Judge Not (Matthew 7:1–5; Luke 6:37–42)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

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St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 23 (on Matthew 7:1–5) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110.iii.XXIII.html

That the Lord forbids not all judgment, but the bitter judging of small faults by men themselves full of great ones:

In this place, then, as it seems at least to me, He doth not simply command us not to judge any of men's sins, neither doth He simply forbid the doing of such a thing, but to them that are full of innumerable ills, and are trampling upon other men for trifles.

On "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged":

That is, "it is not the other," saith Christ, "that thou condemnest, but thyself, and thou art making the judgment-seat dreadful to thyself, and the account strict."

On correcting the sinner as a physician, not as an enemy:

Nay, correct him, but not as a foe, nor as an adversary exacting a penalty, but as a physician providing medicines. For neither did Christ say, "stay not him that is sinning," but "judge not;" that is, be not bitter in pronouncing sentence.

On the beam that must be cast out first:

Seest thou, that He forbids not judging, but commands to cast out first the beam from thine eye, and then to set right the doings of the rest of the world? For indeed each one knows his own things better than those of others; and sees the greater rather than the less; and loves himself more than his neighbor.

St. Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376–444)

Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, Sermons 29 and 33 (on Luke 6:37–42) Source: trans. R. Payne Smith, Library of Fathers, 1859. Public domain. Full text: https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/cyril_on_luke_03_sermons_26_38.htm

On "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged":

He cuts away from our minds a very unmanageable passion, the commencement and begetter of pride. For while it is men's duty to examine themselves, and to order their conduct according to God's will, they leave this alone to busy themselves with the affairs of others: and if they see any infirm, forgetting as it seems their own frailties, they make it an excuse for faultfinding, and a handle for calumny.

That compassion and prayer, not censure, are owed to the one overtaken in a fault:

And yet it were rather our duty to have compassion on the infirm, as those who have been overcome by the assaults of the passions, ... and to pray in their behalf, and exhort them, and rouse them up unto soberness, and endeavour ourselves not to fall into similar faults.

On the mote and the beam:

For if thou, He says, art thyself sick with maladies more dangerous and severe than those of others, why, neglecting thy own, dost thou find fault with them, and whilst thou hast a beam in thine own eye, commencest a hot accusation against those who have a mote? ... Deliver thyself first from thy great crimes, and thy rebellious passions, and then thou mayest set him right who is guilty of but trifling faults.

Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

Our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, Book II (on Matthew 7:1–5) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 6. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf106.v.iii.xviii.html and https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf106.v.iii.xix.html

On putting the better construction on doubtful actions:

In this passage, I am of opinion that we are taught nothing else, but that in the case of those actions respecting which it is doubtful with what intention they are done, we are to put the better construction on them.

That manifest sins may lawfully be judged:

such as debaucheries, or blasphemies, or thefts, or drunkenness, and all such things, of which we are permitted to judge, according to the apostle's statement

On the difference between anger and hatred, as between a mote and a beam:

So that if perchance, for example, he has transgressed in anger, you should find fault in hatred; there being, as it were, as much difference between anger and hatred as between a mote and a beam. For hatred is inveterate anger, which, as it were simply by its long duration, has acquired so great strength as to be justly called a beam.

On casting the beam of hatred out first:

first cast the hatred away from thee, and then, but not before, shalt thou be able to amend him whom thou lovest.

That common frailty should make pity, not hatred, go before rebuke:

so that when necessity shall compel us to find fault with or rebuke any one, we may reflect first whether the fault is such as we have never had, or one from which we have now become free ... let the common infirmity touch the memory, that not hatred but pity may go before that fault-finding or administering of rebuke

St. Jerome (c. 347–420)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 7:1–5) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.vii.html

That the prohibition does not abolish lawful correction, as Paul and Peter show:

But if He forbids us to judge, how then does Paul judge the Corinthian who had committed uncleanness? Or Peter convict Ananias and Sapphira of falsehood?

On who is meant by the man with the beam:

He speaks of such as though themselves guilty of mortal sin, do not forgive a trivial fault in their brother.

St. Hilary of Poitiers (c. 310–367)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 7:1–5) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.vii.html

On his reading, that where the matter is doubtful we begin to sin the moment we pronounce any judgment at all:

He forbids us to judge God touching His promises; ... And He therefore would have us put away the custom from us altogether; for it is not here as in other cases where it is sin to have given a false judgment; but here we have begun to sin if we have pronounced any judgment at all.