One verse takes many
Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.
How do I interpret this one verse? Within its context. Please allow me to explain and expound upon it.
12And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 13And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; 14Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, 15Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, 16And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.
We begin the context with the night before as Jesus spent the whole night praying to God his Father. An important decision was made the following morning as he chose his apostles.
17And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; 18And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. 19And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.
We see exactly whom he is going to address with these words. His words were prefaced with signs and wonders of healing and casting out devils.
20And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. 21Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. 22Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. 23Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. 24But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. 25Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. 26Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
He speaks of two different types of people. Those who follow truth and those who live in error. It can clearly be seen that they who are after the flesh are the ones who persecute those after the spirit.
27But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. 29And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also. 30Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 31And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 32For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. 33And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. 34And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
He turns his attention solely to those who will follow him. Explaining to them what it means to do the works of God the Father.
37Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38Give, 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.
He pulls it all together for a summary statement contrasting the two, that which is of the spirit versus that which is of the flesh.
39And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? 40The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. 41And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 42Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. 43For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 44For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. 45A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
As his disciples, they would need to learn how to teach effectively. He explains that they cannot teach if they do not know how or if they do not possess understanding.
46And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 47Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 48He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 49But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
To end his teaching of the disciples and the multitude, he explains the very fact that in order for them to benefit from his teaching, they must do as they say. There actions must match their profession of faith in him.
The whole theme of the passage is about judgment and condemnation. As he spoke about 'they that hate you', 'separate you from their company', 'reproach you,'cast out your name as evil'. These contrasted against deeds of mercy to the undeserving, 'Love your enemies', 'do good to them which hate you', 'Bless them that curse you', 'pray for them which despitefully use you'. 'unto him that smiteth thee offer also the other', 'taketh away thy cloke take thy coat also', 'Give to every man that asketh of thee', 'him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again'.
So our verse we are concerning ourselves about:
Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.
It summarizes that those who do not judge or condemn in the way that they interact with people, through their deeds, will not receive judgment or condemnation by God the Father. Those who repay evil with evil will be judged as evildoers. Those who by patient continuance in well doing, actually keeping the sayings of Jesus by doing them, will escape judgment and condemnation.
Light has come into the world and they who loved the light come to the light that it may be made manifest that their deeds are wrought in God.
In Jesus Name,
Gary
