2) to approve, esteem
3) to be of opinion, deem, think
4) to determine, resolve, decree
5) to judge, a. to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong; b. to pronounce judgment; to subject to censure, hence to condemn
6) to rule, govern; to preside over with the power of giving judicial decisions
7) to contend together

The essence of a judgment is often to measure something, or someone. How do they stand the test? How do they measure up when they are weighed against scripture. Are they true or false? Are they righteous or evil? Are they honest or deceitful? If we have a true standard with which to measure, then we have the ability to judge righteously.

We can surmise that in His sermon Yeshua was not instructing His listeners to never judge, but rather they were not to judge hypocritically. They were not to try to remove a splinter from their brother's eye while all along they had a log in their own eye. He even said as much in a later discourse.

JOHN 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Thus, He evidently expected them to judge, but their judgment would need to be a righteous judgment. How can one exist in society if he never judges anything? To live and work and love we must be able to judge. Yeshua had already expounded upon this on another occasion.

JOHN 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

So if one is judging righteously, if he is judging according to the will of GOD, then his judgement is probably not out of line. But if he is judging unrighteously, if he is judging hypocritically, then he is being unjust when he judges others. Another important passage dealing with hypocritical judgments is in Paul's epistle to the Romans.

ROMANS 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

Paul was evidently reproving them for judging others, while all the while being guilty themselves of the vey same sins. Howbeit, just as with Yeshua's sermon, their failing was not that they judged their brethren, but rather that they were judging unjustly. They were not judging righteously. They were judging hypocritically.

page 1/12^

This is evident because in the final chapter of this epistle Paul instructed them to "mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them" (16:17). This marking and avoiding was of course going to require them to judge. It was expected and even encouraged that they judge one another, but they were not to judge unrighteously, as hypocrites. They were not to judge others while being guilty themselves of the very same sin.

But to what sin was he alluding to in this second chapter? What were these same things of which he wrote? We have been taught that he was accusing them of all or at least some of the sins which he had just mentioned in the verses which had immediately proceeded this one (1:22-32), but that then makes this passage very puzzling. Are we to accept the interpretation that some of Paul's readers, those in the fellowships at Rome, were even then haters of GOD (1:30) and worthy of death (1:32)?

To sort this out we must first consider the overall purpose of ROMANS. As was touched upon in a previous Study (No Condemnation), ROMANS was not, as many suppose and teach, the foundational epistle for the early Church. It was not where Paul was laying the groundwork for the Christian's doctrine, reproof and correction.

Rather, the epistle of ROMANS was sent to a Church which had probably been founded long before Paul ever converted (ACTS 2:10), but now they had evidently moved away from the truth into varying and contentious and divisive sects.

Briefly summarizing what was put forth in that Study, the epistle addressed three different Christian groups; first there were the emancipated Gentile converts, secondly there was the fervently devout Jews, and thirdly there were those who wavered between the other two groups. In the epistle they were called the strong in faith (15:1), the weak in faith (14:1-2), and the doubters (14:23).

The strong in faith were for the most part Gentiles, who as pagans or proselytes had converted to Christianity. They had previously been the vessels of wrath (9:22), a foolish nation (10:19), separated from the love of GOD, but now they had been grafted into the spiritual olive tree (11:17) to partake with the Jewish believers of the goodness of GOD. But evidently, since the time of their salvation many had become proud and boastful over their Jewish brethren. We can have confidence that this is so because Paul admonished them to "boast not" (11:18) and "be not high-minded" (11:20), lest they be cut off from the grace of GOD (11:22).

They had been boasting against and even despising those whom Paul called the weak in faith (14:3). These were termed weak because they zealously held on to the Mosaic Law (10:2-3). They believed that one could only be saved if he adhered to many of the Jewish precepts, like circumcision and certain of the regulations concerning clean and unclean foods. They also were careful to observe certain days which they considered to be holy (14:6). As such, they themselves were openly disparaging the Gentile believers because they had discarded the Law, who in turn freely ridiculed them because they held fast to certain of the ancient oracles of GOD (3:2).

But just like the Gentile believers, the religious Jews were also boasting; not because they were Christians but rather because they were devoted to the Mosaic Law (2:17). They viewed themselves as "guides to the blind" and "lights to those which were in darkness" (2:19), instructors of the foolish and teachers of babes (2:20).

page 2/12^

All of this has been succinctly set forth by Paul S. Minear in his work, The Obedience of Faith from which we quote below.

Another term had become polluted in their partisan wrangling: faith. The strong used it as a basis for self-righteousness and boasting; their adversaries measured its existence by observance of diets and days. Each group assumed that it could measure the other's faith, and each was forced by measurements to refuse to associate with the other. They denied Paul's premiss that faith is a matter solely between a man and God (14.22) and therefore a matter not open to social judgment (14.10). But Paul insisted that God alone knows the degree of faith. Here, as everywhere in the letter, Paul repudiated the understanding of faith which was held by the partisans. Yet his conception of faith was such as was to establish common ground with the whole range of believers, from the most scrupulous Jew to the most emancipated Gentile. At the onset he announced his determination to construct his argument on that foundation. He was thankful for faith's presence in the Roman brothers (1.8). He viewed his whole task as an apostle as being designed to produce the obedience of faith (1.5). Therefore he wished to strengthen their faith (1.12). This constellation of convictions is repeated in ch. 14, where God's power is also set over against the prejudices of the antagonists (14.4, 7-9), and where salvation was assured to everyone who had faith, to all who gave thanks to God, who honoured the Lord, whose death and resurrection had (as in 1.3-5) given him power over the dead and the living, over all who 'belong to him' (cf. 1.6 and 14.8). [from pages 40-41]

And so it was upon faith which everything turned, upon which everything revolved. But faith was not something which was acquired or nourished by physical or carnal activities and accomplishments; faith was a spiritual fruit (GALATIANS 5:22), produced as the result of a spiritual life (ROMANS 8). Indeed, faith came by hearing and believing the words of Christ (10:17). But these at Rome were claiming that their faith was somehow superior to those on the other side of the isle. Some of them thought that their faith was greater or more genuine than the faith of others (12:3). As such, in this epistle Paul endeavored to demonstrated to each of them, Jews and Gentiles, that they were measuring each other unjustly.

He began by reminding them that they had all been saved by believing the gospel.

ROMANS 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth [pisteuo]; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith [pistis] to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

This last phrase is perhaps better rendered as by others, "He who through faith is righteous shall live" (see, The New English Bible; The Obedience of Faith, by Paul S. Minear, page 39; and Paul and Palestinian Judaism by E. P. Sanders, page 484). One doesn't necessarily live by faith, but rather is made righteous by faith (ROMANS 4:5). First comes faith, then righteousness, then life.

To believe is to sow the seeds of faith. The two words, believe and faith are for the most part synonymous. Believe is the verb and faith is the noun. Believing the gospel, believing the words of Christ is how one comes to have faith (10:16-17). And faith is what separates the believer from the unbeliever. For a fuller and more complete examination of the meaning of faith, the reader may want to refer to the Studies, The Way of Faith and Through Faith.

According to Paul, faith was what made possible their salvation, and their righteousness and their eternal life. And further, faith was acquired by simply and humbly and obediently believing the message which had been freely offered to them. As such, faith was completely contrary to high-mindedness (11:20), and boastfulness (3:27), arrogance (11:25), and divisiveness (16:17), which they evidently demonstrated when they despised, judged (14:3-4) and apparently condemned one another (8:1, 34).

We might also take note that the scripture from which Paul quoted here was originally written centuries earlier concerning the exiled Israelites and the predicted overthrow of their adversaries.

HABAKKUK 2:4 NRSV Look at the proud [the Chaldeans of 1:6?]! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous [the believers] live by their faith.

The congregation in Rome may have noticed Paul's subtle connection of this passage from HABAKKUK with their own high-mindedness (ROMANS 12:16). They may have recognized and contemplated that in HABAKKUK the prideful were to be destroyed while those who had faith were to live. This was the exact and important point which Paul was to make time and again throughout this epistle. The genuine believers had faith, which is well defined as "a steadfast adherence to GOD in true-hearted obedience" (Crawford Howell Toy's Quotations in the New Testament, page 127). If they had faith they would live, but if they harbored contentious pride they would face GOD's wrath, for there is no respect of persons with HIM (ROMANS 2:11).

page 3/12^

After debunking their false sense of conceit, by reminding them that they were all freely saved by faith, Paul then immediately entered upon a lengthy discourse of some very grievous sins which he concluded were deserving of death (1:32). But what was his purpose in so doing? Surely he was not accusing these Roman believers of committing these coarse sins? They may have been prideful and judgmental and hypocritical, but surely he was not suggesting that they were ungodly (1:18), creature worshippers (1:25) and thus given up by GOD to their lusts (1:24). It's a strange notion for us to suppose that these Christians at Rome would have been living such a sordid and twisted life.

We must therefore consider the possibility that Paul may have had another motive in view here. Perhaps he was instead reminding them that this is from where they had come. This was the lifestyle from which they as Gentiles were rescued by the grace of GOD. This was the depth of depravation to which they had formerly been driven, but from which now they were saved, after having believed the gospel.

Otherwise, are we to understand that the Roman believers, of whom Paul had just written that their faith was spoken of throughout the whole world (1:8), were still committing these deplorable sins? Was Paul expecting to be comforted by their mutual faith (1:12) if they were currently wicked and covetous, full of envy, murder, and haters of GOD? Not likely.

It seems quite doubtful that Paul would have been chastising his fellow believers for "vile affections" (1:26), for "reprobate minds" (1:28), and for being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful (1:29-31). These were likely the sins of their former lives, but surely not the things which they were now involved in.

But if they were not at that time guilty of committing all of these deplorable sins, then what were they now guilty of? To what sin were they inexcusable? To understand Paul's intention in this passage (2:1), we would do well to consider the context in which it was set.

In listing these reprehensible sins of the previous chapter, Paul would have been reminding them that they had their own past failings and shortcomings to be ashamed of (6:21). Their self righteousness and arrogance was repugnant and shallow and hypocritical, and if they continued thinking of themselves more highly then they ought to think (12:3), then they were likely to suffer the consequences (2:8-9). As such, there is strong evidence here that Paul was reproving them for the subtle sin of hypocrisy; of unjustly casting the first stone; of trying to remove the speck from another's eye while all the time they were blinded by the beam in their own eye.

If this was indeed his intent, then our verse takes on an entirely different meaning than the one currently assumed and proposed by most Commentators.

ROMANS 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

To paraphrase, he in essence would have been asking, "Have you Gentile believers forgotten that it was the goodness of GOD that led you to repentance (2:4)? Have you failed to consider that you were saved by faith (1:17), as were also your Jewish brethren, whom you now despise (14:3)? And yet you persist in hypocritically judging your fellow Christians for their adherence and observance of the Mosaic Law. Beware, because if your heart remains hard and impenitent towards them, then the righteous judgment of GOD must certainly require HIS wrath (2:5-6).

Perhaps having overlooked or disregarded the fact that the Jews as well as themselves were saved by grace (3:24), they were now committing the very same sin which their Jewish brethren had, when they judged and condemned the Gentiles for not observing certain aspects of the Mosaic Law. Paul would thoroughly deal with these Jewish Christians in short order, but first he was admonishing the Gentile converts who had evidently not been mindful of the fact that had not GOD freely offered them the gospel to believe, that they themselves would still be wallowing in the filth of their previous lifestyle.

page 4/12^

If that was indeed what Paul was intending in this passage, then the "same things" would have been the same hypocritical judgments, the same unjust and unrighteous condemnations, which their Jewish brethren had evidently leveled at them. Indeed, they too, along with their zealous Jewish brethren, were suppressing the truth that all were saved by faith. That was their great sin.

ROMANS 1:18 NRSV For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress [katecho] the truth.

The Greek word rendered suppress here, katecho, is elsewhere rendered keep imprisoned (NJB), stifled (NEB), hinder (ASV) and hold down (YLT). In ACTS 27:40 it is translated made where Paul and his companions were trying to steer or force or drive their wrecked ship safely to shore. Thus, these Roman believers' great sin was apparently in trying to drive, or suppress or hold down the truth. What truth? That they were all saved by grace, both Jews and Gentiles (1:16-17). They did this by unjustly and hypocritically condemning those with whom they quarreled and disputed. They despised each other to the point that they would no longer even fellowship with one another.

ROMANS 14:3-5 Let not him [the Gentile] that eateth despise [exoutheneo] him [the Jew] that eateth not; and let not him [the Jew] which eateth not judge him [the Gentile] that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

Some of the Gentile believers were mocking and despising their Jewish brethren because they were still observing many of the Jewish customs at their table fellowships, concerning what was considered clean and unclean foods. And further, a number of the Jews still observed many of the holy days recognized by their old religion (14:5-6). The disagreements between the two factions evidently led to heated arguments and eventually even complete separations.

The first occasion in the Christian scriptures (the New Testament) of the Greek word exoutheneo from which this word despise is rendered, is most telling.

LUKE 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.

The parable of which Yeshua told was concerning two men, one a Pharisee who was pridefully confident that he was righteous, and the other who was an unassuming publican (tax collector). The very name, Pharisee, meant that he consciously and routinely separated himself from others whom he supposed were not as holy as he was (Vine's Dictionary, page 470). Yet the Lord declared in this parable that the self righteous Pharisee was to be brought low while the repentant publican was to be exalted. The parable is very instructive for us in understanding the point which Paul was trying to get across to his readers.

Both groups, both factions in Rome had been ridiculing and despising one another (14:3-9). Each had apparently been accusing and condemning their brethren of being separated from the love of GOD (8:35). Each thought themselves to be the ones who were endowed with and observing the true way. But actually, each group was guilty of suppressing the truth, which truth was that they were all, both devout Jews and emancipated Gentiles, equally saved by the grace of GOD (5:2). Thus, they were without excuse.

In this case, the inexcusable of 2:1 could probably be linked directly back with the without excuse of 1:20. Both renderings in the KJV are from the identical Greek word, anapologetos, which incidentally are the only occurrences of this word in the Christian scriptures. The verses then containing the list of their past sins may have been only a digression from Paul's important theme. We would then be able to simply pass over the intermediate and parenthetical passages when we read, thus going directly from 1:20 to 2:1.

ROMANS 1:16-2:1
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold [suppress] the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
For the invisible things [faith? HEBREWS 11:1] of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse [anapologetos] . . . .
Therefore thou art inexcusable [anapologetos], O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

page 5/12^

Paul wrote here that GOD's wrath was going to be revealed against those who were suppressing the truth; not against those who had previously committed all of the sins subsequently listed. As such, the ones who were without excuse were without excuse because they had been suppressing the truth. They were twisting and manipulating GOD's word so as to serve their own ends. And so in 2:1, those same individuals were the ones who were falsely and hypocritically judging their brethren, evidently by this suppression of the truth.

Failing to consider that all the believers, both the Jews as well as the Gentiles, were each made righteous by faith, their judgment and condemnation of their brethren was their real sin, and not the base grovelings of their previous life. They were unjustly judging one another for how they sought to obtain righteousness, and in that judgment they were condemning themselves. But the judgement of GOD was always according to truth, and so he who judged another unrighteously, was not likely to escape the wrath of GOD (MATTHEW 7:2).

Paul then asked them in verse four, "despisest [kataphroneo] thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" GOD had great patience for them to believe the gospel. HE suffered long their unbelief, and faithfully led them to salvation through HIS goodness. And yet they were openly despising that goodness and contrary to the gospel were casting stones at their Jewish brethren (JOHN 8:7).

Then he warned them, stating, "But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds". If they insisted upon this prideful and arrogant and un-Christian behavior, then they were to be aptly rewarded at the great day of judgment (14:10). That, was the unfortunate treasure they persisted in laying up for themselves (MATTHEW 6:19).

ROMANS 2:7-11 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; but glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: for there is no respect of persons with God.

Certain of the Christians at Rome may have thought that they had obtained GOD's respect and favor because they had acknowledged Yeshua as Lord and Savior; but if they were hypocritically judging their brethren, then they were thinking carnally, and whosoever was thinking carnally could not be pleasing to GOD (8:1-8). Instead, they were to be judged by their actions. For those continually doing good, they would find glory and honor and eternal life; but for those who insisted on doing evil, whether Jews or Gentiles, there was to be tribulation and anguish.

The context here was un-righteously judging their brethren. As such, the well doing of 2:7 was no doubt when they ceased from holding hypocritical opinions and accusations towards the other believers. Thus, those who were "continuing in well doing" (2:7) were the believers who were "kindly affectioned one to another" (12:10), were "given to hospitality" (12:13), were living peaceably with one another (12:18) and were fulfilling the law of faith by loving each other (13:8-10).

Howbeit, the contentious of 2:8 were those who were stirring up strife by unrighteously judging their brethren. Thus, those Christians who in the second chapter were doing evil, were the ones who were causing divisions (16:17) in the Church by unjustly judging their brethren about their faith. The Jewish Christians were saying that one had to hold in high esteem certain aspects of the Mosaic Law while the Gentile believers scoffed at that idea and ridiculed and despised their Jewish brethren for their weak adherence to the rules and regulation of that Law. As such, those who were doing evil (2:9) would have been the ones who were hypocritically judging their brethren.

Thus, the evil and the good mentioned in this second chapter had in view and was concerned with the un-righteous and hypocritical judgments of certain individuals, and not as is often thought, with the multitude of sins which were listed in the previous chapter.

page 6/12^

According to Vine's Dictionary, the definition of the word translated contentious in 2:8, is that it

denotes "ambition, self-seeking, rivalry," self-will being the underlying idea of the word; hence it denotes "party-making." It is derived, not from eris, "strife," but from erithos, "a hireling"; hence the meaning of "seeking to win followers".

Thus we can see that those who were contentious were probably the ones sowing discord among the brethren by ridiculing and despising their fellow Christians, so as to gather followers to themselves. This is in essence suppressing the truth that all believers were one body in Christ (12:5), and saved by faith (1:18). It was the same old party spirit which ages ago had moved the Ten Tribes to separate themselves from Solomon's rightful heir, saying "Every man to his tents" (2 CHRONICLES 10:16).

As such, Paul next took aim at his Jewish brethren who were likewise being hypocritical and falsely judging their fellow believers which happened to be on the other side of the isle.

ROMANS 2:17-20 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

This sounds like a pretty impressive resume', until we see that Paul was just luring them into his snare. But this was precisely how they thought of themselves, for the most part. They had no time to bother with these fickle Gentile converts, or share fellowship with them, for they, the devout Jews, were HIS people (11:1), so they thought. Yahweh was their GOD and circumcision was their coveted observance. Unto them were committed the oracles of GOD (3:2). As such, Yeshua was sent unto the Jew, not the Gentile (15:8). They, the Jewish Christians, were the Called. They were the chosen nation. They were the true branches, while these Gentiles were only lately grafted into that holy tree (11:18). But Paul had other thoughts about their self-serving righteousness.

ROMANS 2:21-23 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?

And so Paul went about slaying each of their gross misconceptions. Their religion preached that a man should not steal, yet Yeshua had accused those in Jerusalem of making the Temple into a den of thieves (MATTHEW 21:13). Scripture had testified that a man should not commit adultery, yet they had made it relatively easy for a man to divorce his wife, concerning which Yeshua had warned, that "Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery" (MATTHEW 19:9).

Your holy nation abhorrest idols, Paul accused, but don't you yourselves commit sacrilege? C. K. Barrett in his Commentary on ROMANS, noted that even though the Revised Version has "Dost thou rob temples" here, "the word is conclusively proved by inscriptions and papyri to have a wider meaning"; thus he likewise renders it commit sacrilege. Then he further comments on this passage, writing,

The Jew regards an idol with horror because it claims a devotion to which only the true God is entitled; but when he exalts himself as judge and lord over his fellow-creatures he renders this devotion to- himself!

And this was exactly Paul's important point in his epistle. The Jews, as well as the Gentiles, each thought that they alone possessed the truth for salvation and for a true and vital relationship with the Heavenly Father; yet both were wholly missing the boat, so to speak. They had completely lost the true scent. Many of them had evidently forgotten what it was to be a true Christian.

page 7/12^

Then Paul removed his gloves and laid bare their hypocrisy by declaring, "For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you . . . ." (2:24). They had thought that they were teachers, and lights, and guides, but Paul had declared that instead many of them were only hypocrites, suppressing the truth along with the Gentiles. They loudly boasted of their observance of the Law, yet Yeshua taught that "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven" (MATTHEW 5:19). Paul then anticipated their protest, "But we are the circumcised!"

ROMANS 2:24-25 . . . . it is written, For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

This was a body blow from which they would not easily recover. Paul was stripping away all upon which they had constructed their holy traditions. He was dismantling their entire religious structure. They were guilty! Un-repentant and un-righteous. According to Paul they were, uncircumcised! Their's was an hypocrisy in its most brutal and ugly form.

That their generation was indeed this evil, had been pronounced by Yeshua Himself.

MATTHEW 23:34-36 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

The Historian Josephus wrote during this same century, and likewise attested to Israel's great sin. He called his own generation the most ungodly of all, and said that earthquake and lightning must have destroyed them if the Romans had not come (page 594, The Life and Work of St. Paul, by F. W. Farrar). And yet to the very end they thought and proclaimed that they were a righteous and holy nation.

Paul consistently brought this theme of unrighteous judgments back to the forefront. He asked his Jewish brethren if GOD was only the God of the Jews? Was HE not also the GOD of the Gentiles (3:29)? Then in the next chapter he asked them if forgiveness was for the circumcision only or the uncircumcision also (4:9)? Then in the ninth chapter, when considering the mercy of GOD, Paul declared that both Jews and Gentiles were called (9:24).

Paul could not have been any clearer about the entire congregation in Rome being freely saved by grace, through faith. As such, they had no cause or place to unjustly judge each other. Howbeit, that did not preclude the fact that on occasion it would be needful and right to make judgments. But when and if that occasion arose, the believer was then to judge righteously, not unrighteously. His judgment must be with the motivation not to further his own agenda or desires, but rather to further GOD's will and desires. As noted above, Yeshua explicitly laid this out for them.

JOHN 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just [righteous]; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

He instructed His listeners to not judge by appearance alone (JOHN 7:24), nor after the flesh (JOHN 8:15), but to judge rightly (LUKE 7:43). We therefore have multiple occasions where Scripture instructs us to judge one another.

This idea that the believer is to never judge other believers is a difficult tenet to defend, especially when we consider elsewhere where Yeshua and His apostles clearly expected them to judge one another. Paul's letter to the Corinthians, where he repeatedly spoke of the necessity to judge others, is an excellent example.

page 8/12^

This letter has quite a few similarities to that of ROMANS. There appears to be the same contentious spirit (1:10-11) which pervaded the fellowships in Rome, for we see from the beginning Paul chastising them for dividing themselves up into divisions and factions, each following their preferred leader. Then in the third chapter he explained to them that they were carnally minded because of their envying, strifes and divisions (3:3).

In the fifth chapter he expressed his astonishment with them for not only allowing the most immoral kind of fornication, but even worse and most grave was that they were puffed up about it (5:2).

1 CORINTHIANS 5:3-5 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Clearly, there is no way of denying the fact that Paul was singling out and judging this individual as guilty. There is just no way to wiggle out from underneath this plain truth. And further more, Paul was expecting them to sustain him in his judgment by expelling the guilty party from their fellowship.

Howbeit, Paul's reasons and motives were righteous. He wanted foremost to preserve the integrity of their fellowships, writing "You must know how even a small amount of yeast is enough to leaven all the dough, so get rid of all the old yeast, and make yourselves into a completely new batch of bread" (5:6-7 New Jerusalem Bible). He reminded them that he had already wrote them not to keep company with any who was a fornicator (5:9), or even one who was covetous, or an idolater, a railer, a drunkard or an extortioner (5:11). And even further, he fully expected them to judge for themselves those within the Church fellowships who might be thus sinning (5:12).

This is a hard pill to swallow for those who pretend that we as Christians are not to judge one another. According to Paul here, the believer is not only expected to judge those in his fellowship, but it is his spiritual duty to so judge. But the judgment which one makes must be a righteous judgment. He must not be unjust or hypocritical or self serving in that judgment.

As such, Paul's second motive in his verdict to evict the offensive member, was that he wished and hoped that the guilty party would repent and change his ways. He was concerned with the individual's spiritual life and would hope and expect that the offender's personal comforts and passions were sacrificed, if there was any chance that he could be saved from the destructive path he was pursuing. And evidently he was saved, for in 2 CORINTHIANS 2:6-11 Paul wrote that he did indeed repent and should now be welcomed back into their fellowships.

As such, the Corinthians must do their best to keep their fellowships pure and uncontaminated from gross and open sins. But they should also be ready and quick to forgive when the erring brother recognized his failings and turned from his folly. Later in that same chapter of 1 CORINTHIANS, Paul again reprimanded them for not having already judged "that wicked person".

5:12- 6:3 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

They were not to turn a blind eye to the sins of those in their fellowships, but were to be willing to perform the tough job of confronting and correcting those who had fallen from their high calling. Not hypocritically, or unjustly, or even unkindly, but firmly and righteously and without hesitation. There had been a severe and dangerous wound to the body. It must be carefully tended to or else the injury would eventually weaken and destroy the entire Fellowship.

page 9/12^

There is a final interesting note here in this chapter of 1 CORINTHIANS which curiously reflects and has a bearing upon what we saw in ROMANS.

6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you . . . .

We have read how in the first chapter of ROMANS Paul had listed many of these same sins. Now, here in this epistle he likewise mentions them but adds the important note, "Such were some of you". Thus, we are given confidence that his purpose in that first chapter of ROMANS was not that they were currently guilty of all of those sins, but that these were sins of their past lives. As in ROMANS, Paul was again rebuking many of them for hypocritically judging their brethren, all the while forgetting from where they had themselves come, as the result of GOD's grace.

The apostle James had also instructed his readers to not judge one another, but he likewise was thinking of their judging hypocritically. We'll see that throughout his epistle he directed his readers on how to more practically and righteously judge.

JAMES 4:11-12 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

Apparently James was thinking of judging with evil intent. He surely was not suggesting that they never judge anything or anyone ever again. Rather, he was speaking of hypocritical judgments. This is evident because he had himself in this very epistle repeatedly made judgments on others. In the first chapter he wrote of those, who even though they seemed religious, if they did not control their tongues, then their religion was in vain (26).

Then in the second chapter James chastised some of them for showing great honor towards certain visitors to their Church for no other reason than for their imagined wealth or station, while the poor they cast suspicions upon by designating them to occupy some particular place where they could be watched (1-4). James asked, "Do you not see that you are inconsistent and judge by false standards" (NEB)? Their sin wasn't in judging but in judging unrighteously, unequally, indeed, hypocritically.

He further reminded them that these rich individuals often had oppressed the believers and even blasphemed the Lord's name, while the poor, whom they seemed to despise, were usually the ones who were rich in faith (2:6-9). As such, they should quit showering respect upon the rich all the while disparaging of the poor. They probably knew little to nothing of these strangers' character or virtue and were only judging them by their physical appearance or apparel. As such, whenever they had respect to persons based on physical appearance, they were sinning (2:9).

He also wrote how vain it was for those of them who thought that they had faith, but did little to demonstrate that faith (2:14-26). Evidently, some poor brother or sister had come to them seeking help, but they were dismissed with merely good wishes (2:15). As such, James warned them that their's was a dead and useless faith.

In the third chapter he mentioned again that the tongue, though a little member, boasted great things. The tongue was difficult to tame, defiled the whole body, and was an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. These were obviously judgments he was making upon their behavior. Then he spoke again of their need for wisdom; wisdom of meekness which would no doubt enable them to judge righteously, without hypocrisy (3:17).

JAMES 3:14-16 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

Thus, unrighteous judgments, which they were apparently holding towards one another, were evidenced by bitter envying and strife. But godly wisdom would enable them to make righteous judgments, which would be "peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality, or hypocrisy" (NRSV, 3:17). These were the judgments which were fruitful and even necessary.

page 10/12^

In the fourth chapter he spoke at some length about whence came all the conflicts and disputes among themselves (1:1-4, NRSV). He explained to them that these troubles plagued them because of their carnal and evil cravings; and further that troubles would always follow those who were seeking friendship with the world instead of friendship with GOD. Rather, they should draw near to GOD, and cleanse their sinful hands and purify their hearts, and humble themselves in the sight of the LORD.

Finally in the fifth chapter he warned the rich to weep and howl for the miseries which were sure to come upon them. The treasure which they had heaped together, was itself going to be a witness against them at their judgment day, which was rapidly drawing ever so near (1-3). Indeed, the true judge was even then, "Standing before the door" (9).

These were all judgments which James had been making upon the lifestyle of those in the Christian fellowships of the Jewish dispersion (1:1). He had evidently heard of their hypocritical judgments upon one another and so wrote this short epistle to reprove and correct their errant behavior. Certain judgments were necessary and right, but those who were passing judgments must be mindful of their own failings. They must remember and continually be cognizant of the fact that their own strengths and virtues are the result of GOD's grace, freely offered. They must remind themselves that if GOD had not first called them out of the darkness, they would still be destined for destruction.

As we have repeatedly seen throughout this Study, certain judgments were not only approved of in scripture, but they were urged. It is absolutely necessary for us to have and hold these judgments towards one another, so long as we are judging within the confines and limits which scripture places upon us. As such, our judgments must not be hypocritical.

LUKE 12:1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

This is a most remarkable statement, that hypocrisy was a leaven. This leaven was that subtle and hidden force which might tempt the disciples into thinking that they were a cut above the gathering multitude, simply because they had been on the ground floor of Yeshua's movement. They were cautioned that that which they might whisper in the darkness or utter in the closet would someday see the light of day and be heralded upon the housetops (12:2-3). As such, hypocrisy, even among themselves, was the same evil force which had permeated the religion of the Pharisees. Yeshua was, in the strongest of language, warning them against letting this cancerous infection into their own fellowships.

The disciples may have thought that they were well suited to point out the sin and shortcomings of their brothers and sisters, all along forgetting their own failings. This leaven of hypocrisy was the subtle and corrosive mis-conception that they were qualified to pass judgment upon their co-religionists. Forgetting their own transgressions, they thus might become tempted to point out the failures and mis-steps of their fellow believers. Hypocrites pretend to be holy and righteous while all along being blind and misguided and cruel.

The Greek word from which we get hypocrisy has to do with a play-actor on a stage, pretending to be what he is not. There is no truth or reality in his performance, only pretend and make-believe. He was acting as if he were somebody else, speaking lines which were not his own, just reading a script. He was deluded, perhaps even bewitched.

Hypocrisy reveals one's failing relationship with the Creator. As such, the hypocrite is mostly concerned with how he might appear to his peers, rather than how he is intimately known by GOD (MATTHEW 23:25-28 MARK 7:6). His alms, and prayers, and sacrifices, and traditions have all to do with what his fellows might think (MATTHEW 6:2, 5, 16; 15:7). They live for the moment, not thinking much about how they will someday be held accountable before GOD's judgment seat (LUKE 12:56). They might be very punctual and meticulous about certain aspects of their own value system, but they regularly omit judgment, mercy, and faith (MATTHEW 23:23).

A hypocrite has an overwhelming concern for making sure that the outward appearance of his person, or perhaps even his home and Church is impressive and appreciated and approved of, but too often he utterly fails in cleaning himself from within. Inside he is often found to be dead, and corrupt, and full of deceit. There, in his hypocrisy, he is blind, leading also his followers astray (MATTHEW 23:15), thus frustrating the grace of GOD (GALATIANS 2:21).

We must ourselves be forever guarding against this subtle leaven. It sometimes seems like a constant struggle to disentangle ourselves from these hypocritical judgments. Too often we might catch ourselves making profitless and pointless observations upon those we pass in daily life. Whether it's seeing someone texting and driving, or eating junk food, or blindly holding to the traditions of one's particular denomination, or swallowing whole hog the propaganda of some political party, we must pull ourselves back from the edge and remember that we have on occasion probably been guilty ourselves of these very same errors.

In bewilderment we might shake our heads concerning some of the wacky and silly assumptions and beliefs which are held by many of our friends and colleagues, but previous to our own hearing and believing the gospel; prior to GOD reaching down and touching us, and whispering truth into our ears, and opening up that Book to us, we were probably no less misguided and misled than many of our own co-religionists.

It's a natural reaction to want to repay criticism for criticism, especially in this current political climate, but that is not the righteous way for us to respond (ROMANS 12:14, 17). Instead, we might recognize that in previous times we ourselves were perhaps just as foolhardy as our antagonizers. On earlier occasions we might have been rejecting and disparaging the same values which we have now come to embrace. Our current perspectives may be wholly different than that which we had previously held. As such, we should give that same latitude to those with whom we might disagree.

page 11/12^

Yeshua revealed to His followers that if they pursued and committed themselves to that truth which He taught, if they adhered to the gospel and continued in His word, then they too might find themselves the objects of ridicule and malice.

LUKE 6:22-23 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

In this sermon Yeshua was warning His followers and disciples that there may come times when the true believers, the true and faithful adherents to divine truth, would be maligned and ridiculed by their co-religionist. But He went on to warn them not to repay evil for evil, but rather to "Bless them which curse you" (6:28). They would be wiser and happier if they just let the insults and the un-truths roll off, like water off a ducks back, as the old saying goes.

There is no profit or advantage for us to hold grudges. We should not think evil of our fellow Christians (1 CORINTHIANS 13:5) just because they might think differently than us. Neither should we cast dispersions upon those which have not yet arrived at the truth as we see it. Instead, we should be patient. We should bite our tongue. We should give them time and opportunity to learn and embrace the gospel as clearly as we think we have.

Even though a fellow Christian might appear to be foolish, that doesn't necessarily give us justification to call him foolish (MATTHEW 5:22). We are reminded of the familiar saying, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still". Sometimes it is better to endure his absurd behavior and look elsewhere for common ground upon which to build a bonding relationship with him, however tempting it may be to scoff at his superstitions.

Self righteousness, especially among the educated and more learned, is an ugly semblance of one's character. Scripture instructs us to not disparage our brethren just because they haven't come to accept some of the things of GOD as fully as perhaps we have. Oftentimes, different perspectives are useful and important, even if flawed, because that gives us an opportunity to re-think and re-work and re-consider certain of our own convictions from perhaps a different angle or perspective. Oftentimes the wise course for us to follow is simply to be yielding in insignificant matters.

We should thus learn to continually measure our thoughts and actions by Scripture.

EPHESIANS 4:29-32 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

page 12/12^