How does John 8:3 connect to Matthew 7:1 on judging others? Setting the Scene • John 8:3 opens with religious leaders dragging “Then the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery…”. • Their goal: public shaming and a death sentence by stoning (cf. Leviticus 20:10). • They stand as self-appointed judges, certain of their moral high ground. What Matthew 7:1 Says “Do not judge, so that you will not be judged.” • Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount warns against a condemning spirit. • The command is not a ban on discernment (cf. v.6, v.15) but a prohibition of hypocritical, self-righteous verdicts. How the Two Passages Interlock • Same issue, different settings: – Matthew 7:1 teaches the principle. – John 8:3 shows a real-life violation of that principle. • The accusers in John 8 embody the very judgment Jesus forbids: – Quick to condemn; slow to examine their own hearts. – Using Scripture as a weapon rather than a guide (cf. Deuteronomy 17:7, partial: “The hands of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death,”). • Jesus flips the courtroom: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone” (v.7, within 90 chars). His words echo Matthew 7:1 by forcing self-judgment before judging others. Key Lessons • Hypocrisy boomerangs: judging others invites equal or greater scrutiny (Matthew 7:2). • Mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13, partial). Jesus releases the woman with, “Neither do I condemn you… Go and sin no more” (v.11, within 90 chars). • True righteousness starts with personal repentance, not public condemnation (Romans 2:1, partial). Living It Out • Examine motives before speaking into someone’s failure. • Apply the same standard to yourself that you wish to apply to others. • Restore gently when sin is evident (Galatians 6:1, partial: “restore him with a spirit of gentleness,”). • Let Jesus’ combination of holiness and compassion shape every response to moral failure around you. |
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