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New Testament Notes 68-69

New Testament Notes 68-69

Last updated on: March 7, 2019 at 10:59 pm by Dan Peterson

New Testament Notes 68-69 2019-03-07T22:59:19-07:00 Dan Peterson

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A cloudy day over the Galilee (Wikimedia Commons public domain image)

Matthew 7:1-5

Compare Mark 4:24-25; Luke 6:37-42; John 7:53-8:11

The principles expressed in these passages must be significant and central to the teachings of Christ, because they’re included in all four of the canonical gospels. And they’re echoed in many other locations throughout Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

And yet . . . And yet . . . The command not to judge seems so unrealistic and impracticable!

We have to judge.

Is this person reliable? Do we trust this young girl to watch our kids while we go out? Can we depend on the neighbors’ boy to take care of our lawn while we’re away? Should I hire this particular lawyer? Can I take the promises of this potential investment advisor at face value? Should I marry her? Should I vote for him?

The key, I think, is in remembering that, if we seek mercy, we should show it. If we want kindness and charity, we should behave with kindness and we should judge charitably.

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (Luke 6:37-38)

(Compare “The Lord’s Prayer.”)

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged.” (Matthew 7:1-2)

Judgment is inescapably necessary. But, in our own interest as well as for other good and sufficient reasons, we should do it as little as possible. And, when we must do it, we should do it with the most charity that we can.

And here’s another distinction: We must make interim judgments about people. But we must not presume to make final judgments about them.

***

The traditional Mount of Beatitudes, as seen from Capernaum, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee
(Wikimedia Commons public domain photograph)

Matthew 7:6

A very brief passage. I’ll simply reproduce it here:

“Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you.”

It sounds harsh.

Comparing unbelievers to pigs (unclean and rather abhorred under Jewish law) and to the feral dogs that, still today, maraud in packs in cities and towns throughout the Middle East, is pretty rough.

But I think it’s plainly not referring simply to those who don’t believe, and certainly not to those who, in the currently fashionable euphemism, are merely “asking questions.”

It’s referring to the cynical and the bitter, to those who mock and jeer.

And it’s sound counsel for believers who blog or comment online. Certain people — and we all know this — simply aren’t worth attempting serious conversation with about sacred things. It’s best to wish them well and withdraw.

I’ve had the experience, and I’ll bet that I’m not alone in it, of having tried to share something sacred, very important, personal, only to have the audience, or somebody in it, deride my offering. In almost every case, I’ve done so against strong promptings not to do it, and I try to take those prompting more seriously now.

There are times for sharing, and there are times for remaining silent. There are times for engaging, and there are times for backing away.

We can hope that those inclined to sneer and to mock will, someday, be in a more receptive frame of mind. In the meantime, it won’t do them much good for you to try to speak to them of sacred things. And it will only reap frustration for you. And sometimes, as it has in my case, a strong rebuke from the Spirit.

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