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Life is?? # 132 Therefore - now you shall know!
** In the light of these scriptures, it is evident that there must be a right and wrong type of judging. **
Date: 9/12/2017 7:22:35 PM ( 7 y ) ... viewed 835 times Matthew 7 {Notes}
Matthew 7:1 to 11
Note on Matthew 7:1
Not only is there a right and wrong type of judging, but also what we judge is important. It’s not wrong to judge that something someone else has done has bothered or offended us. That’s just reality. However, we are not to judge why they did it. We don’t know what’s in others’ hearts. We don’t always know why we do what we do.
For instance, it’s not wrong to tell others you were offended by something they did, but when you say “I know why you did this; you don’t love me anymore” or “You just want to hurt me” or “You NEVER listen to me,” etc., that type of judging is wrong.
It’s possible you took an offense when none was intended, or maybe that other person was just having a bad day and they didn’t treat you with love, as they should have.
When people cut you off in traffic, you can say what they did was wrong, but you don’t know why they did what they did. Maybe they just came from the doctor and found out they or someone they love is going to die. If you could understand why people do what they do, you would tend to be much more compassionate in your judging. So, you can judge that something is right or wrong.
You have to do that. However, you shouldn’t impugn the character of others until you know their side of things.
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 46 at Matthew 7:1: On other occasions, Jesus told people to judge (Luke 12:57 and John 7:24).
The disciples told people to judge (Acts 4:19; Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthians 5:12, 6:2, 10:15, 11:13, and 14:29). Paul judged (1 Corinthians 5:3 and 2 Corinthians 5:14). There are many examples of people judging. Paul prayed that our love would abound more and more in all judgment (Philippians 1:9).
In the light of these scriptures, it is evident that there must be a right and wrong type of judging.
In Luke 12:56-57, Jesus used the words “discern” and “judge” interchangeably. As defined by the American Heritage Dictionary, “judge” can mean many things from “condemn” to “to form an opinion or evaluation.”
There certainly is nothing wrong with discerning or appraising a situation or person. Quite the contrary, we need to try the spirits
(1 John 4:1). Judging, when done as discernment, is good.
It is the condemning type of judgment that is wrong. This is denounced in other scriptures (Romans 14:4, 10, 13; and James 4:11) because of the reasons stated in Matthew 5:22.
We can defer to God passing sentence on people and know that He will have perfect judgment (Romans 2:2 and Revelation 20:12-13).
Also notice that in these scriptures, Jesus was not forbidding judgment; He was warning us to be careful with our judgments because we will be judged accordingly. This same principle is stated in Romans 2:1-3 and James 2:12-13.
There are certain cases where we have to pass a condemning sentence, as Paul did
(1 Corinthians 5:3-5 and
1 Timothy 1:20), or as a judge would today. Pastors and elders are charged with rebuking and even disciplining church members
(1 Timothy 5:20; Revelation 2:12-16, and 18-20), but it is not something to be done lightly. This warning constrains us to be certain that we have heard from God and are not simply venting our own frustrations.
Matthew 7:2
Note on Matthew 7:2
Those of us who have truly put saving faith in Jesus will not be judged. He bore all of our judgment (see my note at John 12:32). Therefore, I don’t believe this is speaking of God judging us. Rather, this is saying we will reap from people what we sow.
We’ve all seen this happen many times. Those of us who are harsh with others are treated harshly. If we hurt people, they tend to want to hurt us back. But those of us who sow mercy, reap mercy (Matthew 5:7). Therefore, it is to our advantage to do unto others what we would want them to do to us (Matthew 7:12).
Matthew 7:3
Note on Matthew 7:3
We don’t have any right to judge others until we have judged ourselves. Those who condemn others for abusing the environment or not living healthy–yet they themselves are living immorally–are disqualified from critiquing anyone else in God’s sight. That’s the only sight that counts.
The Greek word “KARPHOS,” which was translated “mote” in this verse, means “a dry twig or straw” (Strong’s Concordance).
The New International Version renders this as “speck of sawdust.” This is just contrasting the smallness of a problem in others we correct, when we have a huge problem in ourselves that we are overlooking.
Matthew 7:4
Note on Matthew 7:4
Those who are so politically correct today over trifles and yet blatantly rebelling at every standard of good are guilty of what Jesus was speaking of here.
Until people experience some measure of victory in their own lives, they don’t have any business instructing others in what they should do. Modern culture elevates to idol status people who have less morality than an alley cat. They can’t keep their marriages together, they deny the existence of God and everything that is good, and yet many people in our culture look to them for leadership. That is totally wrong.
Matthew 7:5
Note on Matthew 7:5
Most strife could be avoided if this one principle was followed. Before we judge anyone else, we should ask ourselves and God, “Am I guilty of what I hate in this other person?” Most of the time we are, and realizing this will make us much more forgiving and compassionate in our dealings with others. Those who judge themselves are less likely to judge others.
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 47 at Matthew 7:5: The symbolism in Matthew 7:3-5 is very clear: don’t be hypocritical in your judgment; straighten yourself out first. However, it does need to be emphasized that this is further comment on judging, which Jesus mentioned in Matthew 7:1-2. Although there are many applications of this truth, it was not given as an unrelated statement.
In Luke’s account of this illustration (Luke 6:41-42), notice that Luke 6:43-44 is tied to it with the conjunction “For.” That amplifies this point by saying that if you are corrupt yourself, you can’t produce good fruit. Your reputation is built upon who you are, not who you correct (Luke 6:44).
Matthew 7:6
Note on Matthew 7:6
Remember the context of this verse: Jesus had just spoken about not judging, yet here, He was encouraging a judgment. Otherwise, how could we know who is a swine or dog?
This calls for judgment, and when we discern people who have the values and perception of animals, we need to refrain from giving them the valuable things God has given us.
There are some people who just don’t get spiritual things, and we need to be wise enough to discern or judge who they are.
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 48 at Matthew 7:6: Not everybody will receive instruction (Proverbs 1:7; 15:5, and 32).
We need godly wisdom to judge who is receptive and who is not. When we perceive people who are scorning our witness, we should heed the advice of this scripture and
Proverbs 9:7-8 lest they mock the things of God and then turn on us.
Matthew 7:7
Note on Matthew 7:7
The Greek word translated “ask” here is “AITEO,” and according to the Strong’s Concordance notes on the Greek word “PUNTHANOMAI” (another Greek word for “ask”),
it means to demand what is due. It was used in
Luke 23:23, which says, “And they were instant with loud voices, REQUIRING that he might be crucified”
(emphasis mine). In that instance, it is clearly more than a passive request.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines “ask” as “
1. To put a question to.
2. To seek an answer to.
3. To seek information about.
4. To make a request of.
5. To make a request for....
6. To expect or demand.
7. To invite.”
If you use “ask” in the sense of definition 6 or 7, it is consistent with everything already being an accomplished work in Christ. But when used in the sense of the other definitions, that is inconsistent with Jesus having already provided everything.
Jesus has already provided our needs through His atonement. The provisions are waiting for us to receive them. We don’t ask in the sense that we don’t believe they are already ours. We ask as Jesus instructed us: “Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts” (Matthew 6:11-12).
It’s already ours; we just need to appropriate by faith what grace has already provided.
There are three things spoken of in this verse:
asking,
seeking, and
knocking.
We ask for what has already been provided, we seek what we don’t know, and we knock to open doors that have been closed.
I’ve often heard that the Greek words for “ask,” “seek,” and “knock” mean to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking.
I looked at every Greek dictionary I have, and that was not communicated in any of them. This isn’t saying that we have to plead with the Lord, as is often communicated (see my notes at Luke 11:5 and 18:2).
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 49 at Matthew 7:7: Asking and receiving must be qualified by these other scriptures:
(1) We must ask in faith (Matthew 21:22 and Mark 11:24) without wavering (James 1:5-7).
(2) We must ask according to God’s will (1 John 5:14-15, see note 31 at Matthew 6:10) and not to consume it upon our own lusts (James 4:2-3).
Seeking and finding must also be qualified by Matthew 6:33. If we are seeking something more than we are seeking God, we are hindering our own supply.
Matthew 7:8
Note on Matthew 7:8
It is obvious that many people have prayed for things that they have never seen come to pass. So, in an attempt to reconcile these promises with our experiences, many have said that God sometimes says no or that this doesn’t apply to everyone, but that’s not what this verse says.
It clearly states that EVERYONE who asks receives, etc. How can this be?
The answer lies in the fact that God is a Spirit
(John 4:24), and God moves in the spiritual, or unseen, realm. When He answers our prayers, the answers come in spiritual form, and whether or not they ever move from the spiritual realm and form in the physical realm is not dependent on God answering but rather on whether or not we know how to receive.
Faith gives tangibility to things not seen
(Hebrews 11:1); i.e.,
things that are spiritual and not physical. See my notes at Daniel 9:23 and 10:12.
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 50 at Matthew 7:8:
Prayer that meets the requirements outlined in God’s Word (see note 49 at Matthew 7:7) is always answered.
Many times we don’t perceive the answer because it always comes in the spiritual realm first before it is manifested in the physical realm.
If we waver (James 1:6-7) from our confident (Hebrews 10:35) faith, then we abort the manifestation of that answer. But God did answer. Everyone who asks receives, etc. Compare with Daniel’s answers to prayer in Daniel 9 and 10.
Matthew 7:9
Note on Matthew 7:9
The Lord uses the way parents feel about their children to relate how God feels about us. This is why we call God “our Father” (Matthew 6:9).
All but the vilest of parents would answer their children’s request with a yes. How much more does our heavenly Father love us?
If we would expect kindness from earthly parents who are sinners, then how much more should we expect kindness from our heavenly Father.
Matthew 7:10
Note on Matthew 7:10
What would you think of a father who gave his child a serpent when the child had asked for a fish?
I guarantee you that he would be in trouble. You would turn him in for child abuse.
Any civilized nation would prosecute him.
Yet religion basically says that God puts terrible things on His children. Religion credits God with all sickness and problems, but that is not what Jesus was revealing about God here.
Our heavenly Father treats His children better than any fallen human parents treat their children.
God is a good God and only gives good and perfect gifts to us (John 10:10 and James 1:13-17).
Matthew 7:11
Note on Matthew 7:11
Luke 11:11-13 records Jesus saying nearly identical words. In Luke 11:13, Jesus specified that the Holy Spirit was one of the “good things” He would eagerly give His children. Therefore, the religious doctrine that we have to beg and/or tarry for the Holy Spirit is not accurate
(see my note at Luke 24:49).
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 51 at Matthew 7:11:
God is love (1 John 4:8)!
And His love for us is infinitely greater than any physical relationship we can compare Him with here on earth.
We can apply this principle to any command or example we find in God’s Word where His standards for relationship are revealed (Matthew 7:9-11, 18:21-22; Ephesians 5:22-23; and 1 Timothy 5:8), and we can be assured that He will much more than meet those standards Himself.
Matthew 7:12
Note on Matthew 7:12
This summarizes Jesus’ previous statements in this chapter. We can apply this to the judging He spoke of in the first five verses
(Matthew 7:1-5).
We should judge others the way we want to be judged. That would solve a lot of problems. If we treated others the way we wanted to be treated, then there would be no need for any of the law that governs our actions. Loving others as we love ourselves would solve all social ills.
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 52 at Matthew 7:12: The word “Therefore” ties this verse in with the first eleven verses.
Upon examination, it can be seen that this verse is actually a summary of the preceding verses and the entire Law and the Prophets (O.T.).
Andrew Wommack's Living Commentary.
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