Luke 6:37-38
Quick note: after a sojourn through the passion and resurrection stories of Luke’s Gospel, we are now coming back to where we left off before Lent, just in the middle of Jesus’ sermon on the mount (except, of course, in Luke it’s the sermon on a plain :)) where he paints pictures of life in God’s kingdom.
Luke 6:37-38: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”
Here’s the question that strikes me about this passage: is Jesus invoking a cosmic legal standard or simply offering kingdom advice?
Not totally sure what I mean? Don’t worry about it; I’m not totally sure either. 🙂 But here’s what I’m trying to get at.
One way to read this passage is to hear Jesus as making something of a divine threat. You know, if you judge others you will be judged. If you condemn, then look out. If you do everything right, then you’ll win the jackpot.
In some ways, I suspect that’s the dominant interpretation we hear. But I wonder….
I wonder because there is no threat here, only promise: you won’t be judged, you won’t be condemned, etc. Not even an “if” to set it all up. Rather, just the statement: don’t judge, and you won’t be, and so forth.
I also wonder because there’s no agent specified. That is, Jesus doesn’t say, “If you judge others God will surely judge you.” If he had, there would be a clear agent enforcing the legal standard. But he doesn’t. Instead, he makes his statement as if this is just the way it is.
Finally, I also wonder because, well, when you think about it, what Jesus says just makes sense. I mean, when we are not judgmental, we’re less likely to be judged by others. And often what we get in life is exactly what we give. Who has the most friends? Usually the one who is friendliest to others. Who is most unhappy? Usually the one who acts in unhappy ways.
The challenge, I think, is that this isn’t the message we hear in the kingdom of the world. It’s not “don’t judge and you won’t be judged,” it’s “judge others before you get judged.” Ultimately, I think, it’s a matter of trust. Jesus’ kingdom ethic – if it’s not a divine threat – depends upon the community trusting each other for it to work.
Which might be the whole point. Trust others, and you will be trusted. That’s the logic of the kingdom.
Prayer: Dear God, help us to trust each other. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
I think it is quite likely kingdom advice. This text reminds me of the wisdom literature, the proverbs especially, which would have informed Jesus thought and so plausibly his teaching style too
Great insight, Matilda, and helpful to me going forward. Thank you.
I believe this is kingdom advice and instructions on how to walk in Jesus’ footsteps and to love each other unconditionally.
In pondering these verses, Jesus does NOT say it is a sin to judge others. Jesus DOES say later in the parable that follows (verse 6:42) to remove the plank from your eye before removing a speck from someone else’s eye.
I think it is “kingdom advice”, a warning to not judge/condemn hastily. The wording however is very powerful. Before confronting others about their sin, you better examine your own life and be sure you could not be condemned for the same — and think through what the result (division/anger) of judging someone could be.
Actually in connecting these verses up to the following parable, it becomes clear. The two blind men leading each other will fall in a ditch — they can’t judge each other, they don’t know the way. However a man with sight (maybe a Christian?) could lead the blind.
Similarly, a tree with good fruit shouldn’t judge another good tree — they are both good productive trees. But an unproductive tree could be judged…
I have never connected these two verses. I have always thought vs 38 is about material giving.