Texts in Conversation
Jesus’ warning in Matthew against judging others unfairly is similar to Rabbinic tradition, such as tractate Sanhedrin and the Mishnah, where a person is judged by the same standard they apply to others. Both traditions emphasize self-examination before criticizing others.
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Matthew 7:5
New Testament
1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive. 3 Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while there is a beam in your own? 5 You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. 6 Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces.
Date: 70-90 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Sanhedrin 18b
Babylonian Talmud
Rabbinic
GEMARA: The mishna teaches that the High Priest judges others as a member of a court. The Gemara asks: Isn’t that obvious? Why would one think that he would be unfit to serve as a judge? The Gemara answers: It was necessary for the mishna to mention the latter clause: And others judge him, and therefore, it taught the related halakha with it. The Gemara objects: This is also obvious; if others do not judge him, how can he judge others? But isn’t it written: “Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together [hitkosheshu vakoshu]” (Zephaniah 2:1); and Reish Lakish says: This verse teaches a moral principle: Adorn [kashet] yourself first, and then adorn others, i.e., one who is not subject to judgment may not judge others.
Date: 450-550 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Matthew 7:1-5 focuses on judging as condemnation of another by one who has not judged him - or herself. Verse 1 tells what not to do: do not condemn (compare Matthew 12:41-42; 20:18; Romans 2:1, 3 for such a meaning of krinete). Verse 2 says what God will do: judge the condemner with the same judgment the condemner has exercised. This was a common Jewish sentiment. Compare Romans 2:1, 3 - 'in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself ...'; Mishnah Sotah 1:7 - 'With the measure with which a person measures, he will be measured (by God)' ..."
Talbert, Charles H.
Reading the Sermon on the Mount: Character Formation and Decision Making in Matthew 5-7
(pp. 132-133) University of South Carolina Press, 2004
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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