What do the words "Judge not lest ye be judged' really mean?

[Alex1]

My Evangelical friend maintains that Jesus’s words ‘Judge not lest you be judged’ prohibits all judgments about others. For example, if I said that neck tattoos are stupid, he would say it violates Jesus’ words. How can I reply to him?

 

[Gorgias]

My Evangelical friend maintains that Jesus’s words ‘Judge not lest you be judged’ prohibits all judgments about others. For example, if I said that neck tattoos are stupid, he would say it violates Jesus’ words. How can I reply to him?

With Bible verses, of course, since that’ll likely be something he will appreciate!

Matthew 18:15: “[Jesus said,] ‘If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.’”

(Doesn’t that sound like Jesus is saying that, when we ‘judge’ that someone has harmed us, we should act on that ‘judgment’?)

Galatians 6:1: “Brothers, even if a person is caught in some transgression, you who are spiritual should correct that one in a gentle spirit, looking to yourself, so that you also may not be tempted.”

(Doesn’t that sound like Paul recognizes that the acts of one may negatively influence others, and therefore, we as Christians must act in ways to reform our loved ones and eliminate bad behavior from our midst?)

1 Timothy 5:20: “Reprimand publicly those who do sin, so that the rest also will be afraid.”

2 Timothy 4:2: “be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.”

All of these demonstrate a ‘judgment’ of sorts, prior to the act of charitable correction.

Your friend is confusing proper ‘judgment’ with ‘admonition.’ Judgment (as Christ mentions it) means “pronouncing one’s eternal destiny”. It’s a statement along the lines of “that one is going to hell for sure”. Admonition, on the other hand, is not a judgment of a person, but of an action. We are called to ‘admonish the sinner’, so that their sinful actions will cease.

 

[Alex1]

Thank you for these good verses. All of them clearly point out the righteousness of pointing out sin.

But how do I explain that’s it’s ok to point out foolish things that are not sinful, for example, neck tattoos, etc?

 

[TimothyH]

Judging has to do with passing sentence. Passing sentence means determining whether someone goes to heaven or hell.

Christians are not to judge. We may use judgement to determine if something is right or wrong but we cannot presume to tell someone that they are going to go to hell or heaven.

The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, (John 5:22)

Jesus alone is the judge.

*"**Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. *(Matthew 7:1-2)

If we presume to tell someone that they are going to go to Hell based on some act then we had better not commit that same act. If we do presume to judge others then we will be judged by Jesus using our own standards.

Using judgement is not the same as judging. I teach my daughters right from wrong every day and teach them to use their own judgment, but I do not presume to tell them that they are going to hell or heaven. That is for God to decide.

Judgement = knowing right from wrong
Judging = determining whether someone goes to hell or heaven.

-Tim-

 

[LaetenturCaeli]

But how do I explain that’s it’s ok to point out foolish things that are not sinful, for example, neck tattoos, etc?

If your friend doesn’t want to see others as being foolish or objectively doing foolish things, then so be it.

Are they interpreting Jesus a little too literally? Yes, I think so. Is their view a little naive, both in terms of Bible interpretation and just day-to-day life? Probably.

But I’m not so sure why this person needs to be corrected.

 

[Alex1]

Thank you for your wise words. I agree that it’s a charitable act on his part to refrain from any criticism of others.

However, I personally need to be able to speak and make prudential judgments. He considers this a sin. So I need to explain that there’s nothing wrong when I say something like “neck tattoos are foolish.”

 

[Alex1]

If your friend doesn’t want to see others as being foolish or objectively doing foolish things, then so be it.

Are they interpreting Jesus a little too literally? Yes, I think so. Is their view a little naive, both in terms of Bible interpretation and just day-to-day life? Probably.

But I’m not so sure why this person needs to be corrected.

Thank you for your wise words. I agree that it’s a charitable act on his part to refrain from any criticism of others.

However, I personally need to be able to speak and make prudential judgments. He considers this a sin. So I need to explain that there’s nothing wrong when I say something like “neck tattoos are foolish.”

 

[LaetenturCaeli]

However, I personally need to be able to speak and make prudential judgments. He considers this a sin. So I need to explain that there’s nothing wrong when I say something like “neck tattoos are foolish.”

I would help him to understand a fundamental Catholic concept.

There is objective sin on the one hand. And on the other hand there is subjective guilt.

What we understand Jesus to mean in this passage from Holy Scripture, is that He is telling us not to impugn supernatural guilt to anyone.

We can say, for example, that Joe Smith committed this or that crime, and that this is objectively sinful, and that he has a civil responsibility to pay for his crime in prison.

What we must not do is to read Joe’s mind and his heart and the state of his soul, and determine thereby whether or not he is in right standing with God. Only God can make that determination. When we attempt to do so, we usurp for ourselves an authority we do not have.

How does this tie in with tattoos?

On an objective level, having too many tattoos is a form of mutilation and is therefore sinful. But this doesn’t mean that we’re not allowed to have any. And even if it’s permissible morally, that does not imply that it’s a good idea. Things can be morally neutral and yet stupid.

Determining that something is stupid is an objective judgment. We can say that someone is acting foolishly or stupidly or that their behavior is not reasonable.

But that doesn’t mean that we’re impugning supernatural guilt to them! It just doesn’t, it’s a completely different form of analysis.

Having said that, it may be absolutely none of our business to judge someone’s behavior even on an objective level.

 

[Widlast]

Thank you for these good verses. All of them clearly point out the righteousness of pointing out sin.

But how do I explain that’s it’s ok to point out foolish things that are not sinful, for example, neck tattoos, etc?

Just tell him that those who have neck tattoos obviously never want to be able to hold a job that pays taxes.

 

[MT1926]

Thank you for your wise words. I agree that it’s a charitable act on his part to refrain from any criticism of others.

However, I personally need to be able to speak and make prudential judgments. He considers this a sin. So I need to explain that there’s nothing wrong when I say something like “neck tattoos are foolish.”

I always understood that verse does not mean you shouldn’t judge others but means to be cautious of the standards you presume to judge by, because Jesus will use those same standards when you are standing in front of him being judged.

Let’s use your example of the neck tattoos. Although I don’t verbally pass judgement I have a hard time not passing judgement, in my mind, on patients that come in covered in tattoos. Now my judgement/reasoning, is because 99.9% of the time they are the welfare patients that pays so little that it cost me four times what I make on a visit, in overhead and paperwork, to treat them. In my mind I judge them for wasting money on tattoos instead of putting food on their families tables. I am so thankful God sends me someone that really needs the free care from time to time, it is the only thing that keeps me from dropping out of the welfare/medicaid system. Sorry I digress. Back to my example. Now if I in turn take my income and spend it on stuff to the point of putting myself in debt and not being able to pay my own bills, I am pretty sure Jesus will judge me as a hypocrite.

 

[kdbueno]

Do have a compassion for them, it eases the pain.