You Might be Using Matt 7:1 Incorrectly
A Word Study on κρίνω+ and an Exegetical Exploration of Matt 7:1–5
Frequently, I have seen Matt 7:1—“judge not lest ye be judged”—thrown around to chastise Christians who call out misdeeds, sins, wrongdoings, or immorality. The verse has been weaponized to such a degree even non-Christians have latched onto the verse to shield themselves from any critique. But, when was the last time you actually cracked open a Bible and examined the passage’s context? Sure, it may be a—seemingly—witty retort to deflect any oncoming bombardment that may result in self-reflection, but in reality, is the implementation just merely contextomy—a proof text?
In this quick exegetical probe, I will provide a translation of Matt 7:1–3 with some grammar notes, provide a lexical analysis of κρίνω (krinō) “judge,” and situate this verse within Matthew’s Gospel. When we come to the Gospels and pluck verses as if they were fruit on a tree, we are left hungry and disappointed. It is best to understand what proper judgment is according to Matthew, not recite what we want Matthew to have written.
Translation of Matt 7:1–3 | Proper Judgment of Others
|7:1| Judge not, in order that you are not judged. |2| For by1 this judgment you judge, you will be judged, and by the measure you measure, it will be measured for you.2
|3| Why do you inspect3 the mote (of wood) in your brother’s eye, and you not perceive the beam4 in your own5 eye? |4| Or, how will you say to your brother, “Permit me to expel the mote (of wood) from your eye,” but,6 behold, there is a beam in your eye?
|5| Hypocrite, expel the beam from your eye first, and then you will see clearly7 to expel the mote (of wood) from your brother’s eye.
An Analysis of κρίνω (krinō) and Related Words (κριν-)
First, we have to establish what it means to judge since the word in English can have a range of meaning. For instance, you can “judge a book by its cover,” which is simply just giving a critique of something—superficially in the expression. Essentially, it is a formation of an opinion. Whereas, a judge will provide a ruling in court, which has legal repercussions—a significantly weightier judgment.
The options are similar in Greek. Examine both LSJ and BDAG for the verb κρίνω (krinō),
LSJ: II. pick out, choose... to choose the best... Pass., to be chosen out, distinguished... 2. decide disputes; judge crooked judgements
BDAG: ① to make a selection, select, prefer... ② to pass judgment upon (and thereby seek to influence) the lives and actions of other people... ⓐ judge, pass judgment upon, express an opinion about... ⓑ esp. pass an unfavorable judgment upon, criticize, find fault with, condemn
⑤ to engage in a judicial process, judge, decide, hale before a court, condemn, also hand over for judicial punishment, freq. as a legal t.t. (in a forensic sense Hom. et al.; ins, pap, LXX)... ⓑ of the divine tribunal α. occupied by God or Christ: abs. administer justice, judge
If you read those entries closely in the respective lexicons, there are numerous legal associations with a plethora of references. That said, the word can also have a pedestrian meaning: to choose, decide. As I have said in other articles, the translator does not have the authority to choose the word he or she wants to use; rather, the selection that best reflects what the author intended should be preferred.
As we explore these κριν- based words, note that they will not be identical in form; there will be permutations since judging in Greek uses a variety of words that are based on this root. These variations are employed to emphasize the nuances of judgment, but they all relate back to what we have already discussed.
Now, let us look at a few instances where the word is used in Matthew and beyond.
The Gospel of Matthew
After Judas's betrayal and reception of 30 pieces of silver, a form of κρίνω appears in reference to Jesus’s own judgment,
Τότε ἰδὼν Ἰούδας ὁ παραδιδοὺς αὐτὸν ὅτι κατεκρίθη, μεταμεληθεὶς ἔστρεψεν τὰ τριάκοντα ἀργύρια τοῖς ἀρχιερεῦσιν καὶ πρεσβυτέροις...
Then, when Judas the betrayer8 saw that (Jesus) was condemned,—i.e., judged to die—he returned the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, since he was filled with regret...
Matt 27:3
Although a variation of κρίνω,9 the legal ruling connotation persists; condemnation is contained in the meaning. Here, Jesus has been judged by the chief priests and elders and so condemned. The meaning and judicial implications are apparent. LSJ states,
A. give as sentence against,... Pass., τοῖσι κατεκέκρι^το θάνατος sentence of death had been passed upon them, Hdt.7.146 2. c. acc. pers., condemn,... Pass., to be condemned,... II. Pass., simply, to be judged, deemed
The emphasis of this variant concerns a sentencing and condemnation, which is how it functions in Matt 27:3. Now, in this context, it is a worldly condemnation and judgment that are in play, for God is not the one that has sentenced Jesus, but the chief priests and elders. They judged that Jesus had committed a crime worthy of death, so they sent him to Pilate (v. 1–2).
As for Matt 7:1, human judgment—the government or officials—is not a factor. It would be rather nonsensical to assume that the chief priests and elders are in mind with regards to judgment. Rather, it appears that Jesus’s words may have divine implications. Should you judge someone, by that same judgment and rule that you have weighed against another, so you, too, will be judged by God.
New Testament
Our first example is specifically a trial. Here, Paul is before the local Jewish leaders in Rome to defend himself. During his defense, he references an assessment made by the Romans—another form of κρίνω. Paul states,
...παρεδόθην εἰς τὰς χεῖρας τῶν Ῥωμαίων, οἵτινες ἀνακρίναντές με ἐβούλοντο ἀπολῦσαι διὰ τὸ μηδεμίαν αἰτίαν θανάτου ὑπάρχειν ἐν ἐμοί.
...I was delivered into the hands of the Romans, who, after examining me,—i.e., for trial—they wished to set me free on account of the lack of evidence for death/execution.10
Acts 28:17c–18
The word here for “examining” is ἀνακρίνω (anakrinō), a form of κρίνω (krinō). LSJ defines the word,
A. examine closely, interrogate... II. examine magistrates so as to prove their qualification,... 2. inquire into... 3. generally, examine
The legal/judicial component in this context is clear. Paul was being examined—judged—for trial, and he was ultimately found innocent.
This was a legal assessment conducted by the Romans to determine if condemnation would be appropriate. Thus far, we have seen multiple words whose root is κριν-, and their definitions are all lexically related to judicial examinations and/or rulings.
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I was hesitant to include a quotation from Romans since it is like opening a can of worms exegetically and theologically. That said, the passage suits our discussion well, but we will not dive into its deeper meaning:
Διὸ ἀναπολόγητος εἶ, ὦ ἄνθρωπε πᾶς ὁ κρίνων· ἐν ᾧ γὰρ κρίνεις τὸν ἕτερον, σεαυτὸν κατακρίνεις, τὰ γὰρ αὐτὰ πράσσεις ὁ κρίνων. οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι τὸ κρίμα τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν κατὰ ἀλήθειαν ἐπὶ τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα πράσσοντας.
Therefore, you are without a defense, o man, each one who judges. For in it,—you judge the other—you condemn yourself, for you—the one who judges—does the same thing. |2| But we know that God’s judgment is, according to truth, against those who do such things.
Rom 2:1–2
This passage is excellent because it has multiple forms of judgment in one place: κρίνω, κατακρίνω, κρίμα. The alteration of κρίνω (krinō) and κατακρίνω (katakrinō) reveals a bit of a play on the two words, which may be intentional. Afterall, the idea is similar to Matthew's account: those who judge others will be judged. But, in Romans, Paul employs κατακρίνεις (katakrineis), “you condemn (yourself),” whereas in Matthew the verb is κριθήσεσθε (krinthēsesthe), “you will be judged.” This could show a slight shift in emphasis. In Paul, condemnation is the focus, but in Matthew it is on being judged, but it is more likely that Matthew still has condemnation in mind.11
Perhaps this is making a mountain out of a molehill, but the lexical differences are worth noting. Regardless, the idea in both persists: be careful of judging others because it may very well be reflected back upon yourself.
Lastly, Paul underscores the divine judicial nature by directly appealing to God’s judgment: τὸ κρίμα τοῦ θεοῦ. For κρίμα (krima), LSJ contains,
A. decision, judgement, Plb.23.1.12, LXX Ps.118(119).7, al., Ep.Rom.11.33; verdict on a literary work, Phld.Po.5.23. 2. decree, resolution, “δήμου” D.H.4.12; “ἱερομνημόνων” BCH27.107, cf. IGRom.3.58,66 (Prusias). 3. legal decision, PPetr.3p.56 (iii B. C.), SIG826Eii 29 (Delph., ii B. C.); decision of arbitrators, ib. 421.44 (Thermum, iii B. C.); esp. sentence, condemnation, LXX De.21.22, al., Ev.Marc.12.40, etc. II. matter for judgement, question... 2. law-suit, LXX Ex.18.22, 1 Ep.Cor.6.7. III. = κρίσις, judging, judgement, Ev.Jo.9.39, Act.Ap.24.25, etc.
I have provided the fuller dictionary entry to emphasize the legal aspect of the word, which underscores further how the verb should be understood. The noun in particular centers on final judgment, the decision that was made after the proceedings. These instances are mounting to show a likely judicial perspective in Matthew. When considering the similar jurisprudence of both Paul and the Evangelist, it further seems that Matt 7:1 has divine and judicial emphases.
Again, I will not explicate Romans further, but I use this passage to show a similar usage of κριν- based words for judgment.
Other Sources (LXX & Apostolic Fathers)
In order to solidify our understanding of the word, we need to explore how κριν- based words are used in other literature that pre- and post-dates the NT. Here, we will examine passages from the Septuagint—the Greek translation of the OT—and the Apostolic Fathers—writings that are more or less contemporaneous with the NT.
The Septuagint
As I said for the NT, I do not plan on doing a deep dive in each instance, explaining the full context of these verses or teasing out a deeper meaning. These are all illustrative of what the word can mean in a snapshot.
With that said, in Leviticus there is an excellent example of judgment,
Οὐ ποιήσετε ἄδικον ἐν κρίσει, οὐ λήμψῃ πρόσωπον πτωχοῦ οὐδὲ θαυμάσεις πρόσωπον δυνάστου, ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ κρινεῖς τὸν πλησίον σου.
You will not commit injustice with your judgment; you will not receive the beggar, nor marvel at the official. With righteousness, you will judge your neighbor.
Lev 19:15 LXX
The surface level meaning of the text is apparent: do not show preference when judging. The poor and ruling alike should receive a fair judgment based upon their actions; there is no partiality.
Again, a judicial assessment is in mind for κρίνω (krinō), where a ruling will commence after an examination.
The Apostolic Fathers
The Didache is a first or second century text that was meant to be catechetical for early Christians. One instruction concerning prophets references judgment:
πᾶς δὲ προφήτης δεδοκιμασμένος, ἀληθινός, ποιῶν εἰς μυστήριον κοσμικὸν ἐκκλησίας, μὴ διδάσκων δὲ ποιεῖν, ὅσα αὐτὸς ποιεῖ, οὐ κριθήσεται ἐφʼ ὑμῶν· μετὰ θεοῦ γὰρ ἔχει τὴν κρίσιν· ὡσαύτως γὰρ ἐποίησαν καὶ οἱ ἀρχαῖοι προφῆται.
But, every prophet, having been scrutinized (and found) honest, but works with a secularized mystery of the Church, yet does not teach to do (this)—as far as he does—will not be judged by you, for he has his judgment with God.
Didache 11.11
We have here another instance of divine judgment. The instruction is not to judge the prophet unless they are teaching to follow in their ways—should their actions be inappropriate. Rather, it is up to God's judgment.
There is a prohibition on condemning the individual in this instance, yet it is not all encompassing. Should after scrutiny the prophet is found to promote his secular practices, the logical conclusion from the text is that some form of judgment and condemnation is fitting from the community.
Synthesis
The driving definition of the word from the above instances revolves around a ruling or an assessment of actions, and a decision will be provided, a condemnation if found guilty.
Now, it must be stated that the judgment—involving assessment, decision, and ruling—can be either legal, e.g. Lev 19:15, or divine, e.g., Rom 2:1–2. The two are related in so far as there will be scrutiny and a ruling, but the party to dispense justice/punishment differs: a governing body or God.
This helps situate the word’s meaning for Matt 7:1. The usage of these κριν- based words all seemingly share a similar circumstance to Matt 7:1, which should lead us to believe that here, too, this idea of a judicial assessment—a ruling—and condemnation are in the author’s mind.
The Present Context of Matt 7:1
A lexical evaluation can only provide a limited understanding of judgment in Matt 7:1–5. The context, logic, and flow of the discourse dictates how we should understand Jesus's words and nuance in this dialogue. As such, we have established that judgment revolves around an assessment of actions followed by a ruling.
That said, there is no judicial or governmental ruling that can be in mind. Jesus is not part of an earthly power such as the Sanhedrin or the Roman Empire.12 V.2, though, clearly contains an idea that some form of judicial assessment is in mind. The words would ring hollow were the threat of condemnation not in play. The only logical conclusion would be a form of divine punishment.
Is there, in turn, a prohibition ultimately against judging another? It would appear not based on v. 5. Yes, v. 1 asserts one should not judge, lest—per v. 2—you be judged in a similar manner. Vv. 3–4 emphasize judging in a state of hypocrisy, but this is not an outright ban of judgment. Rather, the thrust of the argument concerns a person who is morally compromised who judges the misdeeds of another and why judging is inappropriate in this particular circumstance.
V. 5 opens up underscoring this distinction with the vocative, “hypocrite!” Jesus then details that once the beam is removed—dealing with one's own transgressions—he or she is then equipped to judge the “mote (of wood)” in the eye of another: that is, judge, assess, and then ultimately aid in the rehabilitation process.
Thus, based on this paragraph, there is no outright prohibition of judging another. Rather, the concern is hypocrisy in judgment. St. John Chrysostom commented,
If you overlook yourself, it is quite evident that you are not judging your brother with concern, but you judge out of enmity, hoping to expose his fault. If your brother ought to be judged, it should be done by someone who did not commit the sin in question, not by you.13
The Sermon on the Mount and Matt 7:1’s Placement
Jesus’s statement in 7:1 comes from the Sermon on the Mount (ch. 5–7). This catechetical dialogue deals with a lot of prescriptive sayings of Jesus wherein he redefines law while simultaneously teaching how to pray (The Lord’s Prayer, 6:9–13).
Leading up to chapter 7, the discourse begins with the beatitudes, which is followed by people being salt/light of the earth, exhibited by doing good so that God’s glory might shine (5:16). The following passage (5:17–20) concerns upholding the Law, which in turn, leads to Jesus re-defining what those laws are.
The first of these reassessments relates to murder and anger, which reveals an excellent parallel for understanding 7:1. Jesus states,
You have heard that it was said to your Ancestors (Lit. Ancients, i.e., those who heard the Law), “Do not murder, and whoever does murder, he will be liable to judgment (κρίσει, krisei).” But, I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment (κρίσει, krisei).
Matt 5:21
In Jesus’s more stringent interpretation of the Law, he specifically claims that anyone who is angry at his brother is “liable to judgment.” Here we have a second noun for judgment, κρίσις (krisis), which LSJ defines as,
A. separating, distinguishing... 3. choice, election, 4. interpretation of dreams or portents, LXX Da.2.36, D.S. 17.116, J.AJ2.5.7. II. judgement of a court... b. result of a trial, condemnation, X.An.1.6.5. c. ἡμέρα κρίσεως Day of Judgement, Ev.Matt.10.15. 2. trial of skill or strength... 3. Dispute... III. event, issue, κρίσιν σχεῖν to be decided, of a war, Th.1.23, Plb.31.29.5... 2. turning point of a disease, sudden change for better or worse,
If we compare this with Rom 2:1–2, which contained κρίμα (krima), both words hold a lexical emphasis on the decision. That said, κρίσις (krisis) has a bit broader definition than κρίμα, but the point stands that Jesus is speaking with legal terminology. Should you break this new command, you may be condemned.
Additionally, in Sir 18:20,—wisdom literature from the Deuterocanonical books—we find a lexical and partial thematic parallel with Matt 7:1,
πρὸ κρίσεως ἐξέταζε σεαυτόν, καὶ ἐν ὥρᾳ ἐπισκοπῆς εὑρήσεις ἐξιλασμόν.
Before judgment, examine yourself, and in the hour of visitation (i.e., of God),14 you will find atonement.
Here, too, we find κρίσις (krisis), and we can see a pairing of judgment and self-examination in order to produce propitiation. Although there may be an allowance of judgment in Matt 7:5, there certainly is a parallel sentiment with Sirach. Self-reflection is a key component in judgment and atonement.
As for Matt 5:21, Jesus redefines murder concluding that breaking this new law would be “liable to judgment,” which means he intends more than just a critique or decision. The lexical and thematic parallels with 7:1 indicates there is a consistent line of thought. As such, both passages are concerned with judgment and condemnation, though the particulars differ slightly. Regardless, the echoing themes from both indicates the result would be divine judgment.15
Conclusion
Now, is there a prohibition on judging others in the Sermon on the Mount? Is the implication that we are to keep our mouths shut, lest we receive harsh treatment from the divine? The conclusion, in turn, cannot be a barring of all judgment; Davies and Allison state, “The imperative μὴ κρίνετε, cannot refer to simple ethical judgements, and believers are not being instructed to refrain from critical thinking (without which they could never choose between true and false religion; cf. 18:15).”16
One could read 7:1 in isolation as prohibiting judging, but v. 5 explicitly states judgment of others is acceptable under one condition: absence of hypocrisy. V. 1’s command—“judge not lest ye be judged”—is not a directive not to judge; rather, it is a condemnation of hypocrisy.
As St. Jerome wrote concerning Matt 7:1,
If (Jesus) prohibits judging, how is it consistent that Paul judges the fornicator in Corinth, and Peter convicts Ananias and Sapphira of lying? But from what follows he shows what he has prohibited. He says: for in what manner you judge, so shall it be judged concerning you. Thus he has not prohibited judging, but taught it.17
Our focus should, therefore, be on edifying our brethren rather than tearing them down. Indeed, it may be acceptable to chastise someone’s sin should it be for their betterment; but, were it to fall into the category of castigation for the sake of castigation, one should be wary.18
Our lexical and contextual analysis must conclude that the directive allows a form of decision making in the condemnation of others for unrighteous actions or misdeeds. Though, it must be noted that what that punishment might look like is left out of this pericope; as such, it might be good to approach these judgments through the lens of Matt 18:15–20,—Reproving Another Who Sins (RSV title)—and the unmerciful servant of Matt 18:23–35, but an analysis of these passages is outside the scope of this paper.19
It is not as if Jesus gave believers carte blanche to go wild and denounce everything under the sun; afterall, final judgment is not conducted by humans, but God. The concluding contemplation, rather, should be, were I to judge a person’s actions, am I confident that I am guiltless in this same circumstance (cf. John 8:1–11). Should the answer even possibly be in the negative, it might be best to avoid lambasting another for their faults. Having the temerity to condemn another after the slightest stumble might land yourself in a place of hypocrisy, resulting in a judgment of equal severity.
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Dative of instrument, with prep. ἐν.
This may sound repetitive because it is in Greek. All judgment words and measuring share a root respectively, so I have retained that in order that the Greek flavor is retained.
Gk. βλέπεις, “to look at”; “to see.” Here, though, the context is clearly more than just look at. It is more of judging based on what one has seen; it is more than simply noticing.
LSJ δοκός, A. bearing-beam, main beam, esp. in the roof or floor of a house, Od.22.176, Ar.Nu. 1496; any balk or beam, Il.17.744, Th.4.112.
Gk. τῷ σῷ ὀφθαλμῷ—the use of the adjectival pronoun emphasizes the hypocrisy.
Adversative καί.
Note the shift in verbs, though they share the same root: v. 2 βλέπω, v. 5 διαβλέπω.
Lit., “the one who betrayed him.”
κατα-, a preposition, functions as a prefix, which colors the meaning of the word. It is common for this to happen in Greek. For instance, παραδίδωμι, the word used above as “the betrayer,” means “to betray.” Without the prefix, δίδωμι means “to give.”
This translation is a little free at the end. Lit. “on account of the existence of no cause for death.” The grammar does not allow for a smooth one-to-one translation, so I unpacked it slightly.
See U. Luz, Matthew 1–7 (Fortress, 2007), 351.
That said, Davies & Allison speculate that 7:1 could be an indictment against the pharisees; see Matthew (vol. 1; London: T&T Clark, 2004), 668.
D. Williams and R. Wilken, eds., Matthew: Interpreted by Early Christian Commentators (trans. D. Williams; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2018), 154.
See LSJ, A. watching over, visitation, of God, LXX Nu.16.29, Ev.Luc.19.44.
J. Nolland, The Gospel of Matthew (Eerdmans, 2005), 318, notes, “In Matthew the whole word group (κριν-, κριμ-, κρισ-) is used overwhelmingly for the eschatological judgment of God. Since Matthew clearly expects everyone to face the eschatological judgment of God, the only sense in which one can avoid being ‘judged’ by God, is in avoiding being condemned in the judgment. So κρίνειν here means ‘judge negatively/condemn’ in the second clause, and it must have a corresponding meaning in the first clause.”
W. Davies and D. Allison Jr., Matthew, 668.
Jerome, Commentary on Matthew (ed. Thomas P. Halton; trans. Thomas P. Scheck; vol. 117; The Fathers of the Church; Washington: The Catholic University of America Press, 2008), 92–93.
Luz, Matthew, 353 conclude, “When the brother whose beam has been removed shares in removing the splinter in the eye of the other brother, his participation can no longer have the character of judging.”
D. Harrington, The Gospel of Matthew (Liturgical Press, 2007), 104 hints at this, though does not reference this passage specifically: “In form (‘do not’) the saying about not passing judgment on others (7:1–2; see Luke 6:37–38) follows on the reflection about trust. In content it prepares for the reflection on fraternal correction (7:3–5; see Luke 6:39–42), a join already made in Q. It urges those who would correct others to have their own lives in order first.”
See also R. France, The Gospel of Matthew (Eerdmans, 2007), 276.